After a decade of "ballot logjam," has voting for the National Baseball Hall of Fame finally returned to normal? We will know when results from the ballots cast by the qualified members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA, or "the writers") are announced on January 21, 2025, although based on voting trends over the last decade, the bulk of the results are predictable and, by now, unsurprising.

What does a "return to normal" mean? Of the 14 first-time candidates on the BBWAA 2025 ballot, only two, CC Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki, stand out as likely Hall of Famers, and neither are a lock for first-ballot induction. Of the 14 returning candidates, none of the "normal" candidates are automatic Hall of Famers, else they would have been elected already. Thus, there is no "ballot logjam," meaning that there are not more than ten sure-fire Hall of Famers who exceed the maximum of ten votes allowed per ballot.

Curtis Granderson came up through the Detroit Tigers organization, first making their team in 2004 and cementing himself as a starter in the Outfield two years later.  Granderson led the AL in Triples in 2007 and 2008, and he made his first All-Star Team in 2009, the year he had his first 30-year Home Run season.

Granderson was traded to the Yankees in 2019, and he played in Gotham for four years, with back-to-back 40 HR campaigns in 2011 and 2012.  An All-Star in both of those seasons, Granderson led the AL in RBIs in 2011 (119) and was fourth in MVP voting.

He would later play for the Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Brewers, and Marlins, retiring with an even 1,800 Hits and 344 Home Runs.

In a tumultuous year that was not normal for anything and everything including baseball, one thing that might be back to normal is voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Granted, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has 14 returning candidates, with just about every one of them owning cases for induction that range from borderline to compelling.

In a few weeks, the Baseball pre-season will commence but we will be missing Curtis Granderson, who announced his retirement today.  

Granderson cracked the Majors in 2004 where he would join the Detroit Tigers.  With the Tigers, he would lead the American League in 2007 & 2008, and was an All-Star in 2009.  The Outfielder would be dealt after the season to the New York Yankees where he played for four seasons.  With the Bronx Bombers, Granderson would have two All-Star Game appearances and in 2011 would lead the AL in Runs Scored (136) and RBIs (2011).  That season and he the year after he had 40 Home Run seasons. 

Granderson would next play three and half seasons with the New York Mets, where he had 95 Home Runs for the team.  He finished off his last two seasons and change with stops in Los Angeles, Toronto, Milwaukee and Miami.  He retires with an even 1,800 Hits and 344 Home Runs.   

While Granderson is unlikely to make the Baseball Hall of Fame, he will be on the ballot in 2025.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thanks Curtis Granderson for his on-field play, philanthropic nature and we wish him the best in his post-playing career.