BOSTON -- Kemba Walker has accomplished many things in the NBA: He's made three All-Star teams and an All-NBA team. He has won the league's sportsmanship award twice and made two trips to the playoffs. He's signed a max contract.

But there's one thing he hasn't done: Beat LeBron James.

"I don't know the exact numbers," Walker said recently, when asked about his record against James, "but I know I've never beat him."

Walker's 29th try to defeat James comes Monday when his Boston Celtics host the Los Angeles Lakers in the first of two regular-season matchups -- assuming that Walker returns after missing the Celtics' previous game on Saturday with left knee soreness.

In eight seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets, Walker stepped onto the court against James 24 times in the regular season and four times in the 2014 NBA playoffs, and never left the court with a win.

"I know he still thinks about it a little bit," said Phoenix Suns center Frank Kaminsky, Walker's teammate for four seasons with the Hornets, "and he wants to beat him."

The Hornets did have one win against James' Cleveland Cavaliers when Kaminsky and Walker were teammates -- a 106-97 victory in Charlotte on Feb. 3, 2016. But Walker was sidelined by a sore left knee and replaced by Jeremy Lin, who scored 24 in the win.

"Everyone played solid in that one," said Kaminsky, who scored 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting as a rookie.

Walker and his teammates joked about his futility against James, but Kaminsky said there was an edge to the comedy: "With Kemba, when he jokes about those things, you can tell he's kind of upset about it," Kaminsky said. "That's just his personality.

"He will make jokes about it, but you know in the back of his mind [beating LeBron] is something he wants to do."

Several of James' career highlights came against Charlotte and Walker. In Miami, on March 3, 2014, James scored a career-high 61 points while wearing a protective mask in a 124-107 win for the Heat. Walker scored seven points with eight assists as Charlotte's starting point guard.

In Game 3 of the Heat's 2014 first-round playoff sweep of Charlotte, with Walker on the court, James appeared to stare down owner Michael Jordan during a breakaway dunk -- something James denied doing at the time.

One who believes James had Jordan in his sights is Celtics rookie Grant Williams, at the time a 15-year-old sophomore at Charlotte's Providence Day School.

"I do remember him tomahawking on the fast break, and then just staring deeply into Michael's soul," Williams said with a broad smile.

Williams, naturally, followed the Bobcats/Hornets while growing up in Charlotte: "We had MKG [Michael Kidd-Gilchrist], Cody [Zeller], Frank. ... I remember each of those draft picks."

And although his local heroes did make it as far as the first round of the playoffs twice with Walker at point guard, losing in that 2014 sweep and then again to the Heat in seven games in 2016 (while James was in Cleveland), they never were able to do anything against James.

"He just had our number," Williams said.

Walker's 28 straight losses to James are the second-most without a win for one player against another, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Walker, 29, stands two losses behind Sherman Douglas, another former Big East point guard (Walker went to UConn, Douglas Syracuse). In his 12-year NBA career, Douglas faced off against Jordan 30 times (27 in the regular season, and three in the playoffs) without winning.

Whether Walker catches Douglas or not, he holds the record for most losses without a win by one All-Star against another.

"All-Star against All-Star? I don't know about that," Walker said with a smile. "That's probably All-Star against superstar."

To be fair to Walker, he has never had the better team -- in a team sport. James, 35, played alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami before playing with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in Cleveland. But Monday's matchup in Boston gives Walker a better chance than usual, even if the Lakers are favored.

Walker is philosophical about his 0-28 record against James.

"What can I say? The guy was the best player to play in my league, in my generation," Walker said. "He's been the greatest player over the last, what, 15 years?

"So, yeah. It is what it is."

That doesn't mean it isn't on Walker's mind. Williams said that when he first met Walker after being drafted by the Celtics this past summer, the two were talking about their shared history in Charlotte. And, not far into the conversation, the topic shifted to LeBron.

"It was kind of funny," Williams said. "We were talking about me growing up there, and he practiced at my high school and stuff like that.

"I don't remember how the subject of LeBron came up and he said, 'I've never beat LeBron in my career.'

"I was like, 'Dang, for real?' We should do that this year.'"

Not too long ago, we were in a bit of a Hall of Fame election crisis. Nobody knew what to do with players associated with PEDs. This created a huge backlog of qualified candidates on the ballot, including some years with more than 20-plus reasonable candidates.

In 2013, the baseball writers simply threw up their arms and elected nobody. Meanwhile, the veterans committee didn't elect a single living player over a 17-year period. The three men enshrined in 2013 were a catcher who last played in 1890, an umpire who died in 1935 and an owner from the pre-integration era.

It was a mess.

