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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The ongoing Hall of Fame snubbing of Cleveland legend Kenny Lofton has ignited fresh frustration among those who covered his stellar career, with the latest modern era committee ballot exclusion becoming a hot topic on the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast. Host Joe Noga didn’t mince words when discussing Lofton’s absence from the eight-player ballot, which includes controversial figures Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in their first year of eligibility under this committee format. “Kenny Lofton, a former Cleveland All-Star, Gold Glove, center fielder, franchise legend, one of the greatest players in the franchise’s history snubbed, I guess, is the only way to put it. Again, it seems like it’s the same old story,” Noga stated with clear disappointment. For cleveland.com Guardians beat reporter Paul Hoynes, the exclusion was unexpected given Lofton’s stellar career that included six All-Star appearances, four Gold Gloves, and a critical role in Cleveland’s dominant teams of the 1990s. “I was surprised,” Hoynes said, while acknowledging the quality of the players who did make the cut. “I thought he really had a chance to make that ballot.” What makes this situation particularly frustrating for Lofton’s supporters is that his original Hall of Fame candidacy was cut short when he fell off the BBWAA ballot after receiving less than 5% of the vote in his first year. Many believe this was due to the crowded ballot of players from the steroid era, which prevented voters from giving proper consideration to deserving candidates like Lofton. Noga views this committee ballot as a missed opportunity to correct a past injustice: “This was an opportunity for the nominating committee to right a wrong. That happened back when Lofton was first eligible. He at least deserved a longer look on that ballot and he didn’t get one because of the steroid era guys. This was an opportunity for the committee to right a wrong, and they didn’t take that opportunity. That’s what’s troublesome to me.” More Guardians coverage Shane Bieber’s shocking $16M decision: Why the ex-Guardians ace stunned baseball by staying in Toronto What Joe Flacco’s 470-yard day says about the Browns; a big idea for the Cavs’ second unit: Terry’s Talkin’ podcast Cleveland’s sports billionaires refuse to pay their fair share while city battles poverty The modern era committee ballot instead features Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield, and Fernando Valenzuela. The voting committee, comprised largely of current Hall of Famers with some media members, will announce their selection on December 7 at the Winter Meetings. There is, however, a glimmer of hope for Lofton’s future chances. Hoynes pointed to a new rule that could potentially clear the path for overlooked candidates: “One thing that could clear a path for guys like Lofton is a new rule that was instituted this year. Any player who receives less than five of the 16 votes from the 16 member committee, they will not be eligible for the next contemporary era ballot. They’re trying to clear some space for guys like Lofton and some other players that may have been lost in the shuffle.” This rule could potentially remove some perennial candidates from future ballots, creating space for Lofton to receive proper consideration. Both hosts referenced players like Bert Blyleven and Alan Trammell who eventually gained Hall of Fame recognition through committee votes after extended waits. “All we can say is to Kenny Lofton is hang in there, buddy, because hopefully his day will come,” Hoynes concluded. To hear the complete discussion about Kenny Lofton’s Hall of Fame case and other baseball topics, download the latest episode of the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast. Podcast transcript Joe Noga: Welcome back to the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast. I’m Joe Noga, joined by Paul Hoynes. Hoynsie, some news last night in terms of the off season. Hot stove is, is starting to heat up early on in the process here, but we saw a lot of options picked up, options declined by teams, by players. One that really stands out to Guardians fans, Shane Bieber opting in. He’s going to pick up his player option and stay in Toronto for at least one more season. $16 million option, player option for next season. So Shane Bieber will pitch for the Blue Jays in 2026 is a shock, I guess. