6 former SF Giants players fall off of Hall of Fame ballot

The Hall of Fame results were released on Tuesday, which proved to be bad news to a handful of former SF Giants players. Fans are disappointed to see Barry Bonds not get elected after his tenth year on the ballot, thereby losing eligibility, but five other Giants players will not continue next year after failing to receive enough support.

6 former SF Giants players fall off of Hall of Fame ballot

Players must appear on five percent of the ballots to continue into future years. However, Joe Nathan (4.3%), Tim Lincecum (2.3%), Tim Hudson (3.0%), A.J. Pierzynksi (0.5%), and Jake Peavy (0.0%) did not meet that threshold.

It bears mentioning that even being included on the ballot is an honor in and of itself. With that being said, it is usually not surprising when a player falls off of the ballot, especially as Ryan Thibodaux tirelessly provides live updates when ballots are submitted. Each Giants player who did not meet the cut still holds a special place in baseball history.

Jake Peavy

Jake Peavy was a Giants nemesis for years earlier in his career as he anchored the San Diego Padres rotation in the mid-2000's. This included a 2007 season in which he posted a 2.54 ERA in 34 starts while earning an NL All-Star bid and taking home the NL Cy Young award. His good fortune continued as he won World Series rings in back-to-back seasons with the Boston Red Sox and Giants in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

A.J. Pierzynski

This is a tough one as Pierzynski is a very polarizing figure in Giants history. However, there are not many catchers with over 2,000 career hits and the veteran backstop played for 19 seasons at the most demanding position in the sport.

Tim Hudson

This one was frustrating as Tim Hudson put together a very nice career that deserved more recognition. I do not think he is a Hall of Famer, but his career numbers were not too different than Mark Buehrle, and Andy Pettitte. Both received just enough support to remain on the ballot. Hudson finished with a 222-133 record, 3.49 ERA, 57.9 WAR, and he was workhouse as he averaged 28 starts per year in a career that spanned 17 seasons. As the game shifts more toward specialization, there just are not many pitchers who will put up these types of numbers in the foreseeable future.

Tim Lincecum

Tim Lincecum gave Giants fans so many great memories. He accomplished so much in such a short period of time which included four All-Star appearances, three World Series rings, two Cy Young awards, and two no-hitters. He did not have the type of longevity to merit serious consideration, but few experienced the type of success that he did on a baseball field.

Joe Nathan

Joe Nathan's career really took off following the fateful trade with the Minnesota Twins nearly 20 years ago. He became an electric arm out of the bullpen, registering a 2.87 ERA with 377 saves across 16 years. His saves total ranks eighth all time. In a bit of cosmic symmetry, the right-handed hurler finished his career in a brief stint with the Giants in 2016.