Luckily, we've moved on. A glut of superstar Hall of Famers such as Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones hit the ballot and the BBWAA went on an election spree, voting in 20 players in a six-year span, including three players -- Mike Piazza, Ivan Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell -- with questionable reputations concerning PEDs. The veterans committee suddenly flipped as well and elected five players over the past three years, including former catcher Ted Simmons this year.

What's next? Let's predict what happens the rest of the decade in Hall of Fame voting, starting with the results from Tuesday's announcement of who will join Simmons in Cooperstown this summer.

2020

New to ballot: Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi

Last year on ballot: Larry Walker

Jeter is expected to join longtime Yankees teammate Mariano Rivera in the 100 percent club -- now that Rivera broke that ridiculous standard last year, there's no reason that inner-circle Hall of Famers like Jeter shouldn't likewise be unanimous selections.

The other candidates with a chance are Walker and Curt Schilling. As of Sunday morning, Walker had received 85.4% of the publicly revealed ballots, according to Ryan Thibodaux's Hall of Fame tracker. That's a huge surge from Walker's 54.6% total last year and would put him well above the 75% threshold needed for election.

Except. ... The problem is the nonpublic voters always bring down players' total. Walker needs to be named on 68.3% of the estimated remaining ballots to get to 75%, but last year received just 27.9% of the private ballots (and 48% of the public ballots revealed after the results were announced). Even with the usual gains from a final-year push, this one is going right down to the wire, but I think Walker is going to fall just short.

Schilling, in his eighth year on the ballot, received 60.9% last year and was at 79.5% of the public vote as of Sunday. He needs 72% of the remaining votes and since his private tally will also likely be much less, it appears he too will fall just short.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are also on their eighth ballot and plateaued last year at 59%. Both are currently under the 75% threshold and there's no way that number is going up Tuesday. They're not getting in.

Prediction: Derek Jeter (along with Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller)

2021

New to ballot: Tim Hudson, Mark Buehrle, Torii Hunter

Last year on ballot: Nobody

Veterans committee: Early Baseball (pre-1950) and Golden Days (1950-1969)

This will be an interesting year. Without any strong first-year candidates and with nobody on their final ballot (at least before getting punted to the veterans committee), it wouldn't be shocking to see a shutout. Even the veterans committee addresses the two eras that are already widely represented.

This looks like an opportunity for Schilling to take advantage of a soft ballot to get over the hump, post-career warts and all. Even in 2013, the year nobody was elected, the average ballot contained 6.6 names -- the voters want to elect somebody every year. In his previous ballots, Schilling has been compared to pitchers like Maddux, Martinez, Johnson, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Mike Mussina and Roy Halladay. With the ballot clear of strong "competition," he looks better.

As for the two veterans committees, I see four strong candidates from the Golden Days era: Dick Allen, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and Minnie Minoso. The last time this era was considered was 2015, and Allen and Oliva received 11 of 16 votes from the committee, falling one vote short. Kaat received 10 and Minoso eight.

In my mind, Minoso is clearly the best candidate. In the 1950s, he ranked eighth among position players in WAR, even though he didn't play in 1950. And because of the color barrier, he was already 25 as a rookie. With a career line of .298/.389/.459, 1,023 RBIs, 1,963 hits and 50.5 WAR, his numbers might appear a little short, but factor in three or four prime seasons missing from the beginning of his career and he deserves the honor. Unfortunately, he died in 2015.

The other three could also get in. Kaat, who won 283 games, followed that with a long broadcasting career and is still working at age 81. He also follows the pattern of recent veterans committee selections: length of career is more important than a high peak of excellence. See, for example, Harold Baines and Jack Morris being selected instead of the likes of Dale Murphy and Orel Hershiser.

Prediction: Curt Schilling, Minnie Minoso, Jim Kaat

2022

New to ballot: Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Mark Teixeira, Jimmy Rollins, Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon

Last year on ballot: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling (if not already elected), Sammy Sosa

Veterans committee: Today's Game (1988 to present)

Well, now, won't this be special? A-Rod's first year of eligibility coincides with the last ballots for Bonds, Clemens and Sosa (who continues to fare poorly in voting). I think Rodriguez, with his season-long suspension for 2014, is going to fall into the same category as Bonds and Clemens: One of the greatest players of all time, but no ticket to Cooperstown.

From 2003 to 2016, arguably no player loomed as a bigger figure than Ortiz. He was a popular, dynamic hitter on three World Series winners, performed well in the postseason and became a cult hero in Boston. With his level of fame, 541 home runs and 1,768 RBIs (22nd all time), he would normally sail right in (despite a borderline 55.3 WAR). But because Ortiz's name was leaked as one of the 104 players who tested positive for PEDs during the initial screening process in 2003, he also arrives with a small cloud hanging over his head. I think he waits a year.

