Newsday's Steven Marcus Explains Reasoning Behind Divisive Derek Jeter-Only Hall of Fame Ballot

New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter is a no-brainer for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Anybody with a pulse could tell you that. But could he really enter Cooperstown all alone next year?

Writer and Hall of Fame voter Steven Marcus of Newsday had the chance to select as many as 10 players on the Ballot to be inducted in 2020, but he decided to vote solely for Jeter. Now he has issued his justification for doing so after drawing some notable criticism.

He claims that only true MLB legends deserve to be forever enshrined in those hallowed halls. This year, he sees Jeter as the only legend eligible.

To his credit, Marcus has not shied away from his stance, making several solid points while defending his Jeter-only ballot.

Members of the baseball media community are often known to be purists when compared to those who cover other sports, but not believing that anyone else on this list of elite-level players belongs in the Hall of Fame seems like a bit of a stretch. (Have you refreshed yourself on Larry Walker's stats recently?)

Marcus's hot take has definitely garnered the attention he was likely looking for, but it also feels like he is doing a bit of trolling here. If you are one of the select few who get to decide the fate of all-time great players, you shouldn't be able to talk yourself out of two or three picks unless the circumstances are extreme.

But hey, to each his own.