We will know by Wednesday evening who will comprise the 2016 MLB Hall of Fame class. Last year the bar was set high when the Baseball Writers Association of America elected four candidates in the same year for the first time since 1955. Who will get the nod this week?
Below we've provided the entire ballot as well as the five most pressing questions as we approach Wednesday's official announcement.
2016 MLB HOF Ballot
Garrett Anderson - 1st year on ballot
Brad Ausmus - 1st year
Jeff Bagwell - 6th year
Barry Bonds - 4th year
Luis Castillo - 1st year
Roger Clemens - 4th year
David Eckstein - 1st year
Jim Edmonds - 1st year
Nomar Garciaparra - 2nd year
Troy Glaus - 1st year
Ken Griffey Jr. - 1st year
Mark Grudzielanek - 1st year
Mike Hampton - 1st year
Trevor Hoffman - 1st year
Jason Kendall - 1st year
Jeff Kent - 3rd year
Mike Lowell - 1st year
Edgar Martinez - 7th year
Fred McGriff - 7th year
Mark McGwire - 10th year
Mike Mussina - 3rd year
Mike Piazza - 4th year
Tim Raines - 9th year
Curt Schilling - 4th year
Gary Sheffield - 2nd year
Lee Smith - 14th year
Sammy Sosa - 4th year
Mike Sweeney - 1st year
Alan Trammell - 15th (and final) year
Billy Wagner - 1st year
Larry Walker - 6th year
Randy Winn - 1st year
Five Pressing Questions
Ken Griffey Jr. - It's Griffey's first year on the ballot and he's going to be a first-balloter, but will he be the first ever unanimous pick/fetch the highest vote percentage in MLB history?
Trevor Hoffman - He was the first MLB closer to notch 600 saves before Mariano Rivera shattered his all-time record of 601. It's his first year on the ballot, but how will the voters treat him with fellow reliever Lee Smith in his 14th year on the ballot?
Steroid Era Players - Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Jeff Bagwell and Roger Clemens have largely gotten the cold shoulder in recent years. Will the voters shift their stance on these players and stop trying to act like there's nobody in the HOF with a tainted reputation? Bagwell has been a curious case because he was not in the media spotlight regarding steroid accusations, yet the voters have put him in the dog house.
Mike Piazza - Three years went by and the BBWAA have yet to induct the most prolific hitting catcher in MLB history. With some many enticing names eligible for induction, will this finally be Piazza's year?
Tim Raines/Alan Trammell - Raines has been on the ballot for eight years and Trammell is in his final year of eligibility. Raines got 55% of the vote last year and Trammell got just 25%. Will the voters finally induct Raines before the ballot becomes even more crowded with top names in subsequent years and will Trammell be able to edge out the rest of the controversial field in his final year?
Tune into MLB Network at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday for coverage of the Baseball Hall of Fame election results. The official results will be announced at 6 p.m. ET.