What about Omar Vizquel? The man who played the most games at shortstop and won 11 Gold Gloves could be the anti-PED vote. He debuted at 37% in 2018, received 42.8% last year and is currently polling at 48%. He's the rare player who actually fares just as well on the private ballots. In other words, the older voters like him, while the younger breed of pro-analytics writers are not as much in favor due to a 45.6 career WAR that is low for a modern Hall of Famer. Although Vizquel's election either via the BBWAA or veterans committee is inevitable, I think he has to wait a bit longer.

We could completely revisit the steroids era if Mark McGwire is included on the Today's Game ballot. He was up for vote in 2017, but received fewer than 5% of the vote and wasn't included in the 2019 discussion. Larry Walker would be eligible for this ballot if he doesn't get in this year, and while 72.7 WAR makes him a strong candidate, his relatively low counting stats (383 HRs, 1,311 RBIs, 2,160 hits) work against him. Still, he'll be so close this year that I think he gets in. Bruce Bochy would also be eligible, assuming he doesn't return as a manager (which he hasn't completely ruled out). Lou Piniella fell one vote short in 2019 and might come up again as well.

Prediction: Larry Walker, Bruce Bochy

2023

New to ballot: Carlos Beltran

Last year on ballot: Jeff Kent

Veterans committee: Modern Baseball (1970 to 1987)

I don't know if Beltran was a lock before the Astros' cheating scandal erupted -- with 1,582 runs and 1,587 RBIs, he's one of just 38 players to reach both of those numbers, and his 69.6 career WAR is a strong total -- but I would guess even in a couple of years the sign-stealing issue will be fresh enough to taint his legacy. He'll get in eventually, just not on the first ballot.

Kent is the all-time leader in home runs by a player whose primary position was second base (377), drove in 1,518 runs and won an MVP, but his case has failed to pick up any momentum. Last year, he received just 18.2% of the vote and he's polling at 31% this year, his seventh on the ballot. On the other hand, Walker was at 22.3% in his seventh year and given the general weakness of this ballot, Kent could be the next player to get a big surge his final year.

That leaves the Today's Game committee: Lou Whitaker was on the 2020 ballot and received six of the 16 votes, but he's an extremely well-qualified candidate (75.1 WAR) and had the long career the veterans committee seems to like. Dwight Evans is a personal favorite and received eight votes in 2020, so he just needs to sway three more committee members, but I think Whitaker leapfrogs him into Cooperstown.

Prediction: David Ortiz, Lou Whitaker

2024

New to ballot: Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer, Chase Utley, David Wright, Bartolo Colon, Matt Holliday, Adrian Gonzalez

Last year on ballot: Gary Sheffield

Veterans committee: Today's Game (1988 to present)

A new wave of accomplished candidates will hit the ballot in 2024. Adrian Beltre's sustained excellence makes him an easy first-ballot lock, with 3,166 hits, 477 home runs, 1,707 RBIs and 95.6 career WAR, including 10 seasons of 5-plus WAR.

Joe Mauer and Chase Utley were amazing at their best, but both fight uphill battles to election due to lack of longevity. Mauer had nine seasons behind the plate in which he won three batting titles, an MVP and was the best all-around catcher in the game, but concussion issues forced him to move to first base for the final five, mediocre seasons of his career. Given the lower bar for catchers and his high peak value, I'd vote for him, but he's not a first-ballot guy. With 65.4 career WAR, Utley had similar career value to Ryne Sandberg (68.0), Roberto Alomar (67.1) and Craig Biggio (65.5), but no hitter who started his career after 1950 has made the Hall of Fame with fewer than 2,000 hits and Utley had just 1,885.

I have Kent missing election by the BBWAA. The Harold Baines selection has made it impossible to know exactly what the veterans committee is going to do moving forward, because if you elect every player better than Baines you'd have to build a new wing in Cooperstown. Still, unless the composition of the committee changes, Kent has to merit strong consideration.

Jim Leyland has yet to appear on a ballot and while his .506 career winning percentage isn't great, he's 17th on the all-time wins list, won a World Series, made eight trips to the playoffs and was always popular and well respected.

Prediction: Adrian Beltre, Jeff Kent, Jim Leyland

2025

New to ballot: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Ian Kinsler, Troy Tulowitzki

Last year on ballot: Billy Wagner

Veterans committee: Modern Baseball (1970 to 1987)

Ichiro is a no-brainer, but Sabathia is more difficult to assess. He's similar to former teammate Andy Pettitte, who received just 9.9% of the vote in 2019 and is tracking at 11% this year:

Sabathia: 251-161, 3.74 ERA, 116 ERA+, 62.5 WAR
Pettitte: 256-153, 3.85 ERA, 117 ERA+, 60.6 WAR

Sabathia has a Cy Young Award and a few more high-level seasons, but Pettitte has the record for most postseason wins.