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, it would qualify as a shock, Joe. Just all along I thought, you know, this was kind of a platform year for him. He came back, made it back to the big leagues from Tommy John surgery, made seven starts for the Blue Jays after the Guardians traded him at the deadline, then pitched, you know, very well. I thought in the postseason he, he was unfort, gave up the game losing or the game winning home run in game seven of the World Series, but I thought he had established, re established himself and was ready to go back out on the post on the free agent market. But apparently he really likes Toronto. He’s surrounded by a lot of former Cleveland teammates. The front office has deep Cleveland roots. Maybe Bieber’s found a, you know, at least a temporary home north of the border. Joe Noga: Yeah, it’s, it, it really does feel like a comfort move right now. And there were, there was talk that, you know, there was a sense that he wanted to finish sort of what the, the Blue Jays started and going into that, that deep postseason run, maybe there’s an emotional factor there that, that, that Bieber that caused Bieber to, to, to pick that option up and stay with Toronto. The reason it’s shocking to me was like you said, he’s so close to or he’s now a free agent, where he could have gone and chopped himself to the, to the highest bidder and gone for that, you know, sort of extended contract, you know, I guess. Does, does this mean he wants to go out there and maybe show himself even more so he can, he can get a bigger contract in the following year. Paul Hoynes: It could, Joe, for sure. And you know, you know, he had a taste of free agency after the 2024 season when he put himself out there. Yes, he was injured, you know, coming off TJ surgery, but you know, he received a lot of interest in talking to him. You know, he kind of got a taste of what that was like and now he got a taste of what it was like to play in a World Series. Maybe like you you mentioned, maybe he wants to see if he can do that again and then really kind of establish himself and have a platform year and then really dive into free agency next season. Or maybe he’s found, you know, he wants to. He’ll, he’ll, he’ll. He wants to. There. Joe Noga: Yeah. What does this mean for the Blue Jays now with. With Bieber in the rotation? You pair him with. With Gosman. You pair him with you Savage. This is a guy who you know, when he came back the final month or so of the season made seven regular season starts, 3.57 ERA, 40 and a third innings. But you know, his strikeout rate was pret 23.3%. Always a good command guy, 4.4% walk rate. And his fastball, you know, had Life. It was 92.6 miles an hour. Was the, the average velocity on that. This is a guy who when he’s healthy and when he’s, he’s going into the season now as you know just looking to do his normal off season routine, he could come back in in 2026 and, and be lights out. Paul Hoynes: No doubt about it to the really had a great run, a great postseason run. They have a whole nation behind them. Maybe that plays into this thing. The, you know, the kind of the depth and the breadth of the Guardians fan base. And they’ve got six free agents Joe. Two of them are starting pitchers Chris Bassett and Max Scherzer. So there’s open spots on that roster but you know, Bieber certainly will be able to fill one of them. They’re losing. They might lose Bo Bashet. So it’s, there’s, there’s certainly not a lock to get back to where they were. You know, they, they just ended their where they were this season. But you know, that’s still a really a talented ball club and, and Bieber only makes it better. Joe Noga: Yeah, it’s, you know, you talk about that rotation and the, what he would add to them. I think, you know, if you’re going to get through that Al east, it’s going to be another gauntlet in, in 2026. You got to load up on, on starting pitchers like Shane Bieber and I think the, the Blue Jays realize that. So yeah, great opportunity there for Shane Bieber and I think when he signed the contract with Cleveland at the off season last year, I think maybe that was what the you know, Cleveland fans were envisioning was that he’d be pitching in the, in the postseason for Cleveland and maybe picking up that option year to, to want to stick around and happens in Toronto and not Cleveland this year. Good luck to Shane bieber as the 2026 off season gets under or 2025 offseason gets underway. Paul Hoynes: Joe, Joe, let me ask you, does this, does this change your opinion of that trade now? Do you think Bieber would have. Would have stayed in Cleveland if he had made his way back to the big leagues at the end of last season and made seven or eight starts? Would he have stayed in Cleveland if he had the same kind of success he did with the Blue Jays? Or does this, you know, take to put the. Put the Bieber trade in a different light? I felt, you know, that one of the. The motivating factors behind trading Bieber was the fact that they, they really felt he wasn’t coming back. Joe Noga: Yeah. And I, I still sort of feel that way. I. I don’t think even if he had gone deep into the playoffs and stayed in Cleveland and pitched at the end of the year, I really don’t think that he still would have signed back with the Guardians. I think he would have maybe gone out and tested the market, taken the $4 million buyout and gone on the market. In my mind, I think he wanted out of Cleveland, and I don’t think he knew what a good opportunity Toronto would be. And when he found out, that’s why he decided to stay. