Hall of Fame news could put a damper on celebrations for 2 Cardinals legends

For the past few years, St. Louis Cardinals fans have been impatiently waiting for the year 2028. That's when the Baseball Writers of America will induct one, if not two, former Cardinals stalwarts into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. But a wrinkle has emerged in the potential celebration around Cardinal Nation for Albert Pujols' and, possibly, Yadier Molina's Hall of Fame election.

Major League Baseball has just lifted the Hall of Fame ban on Pete Rose and "Shoeless Joe" Jackson, among other players, and the voting on their induction will occur in 2027, making them eligible for the class of 2028 — the same year that Pujols and Molina, if elected, will also receive induction.

Rose's Hall of Fame candidacy could shove Pujols and Molina into more of a background role in 2028.

Because Rose and Jackson would be voted on by the Classic Baseball Era Committee and Pujols and Molina would receive votes from the Baseball Writers of America Association, votes for Rose and Jackson would not affect the induction likelihood for Pujols and Molina. Despite that, the impending public fascination with whether Rose and, to a lesser extent, Jackson will receive enough votes for induction will overshadow the suspense regarding whether Molina will make it in on the first ballot.

This ballot will also create plenty of controversy. Arguments about whether Rose deserved a spot in the Hall of Fame have been raging for years, and if Rose is voted for induction in his first year of eligibility, the day that was supposed to celebrate Pujols' and Molina's accomplishments would be tainted by the entrance of a highly controversial figure into the Hall of Fame.

There is no guarantee that Rose will make it into Cooperstown in his first year, though. If voters' opinions on suspected or confirmed steroid users like Barry Bonds carry over to Rose, he may not earn enough votes to warrant an induction. For Cardinals fans who want to see the day be a celebration of Pujols and Molina, it would be optimal if Rose were not inducted on his first ballot.

The two modern Cardinals legends will undoubtedly handle the ensuing Rose drama with the professionalism they showcased throughout their spectacular careers, and while St. Louis will certainly be focusing on Pujols and Molina more than it will on Rose, fans who expected a national celebration of two of the best Cardinals of the 21st century may have to adapt to the real possibility of a dark cloud raining on that parade just a bit.