Former Red Sox players on Hall of Fame ballot who deserve to get in

There are several players with ties to the Boston Red Sox on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot. There are the ones I’d vote for.

Allow me to preface this by acknowledging that I don’t have an official vote for the Hall of Fame. I’m not a member of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America. I’m merely a fan of the Boston Red Sox with a passion for sharing opinions based on my own analysis and knowledge of baseball’s storied history.

Those who do have a vote are in the process of casting their ballots, about a quarter of which have been publically revealed thus far. We’re a few weeks away from learning who will be inducted into the Class of 2019. In the meantime, many of us will debate our own choices by assembling the hypothetical ballots we would cast if we had the opportunity.

A quick refresher on the ballot rules. Candidates must have completed at least 10 seasons in the majors and become eligible five years after they retire from being an active player. The player must appear on at least 75 percent of the ballots in order to be inducted. They can remain on the ballot for up to ten years unless they dip below the minimum 5 percent threshold.

As this is a Red Sox website, I’ll focus primarily on those with ties to this franchise. My full ballot will be revealed at the end but first, let’s discuss the former Red Sox players who should make it to Cooperstown.