The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Monday announced eight candidates for election on the 2027 Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot. The non-player ballot includes four former managers and four former executives: Sandy Alderson, Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Joe Maddon, Lou Piniella, Brian Sabean, Ted Turner, and Bill White. The non-player ballot includes managers, executives, and umpires.
On an alternating basis, the Era Committee also evaluates a ballot consisting of former players. As for the qualifications and criteria, the Hall of Fame describes it thus: "The eight Contemporary Baseball Era finalists were selected by the BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee from all eligible candidates among managers, umpires and executives whose most significant career impact was realized since 1980. Eligible candidates include managers and umpires with 10 or more major league seasons and retired for at least five years (candidates who are 65 years or older are eligible six months following retirement); and executives retired for at least five years (active executives 70 years or older are eligible for consideration regardless of the position they hold in an organization and regardless of whether their body of work has been completed).
All candidates must not be on Baseball's Ineligible List." As for those figures on the Era Committee ballot for 2027, here's a quick rundown: Alderson built a powerhouse and won a World Series as general manager of the Oakland A's. He later earned multiple playoff berths and a pennant as GM of the New York Mets. One of the winningest managers of all time, Baker guided five different clubs to the playoffs and won three pennants and a World Series.
His success in the dugout came after a long and distinguished playing career as an MLB outfielder. Bochy as a manager led three different clubs to the postseason and is one of just six managers ever to win at least four World Series. Three of Bochy's rings came with the San Francisco Giants, and the final one came with the Texas Rangers in 2023.
Maddon won more than 1,300 games as a manager for three different franchises. He also won a pennant as manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, and in 2016, he led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title in more than a century. After an 18-year playing career, Piniella racked up more than 1,800 wins as a big-league manager.
He led three different clubs to the playoffs, won a World Series as manager of the 1990 Cincinnati Reds, and in 2001 helmed the Seattle Mariners to a record 116 wins during the regular season. After filling a key role in the New York Yankees front office, Sabean joined the Giants as their general manager. Under his guidance, the Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
