Jeff Kent elected to baseball Hall of Fame, which again keeps doors shut for Bonds and Clemens

ORLANDO, Fla. — Elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame more than 17 years after his final game, Jeff Kent couldn’t control his emotions.“Absolutely unprepared.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame more than 17 years after his final game, Jeff Kent couldn’t control his emotions.

“Absolutely unprepared. Emotionally unstable,” he said after Sunday’s vote announcement. “Thoughts are so far clouded.”

Kent received 14 of 16 votes from the contemporary era committee, two more than the 12 ballots needed for the 75% minimum. Steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were among seven players who fell short once again.

Kent will be inducted in Cooperstown, New York, on July 26 along with anyone chosen by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 20.

“I hugged my wife after the the phone call had come in,” Kent said, his voice cracking, “and I told her that a lot of the game had come rushing back to me at that moment. Similar to my retirement speech, my farewell speech that I did in LA, it reminds me of the ‘no crying in baseball.’ Well, I was bawling when I left the game because all that emotion just overcomes you.”