On a ballot packed with qualified candidates for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is it possible that none of them will be elected this year?

If that happens, as it did last year, it would be the third time in the last decade that the qualified voters of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) have thrown a shutout at the Hall of Fame. This is an odd paradox considering that after the Big Zilch of 2013, the BBWAA in subsequent years went on to elect 22 players across the next seven ballots, with the various guises of the veterans committee voting in another five players (and six non-players) during that seven-year span. (In 2013, the veterans committee did elect three candidates to the Hall.)

Last year, Curt Schilling, who had garnered 70 percent of the vote on the previous ballot, seemed to be a lock for election. Instead, he stalled with a negligible increase in support, then threw a social-media Trumper tantrum declaring that he wanted to be removed from this year's ballot. The Hall of Fame quickly responded that it would not do so.

In a tumultuous year that was not normal for anything and everything including baseball, one thing that might be back to normal is voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Granted, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has 14 returning candidates, with just about every one of them owning cases for induction that range from borderline to compelling.

Joe Nathan was one of the more successful closers in the American League throughout the 2000’s a role he embraced after four undistinguished years for the San Francisco Giants.

Joe Nathan came to Minnesota in 2004 through a franchise-changing trade with San Francisco, evolving from a dependable setup man into the franchise’s most dominant closer. Although he demonstrated potential in the National League, he truly maximized his abilities in the Twin Cities, where his fastball that topped the radar and sharp slider often sealed Minnesota's wins.

Nathan quickly demonstrated his capabilities during his inaugural season as a Twin in 2004, achieving 44 saves and securing a fourth-place position in the Cy Young Award voting. This accomplishment was not merely a one-time achievement; he subsequently maintained a consistent performance over six successive seasons, each with at least 35 saves. Such a sustained level of excellence established him as a mainstay in the bullpen of the Twins. Throughout this period of peak performance, he attained the highest level of individual recognition by being selected for the All-Star team four times (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009) and finishing fifth in the Cy Young Award voting in 2006.

He showed total command of the strike zone, with a 0.956 WHIP while with Minnesota. His baserunner prevention made him a key high-leverage pitcher, helping the Twins win multiple division titles. He left the team as a free agent for Texas, leaving behind 260 saves and a 2.16 ERA.

Nathan was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2019.