In my book, Wagner compares favorably to Trevor Hoffman and recent veterans selection Lee Smith, but he's almost 200 saves behind Hoffman and Smith threw nearly 400 more innings. I think Wagner falls short.

For the veterans committee, I wonder about two-time MVP Dale Murphy, who had a short peak and hasn't fared well on his previous ballots, but was such a beloved player that his case will be revisited. He had just six seasons above 3.1 WAR. In the end, he probably falls short again, while Evans finally gets the call. I'll also go with Beltran and Vizquel finally getting the call alongside Ichiro. You can call this class the all-defense team of Hall of Famers.

Prediction: Ichiro Suzuki, Carlos Beltran, Omar Vizquel, Dwight Evans

2026

New to ballot: Felix Hernandez?

Last year on ballot: Manny Ramirez

Veterans committee: Golden Days (1950 to 1969)

Players eligible in 2026 will have played their last season in 2021. King Felix might not end up pitching in 2021 given his results from last year, but, sadly, his career fell short of Hall of Fame standards anyway. Manny Ramirez, like his fellow PED candidates, will remained locked out of Cooperstown.

For the Golden Days era, we return to Allen and Oliva. Oliva is one of the great what-ifs in baseball history. He won three batting titles and hit .304 in his career, but his knees went bad at 32 and he finished with just 43.1 WAR. I think he falls short.

Prediction: CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte

2027

New to ballot: Albert Pujols?

Last year on ballot: Omar Vizquel (if not already elected), Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones

Assuming Pujols plays through the remaining two years of his contract, he would become eligible in 2027 and should join Jeter and Rivera in the 100% club.

Rolen is polling right around 50% on the public ballots this year and with 70.2 career WAR, he's a player the younger, analytic voters favor. If he hasn't made it by now, he feels like the type of player to get a strong, final-year push.

The veterans committee hasn't revealed what era it will be voting on in 2027, but if we follow the pattern, we go back to Today's Game (1988 to present). One player I'd like to see get a second look is Kevin Brown, who fell off the BBWAA ballot after one season. He's a stathead favorite with a more dominant peak than either Sabathia or Pettitte. He's a match for recent first-ballot inductee Roy Halladay:

Brown: 211-144, 3.28 ERA, 127 ERA+, 68.2 WAR
Halladay: 203-105, 3.38 ERA, 131 ERA+, 65.4 WAR

Still, he probably falls short. How about Fred McGriff though? He's a classic veterans committee candidate with a long career, 493 home runs and is viewed as one of the clean players from the PED era. He peaked at 39.8% in his final year on the BBWAA ballot, but he also battled the ballot logjam throughout his period of eligibility. I think he's a borderline candidate at best with just four 5-WAR seasons, but if he had seven more home runs he might already be in.

Prediction: Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Fred McGriff

2028

New to ballot: Yadier Molina? Cole Hamels?

Last year on ballot: Todd Helton, Andy Pettitte (if not already elected)

Molina is currently in the final year of his contract, but I can see him playing at least through 2022 and becoming eligible in 2028. Heck, if he's willing to be a backup catcher, he could probably play into his early 40s. Hey, Carlton Fisk lasted until he was 45.

Helton was amazing for five or six years, but I think the back problems leave him a couple of great seasons short of a Hall of Fame career. It might not be a strong ballot in 2028, so that could help him, but with a short peak and 61.2 career WAR, I don't think he gets in.

If the veterans committee votes on the Modern Baseball era (1970 to 1987), here's a long-shot candidate: former Cardinals and Reds general manager Bob Howsam. He built the 1967 World Series champion Cardinals (although he had left for Cincinnati by then) and built the Big Red Machine, one of the best teams of all time. Mark Armour and Dan Levitt, who wrote "In Pursuit of Pennants," a great book on the best general managers in the game's history, ranked Howsam No. 4 all time.

Prediction: Yadier Molina, Bob Howsam

2029

New to ballot: Miguel Cabrera? Robinson Cano? Joey Votto?

Last year on ballot: Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi

If Cabrera and Cano make it through the ends of their current contracts (2023), they will hit the ballot in 2029. Votto has a club option for 2024, but given his recent fade, I'm not sure he makes it that far. Cabrera, of course, is a first-ballot choice while Cano will be hurt by his 2018 PED suspension. I think he gets in eventually, but it will take a few years.

