COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — It was an old-school reminder to the way baseball used to be played, the way we looked at the game, and the stats that shaped our opinions Sunday afternoon at the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The new Hall of Fame trio of Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were here to remind everyone that the traditional statistics should still matter. Runs batted in should not be considered a fluke stat in a box score. There really is a clutch element in a players’ psyche. And while everyone is engrossed with on-base percentage these days, even if some sluggers are only clogging the bases by drawing a rash of walks, future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker has a question for you:
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“If driving in runs or scoring runs isn’t important,’’ future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker said, “then why are we bothering to keep score?’’
Kent, Beltran and Jones, who were inducted into the Hall of Fame with a record 60 Hall of Famers in attendance and 12,000 fans in attendance, certainly represented baseball’s greatest values throughout their brilliant careers.
They didn’t celebrate drawing a walk with a runner on third base with less than two outs, instead wanting to drive them in, not letting the responsibility fall to someone else.
They didn’t sit out games when they weren’t feeling well, or treat the injured list like a paid vacation. They posted, season after season, oftentimes playing in pain, knowing that they were a whole lot more valuable to their teams at 70% than sitting on the bench.
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They didn’t try to create a brand. They didn’t try to draw attention to themselves. They played to win, game after game, season after season.
Go ahead, check out their resumes:
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New York Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran hits a double in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 6, 2011. Carlos Beltr‡n was an exceptional switch-hitting center fielder who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball, known for his rare combination of power, speed, and defense.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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New York Mets right fielder Carlos Beltran hits a double in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 6, 2011. Carlos Beltr‡n was an exceptional switch-hitting center fielder who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball, known for his rare combination of power, speed, and defense.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran in action against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Minute Maid Park in 2010. Beltran amassed 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, 1,587 RBIs, and 312 stolen bases across seven different teams.
(Brett Davis, Imagn Images)
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Carlos Beltran of the Kansas Royals signs a fans program before the game against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park in Chicago on July 8, 1999. Beltran began his career with the Royals in 1999.
(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)
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Houston Astros players Yuli Gurriel (10) , Carlos Beltran (15) and George Springer (4) celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium. Beltran won his only World Series with the Astos.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
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Carlos Beltran celebrates after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of the 2004 NLDS.
(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
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Carlos Beltran H celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning in Game 3 of the 2004 NLCS.
(Streeter Lecka, Getty Images)
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New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran gets ready to hit during the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 10, 2006. Beltran joined the Mets in 2005.
(Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images)
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St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran (3) poses with his National League All Star Game jersey before a game against the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium on July 6, 2012. Beltran was an All Star nine times.
(Jeff Curry, Imagn Images)
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St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran (back) steals second base against San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro (front) during the first inning of Game 7 of the 2012 NLCS at AT&T Park on October. 22, 2012. Beltran finished his career with 312 stolen bases.
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
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St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran hits a single, one of 2,725 hits, against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at Wrigley Field on July 12, 2013.
(Jerry Lai, Imagn Images)
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Carlos Beltran heads for first after he hit his 400th career home run in the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on May 15, 2016 in the Bronx. Beltran would end his career with 435 home runs.
(Elsa, Getty Images)
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Know for power hitting and great defense, Andruw Jones best years were with the Atlanta Braves from 1996-2007.
(Preston Mack, Imagn Images)
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Atlanta Braves player Andruw Jones watches his second home run fly out of the park in the third inning of Game One of the World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York 20 October. Jones, the youngest player to hit a home run in the World Series, had two home runs in his first two at bats. Jones was the youngest player to hit home run in postseason at age 19.
(TIMOTHY CLARY, AFP via Getty Images)
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Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves looks on during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. on Sept. 12, 1996. Andruw Jones played 17 seasons, primarily with the Atlanta Braves, from his debut in 1996 until his last MLB game in 2012, also playing for the Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees, before finishing his career in Japan in 2013.
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
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Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones makes a diving catch during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Turner Field in Atlanta, Ga in 2007. Andruw Jones won the Gold Glove Award 10 times, all consecutively from 1998 to 2007
(Jason Parkhurst, Imagn Images)
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Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves follows through on a first inning three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field on April 23, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia. Jones had 51 home runs in 2005.
