The National Baseball Hall of Fame is filled with players who ended long and distinguished careers in a Dodgers uniform, but whose performance declined with age. Greg Maddux, Ricky Henderson, Juan Marichal and Eddie Murray are some that spring to mind.
The exception was Jeff Kent, who received 14 of 16 votes from the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee on Sunday and was the only one of eight players on the ballot who was good enough to make it to Cooperstown.
With unparalleled power as a second baseman and relentless dedication to his craft, Kent spent the final four seasons of his 17-year career with the Dodgers, statistically cementing his Hall of Fame credentials while serving as the cantankerous leader on a roster that featured young stars like Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and James Loney.
“This is a moment where I feel good about what I’ve done right in my career and what I’ve stood for,” he told MLB Network. “The satisfaction of working hard and playing the game the right way. I love this game.”
Kent, the son of a motorcycle cop and a product of Huntington Beach Edison High School, became emotional during a press conference at the 2005 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings when it was announced that he had signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Dodgers.
“This is my third try with the Dodgers,” he said at the time. “I want to be on a team that has the potential to win because I’m running out of time. This team has that mentality.”
The Dodgers never won a World Series during Kent’s tenure, but he quickly became a veteran leader who opened up to the media after tough losses to shield younger players from the spotlight.
He spoke his mind, sometimes wrongly, once suggesting that legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully “talked too much.”
Perhaps that’s why Kent’s nomination from a field that included all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, 354-game winner Roger Clemens, 509-homer Gary Sheffield, 1980s stars Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy and Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela was unexpected.
Even Kent was surprised.
“The emotions are overwhelming — unbelievable,” Kent said. “I didn’t even think about it. To me, there were so many good people that the committee had to debate and vote on. I’m grateful that they considered me and tried to get me on board.”
Valenzuela, Bonds, Clemens and Sheffield all received fewer than five votes, meaning they will be ineligible for their era to be next considered in 2031. They can then be nominated again, but will be ineligible for consideration if they fall below five votes again.
All candidates have been rejected by the Baseball Writers Association. American. 75% of the vote is required for inauguration, and Kent has never received 50% of the vote in the 10 years on the BBWAA ballot that ends in 2023.
“Time has passed and you don’t care about it and I don’t care about it,” Kent said. “I love this sport and everything I put into this sport stays on the court. I was completely unprepared for this moment today and for the past few days. Emotionally unstable.”
Kent was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, the team with which he is most closely associated with his career. That season, he batted a career-high .334, hit 33 home runs, drove in 125 runs, and drove in more than 100 runs in each of the six seasons he trailed Bonds in hitting.
He said he plans to enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Giants hat.
“The turning point in my career was Dusty Baker, a coach I met in San Francisco,” said Kent, who played at Cal. “He inspires me to perform at my best.”
Kent hit 377 career home runs, including 351 as a second baseman, the most ever at that position. He is also the only second baseman with more than 100 RBIs in eight seasons.
As a Dodger, he hit 75 home runs in more than 2,000 games and batted .290. His last manager with the Dodgers was Joe Torre, who described Kent’s impact on the team.
“He’s one of those players who lets his actions tell you what he’s thinking,” Torre said. “It’s an old career thing.”