Votto looked like a no-brainer Hall of Famer a couple of years ago, but that's no longer the case. He's sitting on 60.2 career WAR, but his counting stats -- 284 home runs, 944 RBIs -- are low for a first baseman. I do wonder how he would be viewed if he had won seven batting titles instead of seven on-base percentage titles. Of course, the voting bloc by 2029 will be much more informed regarding Votto's extremely high peak of excellence, so he has a chance to get selected. A couple more bounce-back seasons would help, though.

I have pitchers Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer all playing through at least 2024 and not yet eligible. I think all four are pretty much Hall of Fame locks at this point, and if any suffer some sort of career-ending injury they could appear in 2029 or earlier.

The veterans committee, meanwhile, likely would revert to the Today's Game era (1988 to present). Candidates could include all the PED guys I haven't yet put in, plus Kevin Brown, Andruw Jones, Bernie Williams, Kenny Lofton and Jim Edmonds, among others. Lofton is a stathead fave with his 68.3 career WAR, but his vagabond career hurts him and a lot of that value is from his defense. He's a better candidate than Omar Vizquel in my book and he did play on a lot of good teams (11 postseason appearances).

I kind of glossed over the steroids guys. At this point, I don't think Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod, Manny, McGwire or Sosa get in. Maybe attitudes will change by the end of the decade.

We'll give our final nod to Terry Francona, who is already 18th on the all-time wins list, has two World Series titles and is still going strong.

Prediction: Miguel Cabrera, Joe Mauer, Kenny Lofton, Terry Francona

The Baseball Hall of Fame will announce the results of the Baseball Writers' Association of America voting for the Class of 2020 on Tuesday. Based on ballots that have been made public, Derek Jeter might become only the second player elected unanimously by the voters, joining longtime Yankees teammate Mariano Rivera, who was honored with that support last year. Initial returns also suggest Jeter could be joined by Larry Walker, on his 10th and last year on the ballot, in earning induction, with Curt Schilling also being close.

The ballots of seven voters from ESPN are listed below, with a breakdown of whom they voted for and some short thoughts on their decisions. Candidates need 75% of the total vote to be elected into the Hall.

Dan Graziano (6): Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Larry Walker

The only new guys on my ballot this year are Jeter, who was an obvious choice, and Rolen, for whom I haven't voted in the past. Just thought a deeper look at Rolen's case ranks him alongside some of the best ever at his position.

Paul Gutierrez (3): Jeter, Kent, Omar Vizquel

It was the summer of 2005, the winter of Jeff Kent's 17-year MLB career, and he was holding court in the Dodgers' clubhouse. Kent and Milton Bradley had an altercation the day before -- no, nothing like the dugout choking match he and Barry Bonds had infamously participated in years earlier -- and Kent was asked if such an episode could actually help a team's chemistry. "You ever played the game before?" Kent asked.

By the time Kent's career was done, no second baseman had ever slugged like him before ... or since. His 351 homers as a second baseman (he had 377 HRs total) are the most at the position, and being the greatest slugging second baseman in the game's history alone would be enough to warrant Cooperstown consideration. But when you compare his numbers to other second basemen already enshrined, it's easy to throw a vote Kent's way. Consider: Kent had at least 100 RBIs eight times (in a nine-season stretch), more than Charlie Gehringer (seven), Roberto Alomar (twice), Paul Molitor (twice), Ryne Sandberg (twice), Joe Morgan (once) and Craig Biggio (never). And Kent's .290 career average eclipses those of Biggio, Morgan and Sandberg. No, Kent never won a Gold Glove. His four Silver Sluggers, four top-10 MVP finishes and 2000 National League MVP (with Bonds as a teammate) more than make up for it.

Christina Kahrl (10): Barry Bonds, Walker, Jeter, Rolen, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Wagner, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, Todd Helton

As a "big hall" believer, the problem for me is cutting down to 10 when I think there are 14-15 worthy choices on the ballot. I've written in the past to explain my rationale for voting for historically worthy sluggers like Bonds, Sosa and Sheffield, so making room for Ramirez makes sense, at least since baseball has said it considered his suspensions for PEDs fulfilled. Larry Walker's feats and all-around game convinced me to support him on my first ballot, but also helped lead me to the conclusion that Todd Helton belongs as well, Coors Field or no Coors Field.

The big thing folks will have noticed about my ballot is that I had Roger Clemens on my ballot last year (my first), and took him off this year. Clemens' statistical accomplishments and historical achievements put him in the forefront of the Cooperstown conversation -- he's among the 14-15 players I referenced. If or when he's elected, you'll get no argument from me, not on that basis alone.

But the ballot is also very clear in its instructions that those are not the only criteria with which to make informed choices. After spending more time in the past year looking at the questions surrounding Clemens' interactions with Mindy McCready, alleged and agreed-upon, starting from when she was a minor, and discussing the issue with other colleagues, I can only say that going forward, should he ultimately get elected, it will have to be without my support.