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, interesting, Interesting move. And you never know. You know, I think he kind of surprised some people last year when he returned to Cleveland after, you know, becoming a free agent, and he surprised people again this year. So Shane Bieber, the man of the mystery. Joe Noga: Well, there you go. When he thinks. When you think he’s going to zig, he zags. I guess that’s the, the M.O. there. All right, so with the off season underway, one of the big topics of discussion, hall of Fame voting and balloting. And we got sort of one of our first tastes of what the class of 2026 could look like for the hall of Fame. With the Modern Era Committee releasing its ballot. Hall of Fame era committees, I believe there are three of them now. One of them deals with players who made their impact after 1980, and that’s the. The Modern Era Committee. The ballot was released. Eight player or eight former players on the ballot, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens among those eight players. But one that’s not. Among the eight players on that ballot, Kenny Lofton, a former Cleveland All Star, Gold Glove, center fielder, franchise legend, one of the. One of the greatest players in the franchise’s history snubbed, I guess, is the only way to put it. And again, it seems like it’s the same old story. This is the first year Bonds and Clemens are eligible, the first year that Lofton’s eligible as part of this era committee voting process. And Bonds and Clemens are on the ballot and Lofton gets squeezed out. Hoinsey, what was your reaction when you saw that Kenny Lofton wasn’t on that ballot? Paul Hoynes: I was surprised, Joe. I thought he really had a chance to make that, make this ballot disappointed. But, you know, it’s hard to argue with the, with the eight names that the, you know, the BBWA appointed committee put on that ballot there. There are eight really good names, but they come with some of the, at least three of them come with the taint of steroids next to their names. So I thought, I thought Lofton should have been at least gotten a nod, Joe. I mean, and they, they just, we just, it just didn’t happen. So, you know, we’ll have to wait and see. But, you know, Barry Bonds, Roger Clements, Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando, Fernando Valenzuela, all, you know, all, you know, you know, kind of dominant players in their era. Yeah. Joe Noga: And this, to me, it was an opportunity for the nominating committee, for the ballot committee there to right or wrong. That happened back when Lofton was first eligible on the, on the hall of the BBWA ballot where he fell off after not receiving 5% of the vote in his first year. He at least deserved a longer look on that ballot and he didn’t get one because of the steroid era, you know, and the players who were there and eligible along with him that year, this was an opportunity for the committee to right or wrong. And they didn’t take that opportunity. And that’s, I think what’s, what’s troublesome to me. And it almost seems like it’s, it’s politicking by some of the players. And you know, we don’t even really have a good idea of who the ERA committee is comprised of right now in terms of the voting members of it. So we know that there are former players who are, there are four. They’re hall of Famers and media members. Right. Paul Hoynes: No. Right now, the historical committee that put together the ballot there, there’s like, I think one historian and most of them are former. There’s no players, but there are former, our current BBWA writers, you know, former, you know, kind of veteran writers that put the, the ballot together. Now the committee that will vote on it. The 16 man committee that will vote on it on December 7, the first day of the winter meetings. That that includes, you know, a mix of former writers or you know, current writers and players and hall of Fame members. Joe Noga: Yeah, members of the hall of Fame. I think the majority of it like 12 members of that 16 member committee are current hall of Famers who are. Paul Hoynes: And then Joe conversations and Joe Bonds and Clemens have appeared on. Have you know, appeared on that veterans committee or appeared on this committee before and were not voted in. So that, that’s interesting as well. Joe Noga: Right. You know, I look just looking at these names, if they take that same path and don’t vote Bonds and Clemens in this year, who do you think has a good chance out of those eight out of those other six players remaining? Delgado, Kent, Mattingly, Murphy, Sheffield and Valenzuela. You know, who do you think right now has the best shot of getting in? Paul Hoynes: Yeah, you know, you know I’ve, you know I really, I’ve kind of turned the corner on Sheffield. I think you know he’s, I’ve read a bunch of stuff that where he’s denied, you know he, he really didn’t know, you know he had worked without with Bonds one off season and he had you perhaps used some of the clear. The cream and clear whatever that the steroids were. But he said, you know, he really, you know that was the end of it. He didn’t really know what if he did use it. So I don’t know if he, he has a shot. Joe. 509 home runs think voted for Jeff Kent when he was on the ballot most home runs by a second baseman with 351. So maybe Kent and Don Mattingly I think is, is got to be a sentimental favorite. Joe Noga: Yeah, just it had taken him so long to Mattingly to, to get to the World Series and you know it was his chance this year with Toronto but ultimately coming up short. Just how crazy was it that Mattingly played his entire career with the Yankees and the beginning and the end of his era in New York was the longest stretch when the Yankees didn’t, didn’t make it to the World Series and you know, after