Cooperstown Ballot: Reds Managers Baker and Piniella Named
The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee will vote on eight candidates, including two former Cincinnati skippers, during a meeting in San Diego on December 6.
By Sophie Lawson ·
Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella appear on the eight-person ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. The group will evaluate managers, umpires, and executives whose primary contributions to the game occurred after 1980. Both men spent significant tenure managing the Cincinnati Reds, a fact that places them at the center of this year's local sports conversation.
The committee convenes in San Diego on December 6. MLB Network will announce the results live on its program MLB Tonight at 8 p.m. ET. A candidate requires 75% of the votes cast to secure a spot in the Class of 2027. Successful electees will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 25, 2027, joining any players chosen by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose votes are scheduled for release on January 19, 2027.
Baker managed 26 seasons for the Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nationals, and Astros. He led the Reds from 2008 to 2013 and captured the 2022 World Series title with the Houston Astros. His managerial record includes 13 postseason appearances and three Manager of the Year awards in 1993, 1997, and 2000. As a player, he won a World Series with the 1981 Dodgers and made two All-Star teams during his 19-year career.
Piniella managed for 23 seasons across the Yankees, Reds, Mariners, Devil Rays, and Cubs. He won 1,835 games and led the Reds to the 1990 World Series championship. He managed Cincinnati from 1990 to 1992. In 2001, he guided the Seattle Mariners to an American League record 116 victories. He received the Manager of the Year award three times, in 1995, 2001, and 2008. His playing career lasted 18 years, during which he hit .291 and won World Series rings with the 1977 and 1978 Yankees.
The full ballot includes Sandy Alderson, Bruce Bochy, Joe Maddon, Brian Sabean, Ted Turner, and Bill White. Turner is the only candidate who is deceased. The Contemporary Baseball Era committee operates separately from the Classic Baseball Era Committee, which handles candidates from before 1980. A separate ballot for players in this contemporary era will be considered in the fall of 2028.
Source: WCPO-TV