Tim Kurkjian (10): Jeter, Walker, Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, Sheffield, Helton, Rolen, Vizquel, Kent

My biggest decision was Omar Vizquel. I understand that he doesn't meet some Hall of Fame standards by today's advanced metrics. But I watched him play for nearly 25 years. He has the greatest hands I've ever seen. After Ozzie Smith, Vizquel is the best defensive shortstop I've ever seen. And given the importance of that position, I believe he's one of the greatest defensive players of all time at any position. He was an exceptionally smart player, he was durable, he got 2,877 hits and was a great teammate. That was enough for me.

Ian O'Connor (7): Bonds, Clemens, Jeter, Schilling, Vizquel, Walker, Wagner

Five holdovers and Captain Jeter left me with some room on my ballot, so I spent considerable time reviewing a number of candidates I've considered borderline, or just a tick below Hall of Fame worthiness. And the one who grabbed me was Omar Vizquel. By the WAR measurement, he's one of the 10 greatest defensive players of all time, and though he wasn't a premier offensive player, he did finish within close range of 3,000 hits. Yes, Vizquel was more of a compiler. But on further review, I think he did enough to earn induction.

Enrique Rojas (10): Bonds, Clemens, Jeter, Rolen, Schilling, Sosa, Vizquel, Wagner, Walker, Bobby Abreu

This is my second year as a voter of the BBWAA for the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, an honor that I take very seriously. In addition to the basic recommendations of the Hall of Fame, my other requirements to consider that a candidate deserves sports immortality are simple: All players with at least 10 years in MLB, who stood out among their peers and who did not violate the MLB anti-doping program starting in 2004, are eligible in my view.

I do not consider myself the guardian of public morals, nor do I want to be part of any form of modern inquisition. Therefore, I reserve the right to change, amend or vary my opinion about players who have been suspended for doping in the future. But for the moment, I'll take care of the others who don't drag that heavy burden.

Four of my 10 selections last year were elected (Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, Edgar Martínez and Roy Halladay), leaving only six players on my 2020 ballot (Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Curt Schilling, Omar Vizquel and Larry Walker).

Basically, what I did this year was to add four new names, no matter how much time they have on the ballot: Derek Jeter, Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner and Bobby Abreu.

The two candidates I spent the most time with were Abreu and Wagner, who did not have numbers that make them automatic selections, but if we are fair, they were better than many other players from their positions already in Cooperstown.

Claire Smith (6): Bonds, Clemens, Jeter, Sheffield, Sosa, Vizquel

The hardest decision was the non-vote for Larry Walker as he makes his final appearance on the BBWAA ballot. Hall of Famers I spoke to often said that while the Rockies slugger was sensational, he is hurt by the Coors Field factor, a benefit when batting a mile high, but a detriment if production there makes road stats look pedestrian. HOFers' views are important guideposts to me. Also, the Hall is their very exclusive club, and they have pretty strong opinions on who should gain entry.

PBs galore as Twell moves to fifth on the UK all-time list, while Scullion secures Olympic qualification

A round-up of some of the top recent athletics results from around the world.

Chevron Houston Marathon, USA, January 19

Ireland’s Stephen Scullion ran a PB of 2:11:51 in windy conditions to just miss the Olympic qualifying time of 2:11:30, but with the Houston event being a gold label road race, his top five finish also counts as a qualifier.

The 18mph winds “hurt me a lot”, Scullion later wrote on social media, adding: “It made me angry that I needed to run fast, but I had to relax and not make excuses.

“That’s 3 marathons in 15 weeks. Takes its toll on the body. I was hurting over the last 10 days or so, a few niggles popped up and I wasn’t surprised, it’s hard to jump back into 20+ mile runs 2-3 weeks after your last marathon. My body is excited for some down time.”

He went through halfway in 65:49.

Scullion finished fifth in a race won by Ethiopia’s Kelkile Gezahegn in 2:08:36.

Askale Merachi completed an Ethiopian double, winning the women’s race in 2:23:29.

Aramco Houston Half Marathon, USA, January 19

Hitomi Niiya returned to road racing in style as the 31-year-old smashed the Japanese half-marathon record with her winning time of 66:38.

Niiya finished fifth in the 2013 World Championships 10,000m but then took time away from the sport and the event in Houston was her first individual road race in more than 10 years.

She won ahead of Kenyans Brillian Jepkorir (68:08) and Caroline Kipkirui (68:13).

Britain’s Steph Twell (pictured, top) was also among those to impress as she ran a big PB of 68:54 to finish eighth and move to fifth on the UK all-time list when it comes to results recorded on record-eligible courses. Her previous best was 70:51.