he finally retires that’s when they, they go on to, you know, go on this dominant stretch. So like you said, sentimental favorite. Also Fernando Valenzuela having passed away recently, another one that could garner some support and some votes there. I, I don’t know if we’ll see Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens come close on this era committee when they do make when they do get together and vote at the beginning of the winter meetings, we will stay tuned for that again. Joe. Paul Hoynes: Joe One thing that could clear a path for guys like Lofton is a new rule that was instituted this year. This, in this year’s ballot, anybody who, any player who receives less than five of the 16 votes from the 16 member committee, they will not be eligible for the next next Contemporary era ballot, which would be in three years from now. And if they don’t, so they’re not on that. So that kind of opens the ballot up for, for guys like Lofton and should they appear on the, on the next one, I think in 2032, and if they receive less than five votes, then their candidacy is done. So there is, you know, they’re clearance, they’re trying to clear some space for Lofton and some other players that may have been lost in the shuffle. Joe Noga: And we’ve seen examples of in the past, guys who have just waited and been patient and guys who are worthy getting their shot. A guy like Burt Bly Leven comes to mind. A guy like Alan Trammell comes to mind. These were guys who were put in by the, the veterans committees and it was after waiting for their cycle to come through again with these committees, you know, just something to keep an eye on. And yeah, we’re in Cleveland. I think we’re all disappointed that Lofton’s not eligible or on the, on the ballot this time around. But there is some hope and it doesn’t mean that he won’t get a look somewhere down the line. But I mean, you and I both know Kenny and we both talked to him and we both talked to him about this and you know, I, he’s got to be frustrated at this point. It just feels like it’s the same thing happening over and over again to him with, with this crowded ballot and these other guys who are taking away or taking the focus and the spotlight away at this point. Paul Hoynes: Doubt about it, Joe. No doubt about it. And you know, all we can say is to Kenny Lofton is hang in there, buddy, because hopefully his day will come. Joe Noga: Yeah, I mean, we all know that he’s worthy of being in the hall of Fame. I think anybody who watched him and saw him play and covered him certainly knows that. So we’ll, we’ll keep, keep our, our, you know, eyes up on, on that as well. Speaking of the bbwaa, the Baseball Raiders association of America, the award finalists were announced on Monday and the Guardians are well represented again. Stephen Vogt, a finalist for The American League Manager of the Year award. And Jose Ramirez once again, I think for the, what, the fifth time in his career a finalist for mvp. Fourth time time in his career a top three finisher, at least finalist for mvp. Let’s, let’s start with Jose. That’s pretty much is, is confirmation that Jose finished third in the balloting for, for American League mvp. Paul Hoynes: Yeah, definitely. The first two guys, you know, the first two finalists were Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh and Jose was one of the, one of the, the third finalists, you know, so yeah, I, you know, he’s not going to Judge and Raleigh will, you know, split the first two spots no matter where they fall. And Ramirez, you know, looks like right now he’ll be in third place. Joe Noga: Yeah, and that’s the case. I think a lot of the discussion and everything that’s, that’s gone on since the end of the regular season is pointing towards Judge and Rally finishing in, in 1, 2 in some order there. But you know, Ramirez just one of the most consistent producers on both sides of the ball in, in baseball over the last several years. Second straight season with at least 30 home runs and at least 40 steals and I think he went over 40 doubles again this year. He had a 1:37 OPS plus in 158 games. Led the Guardians back from a 15 and a half game deficit to win the AL Central. He’s, he’s never been, you know, he came close in what, 20, 20. 20, 20, 2020. He was a second place finisher in that, but he’s now placed in the top six in the voting seven times in his career and he’s got four top three finishes. So it’s definitely a Cooperstown trajectory for Jose Ramirez. Paul Hoynes: I mean this guy just, he just Craigsy seasons out. Joe, since 2017, this pointed out, this is his seventh finish is six or higher. He’s finished second once, third three times, four fourth once, fifth once and six once. Just an incredible, you know, display of consistency. And you’re right, he’s on the path to Cooperstown. There’s, there’s not too much this guy doesn’t do for Cleveland. And when you, when you consider what an MVP means and a lot of people look at it differently, they have different definitions of the award. But if you took Ramirez away from the Guardians, where would they be? They’re, they’re, they’re not, they’re not running down the, the Tigers and coming back from a 15 and a half game deficit. They’re not winning their second straight AL Central Division. It’s Just not happening. Joe