(Scott Cunningham, Getty Images)
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National League All-Star outfielder Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves watches practice for the 77th MLB All-Star Game against the American League All-Stars at PNC Park on July 11, 2006 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Andruw Jones was an MLB All-Star five times, selected in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006
(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
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Andruw Jones #25 is greeted by A.J. Pierzynski #12 and Mark Kotsay #7 of the Chicago White Sox at home plate after hitting Jones hit his 400th career home run in 2010.
(Ron Vesely, Getty Images)
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Andruw Jones hits a home run during the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 7, 2012. Jones was with the Yankees for two years hitting 27 home runs.
(Bob DeChiara, Imagn Images)
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Atlanta Braves Chipper Jones (R) and Andruw Jones (L) celebrate after both players scored on a double by Andres Gallaraga against the New York Mets in the top of the seventh inning Sept. 26, 2000 at Shea Stadium in Flushing, NY. Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones are legendary former teammates for the Atlanta Braves, known for their dominant partnership in the late 1990s and 2000s, forming the core of the team alongside Greg Maddux and John Smoltz as they won numerous division titles and appeared in the World Series.
(MATT CAMPBELL, AFP via Getty Images)
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Center fielder Andruw Jones #25 of the Atlanta Braves makes a catch against the wall despite colliding with right fielder J.D. Drew #7 on a fly ball hit by Jayson Werth of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning at Dodger Stadium on August 21, 2004 in Los Angeles, Calif. Jones was known for his great defense and won 10 Gold Gloves.
(Jeff Gross, Getty Images)
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Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Kent poses for a picture along with Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch and Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark during the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings on Dec. 8, 2025 in Orlando.
(Mike Watters, Imagn Images)
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Jeff Kent of the Toronto Blue Jays watches the ball at the Toronto Skydome in Toronto, Canada on January 1, 1992. Kent began his 17 seasons in the MLB with the Blue Jays in 1992.
(Rick Stewart, Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Dodgers pinch hitter Jeff Kent bats during 12-4 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 24, 2008. Kent retire from baseball in 2009.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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San Francisco Giant Jeff Kent watches his two-run home run head for the fence as Anaheim Angels catcher Bengie Molina and home plate umpire Mike Reilly watch in the sixth inning in Game Five in the World Series in San Francisco on Oct. 24, 2002. Jeff Kent was a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2000-2002, 2005) .
(MONICA DAVEY, AFP via Getty Images)
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Winner of the 2000 National League’s Most Valuable Player San Francisco Giants second baseman Jeff Kent is shown in this Oct. 4, 2000, file photo playing a ground ball against the New York Mets in San Francisco. Kent became the first second baseman in 16 years to capture baseball’s most coveted award presented by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
(JOHN G. MABANGLO, AFP via Getty Images)
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San Francisco Giant Jeff Kent pumps his fist after hitting a two-run home run against the Anaheim Angels in the sixth inning in Game 5 of the 2002 World Series.
(MONICA DAVEY, AFP via Getty Images)
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Jeff Kent of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two run home run in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants in during the Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2008 in Los Angeles, Calif. Kent ended his career with 377 home runs, the MLB record for a second baseman.
(Jeff Gross, Getty Images)
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Second baseman Jeff Kent of the San Francisco Giants dives as he throws the ball during game three of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco, California on Oct. 5, 2002. Kent played in 2,298 games over 17 seasons.
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
➤ Kent, who hit the most home runs by a second baseman in history, hit at least 20 homers and drove in 100 or more runs in six consecutive seasons, and eight times in his career.
➤ Jones played more than 150 games in 11 seasons with Atlanta, including four seasons playing more than 160 games.
➤ Beltran, a nine-time All-Star, had eight seasons of at least 100 RBIs and seven seasons scoring 100 or more runs.
And there wasn’t a single whisper, rumor or innuendo that any of the trio used performance-enhancing drugs, with Kent talking about how he wanted to emulate Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, whose legendary Hall of Fame speech emphasized the importance of playing the game the right way.