“Thrilled with a strong start to 2020,” Twell, who is aiming for Olympic marathon selection, told AW. “I came to Houston to race in a competitive field before I begin my London (marathon) build-up. A fantastic event and one made more special with so many athletes on their 2020 pursuits.”

Her fellow Scot Sarah Inglis also moved up the British all-time rankings as she took exactly two minutes off her PB with a time of 70:22. Those times move the pair to second and third respectively on the Scottish all-time list.

Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer won the men’s race in 59:25 as the top nine all went sub-60:00.

A world record was broken as Britain’s Matt and Andrew Leach ran the fastest ever father-and-son combined time, clocking 2:14:05.

Matt ran 62:55 and his father Andrew, the 2019 European M55 10,000m champion, clocked 71:10.

Tata Mumbai Marathon, India, January 19

Ethiopia’s Derara Hurisa won in a course record and Indian all-comers’ record of 2:08:09 on his marathon debut, despite racing in borrowed shoes, while his compatriot Amane Beriso won the women’s race in 2:24:51.

“I mislaid my shoes while travelling from Addis Ababa to Mumbai earlier in the week so I borrowed some shoes from my friend Abraham Girma (also running in Mumbai), so I only tried them on for the first time yesterday,” said Hurisa.

Royal Gazette Bermuda Triangle Challenge, January 17-19

Britain’s European 5000m silver medallist Eilish McColgan first won the Butterfield Front Street Mile women’s race in 4:45 and the next morning clocked 33:28 to claim the BF&M 10km title.

Both races took place in very windy conditions on tough courses.

In an Instagram post after her mile win, McColgan said: “First up was the Street Mile on Friday evening with 67km/h gusts of wind! I pushed hard after the first 400m to try and get a gap, so I was happy to come away the win – but it’s been a long time since my legs have filled with so much lactic! The wind, 180° turns and inclines on the course made it a tough one.”

Reflecting on her 10km win, she added: “The sun made an appearance for yesterday’s 10km! Still blowing a gale but it was nice to come away with another win! The time was my slowest ever, but actually the fastest winning time for 23 years. I found the hills and windy conditions on the course really tough!”

Bermuda has been a happy hunting ground for Brits, with AW’s own Paul Freary winning the mile there in 1995 when he beat Steve Cram into second place. Freary then went on to win the island’s international half-marathon five times.

Lviv, Ukraine, January 18

World silver medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh improved the world under-20 indoor high jump record to 2.01m to also equal the Ukrainian indoor record.

Clemson Invitational, USA, January 17

Britain’s Lorraine Ugen long jumped 6.74m for a world lead and a mark which is further than her 2019 best.

London Games, Lee Valley, January 18-19

CJ Ujah achieved a 60m qualifying mark for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, running 6.61.

Theo Etienne clocked 6.63 in second to also record a qualifying mark, while Oliver Bromby was third in a PB of 6.68.

Ujah ran 6.62 later the same day, with Andrew Robertson second in 6.66.

Spencer Thomas ran 1:50.93 and Khahisa Mhlanga 2:05.21 for 800m wins.

Yasmin Miller clocked 8.26 to win the 60m hurdles ahead of Heather Paton with 8.35.

Amy Hunt claimed a 60m win in 7.36 ahead of Ama Pipi who clocked the same time, with Hunt also running 7.38 to win a second race later on in the day.

Toby Makoyawo won the junior 60m, with the 17-year-old clocking 6.74.

BMC Cardiff Open, January 19

Piers Copeland won the 800m in 1:49.80, while Francesca Brint took the women’s race in 2:11.42.

George Mills clocked 3:44.68 to win the men’s 1500m.

Lotto Cross Cup, Hannut, Belgium, January 19

Britain’s Andy Vernon and Stephanie Barnes placed second and third respectively in the senior races.

Vernon was five seconds behind Germany’s Samuel Fitwi, while Poland’s Anna Gosk won the women’s race ahead of Romania’s Roxana Barca.

Cross Internacional de Italica, Spain, January 19

Kenya’s world 5000m silver medallist Margaret Kipkemboi won the senior women’s 9.1km ahead of world under-20 cross country champion Beatrice Chebet.

Kate Avery gained a top-10 finish, with her fellow Brits Dani Chattenton in 14th, Jessica Gibbon 19th and Hannah Irwin 25th.

Georgia Hayes won the under-20 women’s race ahead of Spain’s Angela Viciosa Villa.

Josh Cowperthwaite was second and Henry McLuckie third in the junior men’s race.

In the senior men’s race, Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku won the 9.9km event ahead of USA’s Olympic 5000m silver medallist Paul Chelimo.