Noga: Yeah, and, and I could argue that, or you could argue that. Even if, even if you took away Ramirez’s, you know, numbers and production on the field, where would they be? His leadership and just the way that he holds his teammates accountable I think is something that made a difference in them being able to come back. Because you look down the, you look down the dugout, you look in the clubhouse and you see Jose Ramirez doing it the right way every day. It’s impossible for you as a young player to not try and match that. So that’s why the Guardians found success in, in 2025. Another reason Stephen Vogt, obviously his leadership garnered him a top three finish in manager of the year voting again for the second straight year. He won it in 2024. We’ve been saying all along I think he should win it again in 2025. Just because nobody’s ever done what, what Stephen Vogt’s done as a manager in his first two seasons and in his second season he probably topped his first season in terms of, of leadership. Nobody’s at faced what the Guardians faced in 2025. You know, losing two players to a gambling scandal, losing a starting pitcher and, and to elbow surgery, suffering a ten game losing streak. Just the adversity this team had to overcome and being able to sort of point themselves to Stephen Vogt as their North Star and follow him and you know, see his example every day coming in and just being the same guy. It certainly was the reason why the voters put him at least in the top three in this category. Paul Hoynes: Again Joe, the, the other two managers that made the finalists, John Schneider at Toronto and Seattle’s Dan Wilson. So it’s, it’s a good list. But you know, kind of vote to me vote kind of jumps out at you just because if you compare the payroll of the three teams, if you compare the talent of the three teams, just on paper the, you know, he got the most out of, out of the, out of, out of his ball club. And like you said, you know, just so many obstacles in the way and every team faces obstacles during the season because it’s so long. But to come back from 15 and a half games to survive what, you know, 10 game losing streak, then they lose nine out of 10 and then, but they, they track. Then they make the move to the six man rotation in September and go 20 and seven to, to win the division heck of a season. And I don’t think it happens without vote. Joe Noga: Yeah, that’s for sure. And just tell you what kind of a Guy Stephen Vogt is. Craig Alvarez was at the press conference. He and his entire family were at the press conference. When Stephen Vogt was named a Guardian’s manager in 2023. The guardians also hired Craig Albanez at that time. Albert was announced yesterday as the new manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Sit in front row center at the press conference was Stephen Vogt. He showed up for his buddy and couldn’t have been happier for Craig Albanez to be named manager in Baltimore. And it was just neat to see Stephen Vogt sitting there at the press conference supporting his friend. Now the National League finalists for Manager of the Year. Kind of interesting as well because we got a chance here, Hoinse, to see the same two guys, you know, accepting the award for, for Manager of the Year in the American League and National League. Two years in a row, that’s never happened. Pat Murphy probably deserved, probably did a better job leading the brewers to what, one of the best records in baseball. He’s again a finalist in the National League. But also Terry Francona with the Reds leading, leading Cincinnati back to the postseason for the first time as a wild card. We’ve, we’ve heard that story that, that sounds familiar. Francona joins the club and leads him to the wild card in his first season as manager. It worked out the last time for Tito, right? Paul Hoynes: Yeah, just, you know, kind of, just to put a, the emphasis on what kind of manager Frank Kona really is. And we knew that in Cleveland, we knew that he could get a lot out of his players and to first year in Cincinnati to lead the Reds to their, their, their first, their post postseason birth just kind of underlines what this guy can do and just how, just at his job. And Murphy too, Joe, you know, really, you know him and him and Vote are, Murphy and Vogt are good friends. Vote play. I think what, you know, Murphy was a coach in, in Milwaukee when Vote was a player there. They know each other and would be fitting I guess if they both, you know, kind of repeat as managers of the year because they’re, they’re, you know, kind of manage similar teams. You know, they play the game basically the same way. You know, not a lot of flashy big names on the roster, but you know, they really have both found a formula for success. Joe Noga: Rob Thompson of the Phillies, the, the third finalist for National League Manager of the Year as well. All right, Hoinse, that’s going to wrap up today’s edition of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. We’re going to come back tomorrow and break down all of the finalists for all of the awards, including Cy Young Rookie of the Year as well. And we’ll, we’ll take some time to go through each one of those and have a little bit more to discuss here on the podcast for the rest of the week. Paul Hoynes: Good deal.
