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.

Ian Kinsler made his first appearance in the Majors with the Texas Rangers in 2006, and he quickly cemented himself as one of the better Second Basemen in the American League.

Over his career, Kinsler showed power and speed with four 20-plus HR seasons, blasting 257 in total with 1,999 career Hits.  He nearly matched his HR tallies in Stolen Bases, swiping 243 bags, and was underappreciated defensively.  Kinsler did win two Gold Gloves but could have won more, as the ones he did land were later in his career, and he had better defensive metrics in other years, namely with three 2-plus Defensive bWAR seasons.

Kinsler went to three All-Star Games with the Rangers and was traded to Detroit in 2014, where he continued to display the same skills.  Again, he was an All-Star that year and remained vital for three years before he declined and finished off his career with Los Angeles (AL), Boston, and San Diego.  Notably, he won his only World Series Ring in his brief run with the Red Sox in 2018.

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.

We have another retirement in Baseball to look at as Ian Kinsler has announced that he is retiring from the game.  The San Diego Padre cited issues with a cervical disk that ended his 2018 season.

The Second Baseman began his Major League career in 2006 with the Texas Rangers, where he finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting.  Kinsler played for Texas until 2013, and he would be named an All-Star on three occasions, and twice he had 30 Home Runs campaigns for the Rangers.  He joined the Detroit Tigers for the 2014 Season, and went to his fourth All-Star Game.  With Detroit, he twice had 20 Home Run campaigns.

Kinsler went to the Los Angeles Angels, and would play there briefly before being traded to the Boston Red Sox, where he was a member of their World Series Championship Team.  San Diego was his last stop, where before he was injured, he played 97 Games.

Kinsler will remain with the Padres as an adviser. He retires with 1,999 Hits, 257 Home Runs, 909 Runs Batted In and 243 Stolen Bases.  He is unlikely to make the Baseball Hall of Fame, but he will be eligible in 2025.  We expect that he will be on the ballot.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Kinsler the best in his post-playing career.

Three times an All-Star with the Texas Rangers, Ian Kinsler provided a good glove at Second Base, a solid pop with his bat, and decent speed on the basepaths.  Kinsler was not someone who was elite at anything, but very good at everything.

A Ranger from 2006 to 2012, Kinsler accumulated 1,145 Hits, 156 Home Runs, and batted .273 for the team.  He would later win a World Series with Boston in 2018,