MLB notebook: Hall of Fame adds Jeter, Walker

[January 22, 2020]  Derek Jeter and Larry Walker were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday in balloting conducted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Jeter received votes on 396 of the 397 ballots, falling one vote short of matching former New York Yankees teammate Mariano Rivera's unanimous selection in 2019. Jeter, a shortstop, was named on 99.7 percent of the ballots.

Walker, an outfielder, received 76.6 percent and was elected by six votes over the minimum. The requirement for induction is 75 percent.

Pitcher Curt Schilling missed election by getting 70 percent of the vote, finishing 20 votes short of election. Pitcher Roger Clemens received 61 percent and outfielder Barry Bonds got 60.7 percent.

--Free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, the team announced.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Braves will make the two-time All-Star their everyday left fielder. Atlanta had eight players start in left field last season, topped by Austin Riley (58 games) and including regular center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (40 games) and regular right fielder Nick Markakis (nine games).

Ozuna, 29, spent the past two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals after opening his major league career by playing five seasons for the Miami Marlins. Last year, he hit a career-low .241 with a .328 on-base percentage, a .472 slugging percentage, 29 homers and 89 RBIs in 130 games.

--The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a resolution that asks commissioner Rob Manfred to strip the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox of their recent World Series titles and instead crown the Dodgers as the champions of the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

The Dodgers lost the 2017 World Series to the Astros, four games to three, and the 2018 series to the Red Sox, four games to one.

Former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter poses with his retired jersey number during a ceremony before the game against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Elsa/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

The resolution cited the MLB investigation that showed the Astros used technology to steal signs in 2017 that led to the suspensions -- and subsequent firings -- of Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. The Astros' bench coach in 2017, Alex Cora, was linked to the scheme in a nine-page report released last week by MLB. Cora was hired to manage the Red Sox and led them to a championship in 2018 before he and the team parted ways last week.

--Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has taken another step back on his lengthy road to recovery from a knee injury.

"Dustin has suffered a significant setback while rehabbing his left knee injury. As a result, his status for Spring Training is uncertain," Red Sox spokesman Kevin Gregg said.

According to ESPN, Pedroia, 36, is discussing his options with his family, the Red Sox and his representation. He has played just nine games in the past two seasons, sustaining the initial injury in April 2017 against the Baltimore Orioles when Manny Machado slid into him at second base. He played with the injury the remainder of the season and had surgery in October of that year, then returned to play just six games in 2019.

--Field Level Media

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