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Former Blue Jays on the 2022 Hall of Fame Ballot and where they stand

By Tyson Shushkewich

Toronto Blue Jays' starting pitcher Roger Clemens, who gave up nine runs to the New York Yankees the last time they played, gave up three hits and one run through seven innings at Yankee Stadium in New York 27 April. AFP PHOTO Henny Ray ABRAMS (Photo by HENNY RAY ABRAMS / AFP) (Photo by HENNY RAY ABRAMS/AFP via Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays' starting pitcher Roger Clemens, who gave up nine runs to the New York Yankees the last time they played, gave up three hits and one run through seven innings at Yankee Stadium in New York 27 April. AFP PHOTO Henny Ray ABRAMS (Photo by HENNY RAY ABRAMS / AFP) (Photo by HENNY RAY ABRAMS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Blue Jays
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 19: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Omar Vizquel #17 of the Toronto Blue Jays connects on a fourth inning base hit against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, September 19 2012 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Vizquel ties Babe Ruth on the all time hits list with 2,873. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Omar Vizquel

A 24 year veteran of the Major Leagues, infielder Omar Vizquel was in his twilight years when he joined the Blue Jays organization for a one-year run back in 2012. In fact, it was his last season in the MLB before he hung up the cleats for good as a player.

Making his MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners back in 1989, Vizquel played for six teams throughout his career, most notably with the Cleveland Indians back in the mid-’90s to early 2000s. Overall, he would finish his Major League career with a .272/.336/.352 slash line and a .688 OPS with 951 RBI through 2968 games. With the Blue Jays, Vizquel was mainly used as a bench player and only played in 60 games, collecting 36 hits in 153 at-bats.

It wasn’t the Venezualan’s bat that was his calling, as his defensive play and .985 fielding percentage as a shortstop is what put him on the map. Vizquel only made 190 errors in his 24 years at the big league level and won 11 Gold Glove Awards during that time.

Entering his fourth year on the ballot, Vizquel most likely wasn’t going to be getting into Cooperstown this year but things are now starting to look bleak for the former infield wizard.

Vizquel is currently facing a lawsuit from a former batboy of the Birmingham Barons over alleged sexual harassment when he was managing the White Sox farm team. This recent lawsuit is also on the heels of domestic abuse allegations brought forward from the year prior by his wife Blanca.

This has seen Vizquel’s popularity amongst the voters drop dramatically, as he has currently lost 42 votes from those who voted for him last year and he currently stands at just 11.2% (19 of the 170 known ballots).

He came into the 2022 season appearing on 49.1% of the ballots last year but it seems like the character issues off the field are now going to prevent Vizquel from entering Cooperstown, at least for the foreseeable future.

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