Kiki Bertens, the Dutch world number 10, is the latest WTA Tour star to feature in a BBC Sport column at a Grand Slam. In her first column at the Australian Open, the 2016 French Open semi-finalist talks about how she almost retired before going on to enjoy the biggest successes of her career, the air quality in Melbourne and getting married in the off-season.

At the end of the 2017 season I was on the brink of retirement and I had a decision to make: quit playing or do things differently.

I chose to do things differently - with my approach to practice, recovery, nutrition and many other things.

As a result I reached the world's top 10 for the first time in 2018 and won three WTA tournaments. So I guess I made the right decision!

Why was I considering retirement at the age of just 25? Because I really wasn't having fun on court.

I was still winning matches and I was ranked 31 in the world at the end of the year so it was still going pretty well. But I was struggling a lot.

Going through the tour every year and just focusing so intensely on tennis all the time was not working for me. I had to find another way.

I was stressing too much about everything, stressing about draws, stressing about how I was practising.

If one day I did not have a good practice I was worrying a lot about how I'd play over the next few days.

Now, I still work really hard every day, of course, and do everything I can do. But off the court I relax a little more, enjoy my time with the people around me - my husband, my family and the other girls - then go again the next day.

I have changed my work-life balance for the better.

And I don't worry as much. I think 'OK, one day I play good, the other day maybe not'. There is always a next day.

I have realised it is more important to be happy and enjoying the life you are living - win or lose.

'I never thought I'd reach the world's top 10'

After deciding not to retire and carry on, I reached the world's top 10 for the first time in 2018 and won three WTA tournaments. So I guess I came a long way.

For me it was always a huge thing to become top 10 because I'd never really seen myself being able to achieve that dream.

Then last year I won the Madrid Open - my biggest title yet - and was the first woman to win the tournament without dropping a set.

As a result I went up to fourth in the world and that meant I became the highest-ranked female player from the Netherlands ever. That was a huge thing for me and a huge deal back home.

I never thought I'd go as far as this. After doing that, everything is a bonus from now and I am enjoying it all as much as possible.

Of course I still put pressure on myself and I'm still setting goals that I want to achieve.

Improving my game by trying to play more aggressively is the main one and hopefully make steps in the rankings and the big tournaments as a result.

The furthest I have gone at the Australian Open is the third round so hopefully I can do better than that this year.

I like it here and always feel good, so I don't exactly know why I haven't gone further in Melbourne.

Perhaps it is because normally I start to play better when I have played a lot of matches. At the beginning of the year that is a little bit of a struggle, I still have to find rhythm.

I played some great matches in Brisbane earlier this month, where I lost to Naomi Osaka in the singles quarter-finals and also reached the doubles final with Ashleigh Barty.

So I think I'm ready and excited to see what happens.

'People are suffering so much because of the bushfires - it is heartbreaking'

Of course I have been following the news about the bushfires that have been happening in Australia - it is heartbreaking to see so much devastation.

They are suffering so much here and I feel really bad for the people and animals.

Ash Barty - who is, of course, Australia's world number one - is my regular doubles partner and she donated her prize money from the Brisbane International to the relief fund.

That got me thinking that I wanted to do something so I said I would donate 100 Australian dollars for every ace that I hit in the tournaments over the Australian summer.

I know it is only a small part but I wanted to get involved because it is something that is close to my heart, particularly because I'm so close to Ash.

The air quality in Melbourne has been a big talking point and when I arrived here on Tuesday night I saw the conditions were not great.

I think it was really tough for the players to play qualifying matches in that.

I had a hit on Wednesday morning when it was still not great but I only had a light hit so I didn't have any problems with my lungs or my breathing.

But I can imagine if you're playing for two, or two and a half, hours it is not really healthy.

I know the Australian Open is doing the best they can to find a way to overcome any problems, for them it is also a new situation. I think they are monitoring it really well.

They just have to go day by day, see what they have to do and we all hope there will be no problems.

'I had another big match in the off-season… my wedding!'

The off-season was also pretty busy for me away from tennis - I got married!

My husband Remko is in the tennis world too, he is a physio, a fitness trainer and a coach, and he is also part of my team.

We have known each other for four years now and he proposed at the end of the 2018 season.

I was not really expecting him to propose when he did, even though he knew I really wanted it because I told him many times! So it was a big surprise.

Then all through the year we were building up to the big day and it was really exciting.

We got married at home in Breda where we live, we had a ceremony with only our close family then in the day and at night we had a fun party with more people coming for that.

A few of my friends from the WTA Tour were there - Julia Goerges is one of my closest friends so she was there for the whole day, Johanna Larsson as well, and then lots of Dutch and Belgian tennis faces were there at night.

It goes without saying, the day was really special. Now I hope married life will bring me good luck on the court too!

Kiki Bertens was speaking to BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko at Melbourne Park.