The BBWAA results have been announced for the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame. Jimmy Rollins has officially secured his spot on the 2023 ballot, while Jonathan Papelbon and Ryan Howard have fallen off after just one year of eligibility.

David Ortiz is the only player that was elected this year, receiving 77.9% of votes. Check out the final results here.

Rollins has officially locked his spot for the 2023 ballot, finishing at 9.4% of the total votes. Previously, he was floating around the 11% mark, but with the number of private votes that were still in play, we saw the drop-off hit all of the eligible players. 

The case for Jimmy Rollins making the Baseball Hall of Fame is a fascinating one. Rollins holds the longest hitting streak by a shortstop since 1894, was the backbone of the 07-11 Phillies playoff takeover, has four gold gloves, and a World Series Ring. He hit .298/.344/.478 in his 2007 MVP season, playing all 162 games while slashing 30 HRs and 94 RBIs. 

Other Notable Achievements by Jimmy Rollins

All-time Phillies hits leader: Jimmy Rollins leads the Phillies franchise in all-time hits, with 2,306. He passed players like Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Ed Delahanty, and more to obtain this honor. 

Shortstop History: There’s one shortstop in the history of major league baseball with 200 HRs and 400 SBs…that shortstop is Jimmy Rollins. Jimmy wasn’t the type of guy that would go out and hit 50 home runs every season. But when he wasn’t hitting home runs, he was finding gaps, finding grass, and flying around the bases.

MVP: Jimmy Rollins is the only shortstop in the National League to win MVP in the last 25 years. The last shortstop to do it was Barry Larkin in 1995, and before that, Maury Willis in 1962. 

It’s going to take time for Jimmy Rollins to make the Hall of Fame, and it could end up coming down to the final few years on the ballot. But as a first-time nominee, seeing 9.4% of voters acknowledging Rollins is a very good sign. 

Progress each year is a key to being enshrined in Cooperstown, and after seeing Scott Rolen jump from 10.2% to 63.2% in just five years, Rolen’s case gives Phillies fans a glimpse of hope when it comes to Jimmy Rollins. 

Ryan Howard (2.0%)

Phillies all-time legend, home run hitting first basemen, and World Series Champion Ryan Howard has officially fallen off the ballot in his first year of eligibility. Howard received just 2% of all votes. 

Howard had an illustrious career in Philadelphia. He took home one MVP, Rookie of the Year, 3 All-Star appearances, and a Silver Slugger Award throughout his 13-year career with the Phillies. 

Howard hit .258/.343/.515 throughout his time in the majors, totaling 382 home runs, 1194 RBIs, and an OPS of .859. He was the “Big Piece” of the magical 07-11 playoff run and completed the historical infield trio of Rollins, Utley, and himself, Ryan Howard. 

Howard’s MVP came in 2006, where he hit 59 HRs, batted in 149 runs, and slashed a line of .313/.425/.659, good for a 1.084 OPS. He played 159 games that season, collecting an All-Star appearance and a Silver Slugger Award. 

Seeing Howard’s name come off the ballot after just one year is sad, but entering Cooperstown as a first baseman isn’t easy when you have the names of Lou Gehrig, Tony Perez, and Jim Thome to live up to. 

Jonathan Papelbon (1.3%)

Papelbon’s time with the Phillies wasn’t a long one, but the four seasons he spent in Philadelphia were special. 

Jonathan Papelbon had a 12-year career in the majors, with seven years coming in Boston, and two years in Washington as well. He’s pitched 725.2 total innings, tallying 368 saves, 808 strikeouts, allowing just 197 earned runs. 

Thinking back on Brad Lidge’s legacy in Philadelphia, it’s often forgotten that Jonathan Papelbon holds the all-time saves record for the Phils with 123. Jonathan Papelbon wasn’t going to ever get into the Hall of Fame, but I am a bit surprised that he didn’t receive the 5% in his first year of eligibility. 

Along with Papelbon and Howard, Curt Schilling has fallen off the ballot as well in his final year of eligibility. He received 58.6% of the total votes. Other former Phillies on the ballot include Scott Rolen (58.6%), Billy Wagner (51%), and Bobble Abreu (8.6%).