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“I never had the chance to meet Ryne,’’ Kent said, “but I watched him play every day because I wanted to be like him. He played with toughness, and he played with quiet fire. I hope he knows that a lot of us who came after him play that way as well.’’
Andruw Jones: ‘I took so much pride in my defense’
Jones, the first player from Curaçao to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, said it was his father who stressed the importance of showing up to work every day. It was no different than if you were a postal worker, a fisherman, or you made a living on the ballfield.
“Everything started with my dad,’’ Jones said. “My dad told me from the beginning, if a shrimp goes to sleep, the water, the storm, will take him away. So, when I put the uniform on, I showed up ready to play because I could go oh-for-4 and have an impact. That’s why I took so much pride in my defense. Every time I walked on that field, I was trying to do something special to help my team.
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“You focus on the team, not yourself.’’
Jeff Kent: Proud to be a run-producer
Kent, who hit .334 with 41 homers, 125 RBI with a 1.021 OPS during his 2000 MVP season with the San Francisco Giants, was proud to be a run-producer. If Barry Bonds walked ahead of him, he was determined to drive him in. He wasn’t going to be satisfied taking a walk and passing on the responsibility to the next hitter. He embraced the responsibility.
“Tommy Lasorda, one of the best motivators in the game, said a simple truth that I lived by for my whole career,’’ Kent said. “Money lies in the RBIs … It stuck in my brain forever, and it never left.
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“If I was going to win, I knew I needed to produce runs. That became my focus, and as a middle infielder in my era, I’m proud that I set the bar for run production. That focus on run production defined a big part of my career.’’
Kent made the generations before him proud the way he acted on the field. He wasn’t playing the game to make friends. He wasn’t hanging around the batting cage and hugging opposing players. It was fine to talk and hang out in the off-season, but certainly not during the heat of competition.
“When you play this game, you have to play with a little hatred,’’ Kent said. “People call it cockiness or arrogance or confidence. They call it so much, but you have to play this game with a chip on your shoulder. Well, that chip on the shoulder is a little bit of anger. You’re mad. You just have to define your own way to stay mad.’’
And, oh, how did he love to take that anger out on pitchers, saying that Baker was one of the greatest influences of his career, helping turn him into the most fierce-hitting second baseman in the game.
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“I was just passing on the knowledge I got from Tony Perez, Hank Aaron and Bob Watson,’’ Baker said. “Those guys taught us how to drive in runs. … Those are some of the things I passed onto Jeff.’’
Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran pose for a photo with their Baseball Hall of Fame plaques in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Carlos Beltran: A legacy for future generations
It was Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett who helped shape Beltran’s career. He was just being elected into Cooperstown when Beltran broke in as a 21-year-old, and retired at 40, becoming the only switch-hitter to hit 300 homers and steal 300 bases in his career. Brett taught Beltran the importance of playing every day, and as hard as he could, and not only played all 162 games in 2002, but missed just one game in 2008 when he was 31 years old.
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Beltran went to Houston, became teammates with future Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, who reinforced the advice Brett gave him when he broke into the big leagues.
“You told me something very special,’’ Beltran said, looking back at them on stage. “You told me that in order for me to aspire to have a long career in baseball, I needed to learn how to play with pain. I saw the you guys grind, day in and day out. That was very special to me and was something that I carried for the rest of my life.
“There’s no way I could have lasted 20 years in the big leagues without learning how to play with pain.’’
Beltran, fighting back tears speaking to his parents in Spanish, also was emotional about taking about what his homeland of Puerto Rico means to him. He waved a Puerto Rican flag to the thousands of Puerto Rican fans who wildly cheered.
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Beltran hopes that he made a difference in his career, just like Kent and Jones, and that their legacy will be an inspiration to young players in today’s game.
“When I was growing up in Manati, Puerto Rico, many of these guys were teaching me the game of baseball,’’ he said. “I know some of you guys opened a lot of doors, and went through a lot of situations in hour career. Then, my generation was able to walk through those doors because you open the path for us.
“I just want to say thank you for making this game better … I always say that every generation has the responsibility to continue to make the game of baseball better.’’
Certainly, they did their job.
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Let’s see if it rubs off on the next generation.
Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class represented the sport’s greatest values | Opinion
