Chipper Jones demands sweeping changes after another Andruw Jones HOF snub

Andruw Jones missed out on the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class, falling about 10 percentage points shy of the 75 percent threshold needed for entry. Ichiro Suzuki, Billy Wagner and CC Sabathia will be enshrined in this year's class, with Wagner waiting over a decade for the call. Ichiro and Sabathia were first-ballot Hall of Famers.

Jones is a classic Cooperstown case that is tough to crack. On the one hand, in his prime Jones was one of the best defensive outfielders we've ever seen. He also has over 400 home runs to his name and plenty of accolades from his first decade in the big leagues. Unfortunately, his drop-off shortly thereafter included an alarming dip in production. Can a player play himself out of Hall-of-Fame consideration? Andruw Jones tested that theory.

Still, the counting numbers are there for Jones, and next year's class is lacking as compared to this one. There are no Ichiro's in 2026, meaning Jones and, say, Carlos Beltran should get their due. Jones' Braves teammate and Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones is tired of waiting.

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Chipper Jones goes to bat for former Braves teammate Andruw Jones

While much of Jones statement can be chalked up as venting, his last point is notable. Chipper is not the only player who often feels voiceless when players of his era are passed over for Cooperstown thanks to an association of writers, many of whom never played the game even at an amateur level. This does not mean those writers don't understand the game, but providing living Hall of Famers with more say in the initial voting process – rather than simply on the era committees – would be a step in the right direction.

For those unfamiliar, the Era Committees used to be the Veterans Committee. It can enshrine important figures from various eras that the writers may have overlooked during the initial voting process. The committees consider retired players, managers, umpires, writers and executives. Players do receive more say on these committees, and can often correct initial mistakes. This year, Dick Allen and Dave Parker were enshrined, for example.

While the Era Committees are a neat idea and should stay in place, what Jones is suggesting is a different practice, in which players get some sway during the initial round of voting alongside the BBWAA. It's unlikely that Andruw Jones will be the breaking point for such an established system, but Chipper isn't wrong in his analysis.