Griffey Jr. ready to take his rightful place in Hall

In an age of uncertainty when it comes to voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame, there appears to be one sure thing this year: Ken Griffey Jr.

The player known as "Junior" or "The Kid" looks to be a lock to gain election to the Hall of Fame in balloting by voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Griffey, in his first year of eligibility, heads a list of newcomers that includes relief aces Trevor Hoffman and Billy Wagner. Among other players in their first year are Jim Edmonds and Mike Hampton.

Last year BBWAA voters elected four players: pitchers Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz, and infielder Craig Biggio.

Falling just short was catcher Mike Piazza, with Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines trailing behind.

The uncertainty of voting comes with the so-called Steroid Era players and those whose names have been connected one way or another to the use of performance-enhancing substances. Most notable are Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and former longtime Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa.

To gain election, a candidate must be voted for on at least 75 percent of the ballots cast. Clemens received a voting percentage of 37.5 last year, while Bonds was at 36.9. McGwire got 10 percent, Sosa 6.6. Candidates must receive at least 5 percent of the vote to remain on the ballot in subsequent years.

There have been some significant changes to the voting process in the last two years. Players who get at least 5 percent of the vote stay on the ballot for a maximum of 10 years, down from 15.

The Hall of Fame also tightened eligibility for voters beginning with this election. BBWAA members with at least 10 years of membership vote, but the Hall now stipulates that: "They must have been active as baseball writers and members of the Association for a period beginning at least 10 years prior to the date of election in which they are voting."

In other words, the Hall does not want writers who have been away from the game for a decade or more to be voting.

As always, the criteria for voting remain simple. The only instruction voters are given is that "voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

Voters may for vote for as many as 10 players, although many BBWAA members would like to increase that number to 15.

Results will be announced on Jan. 6.

The Daily Herald has four Hall of Fame voters: White Sox beat writer Scot Gregor, Cubs beat writer Bruce Miles and columnists Mike Imrem and Barry Rozner.

Here's how each voted this year:

Mike Imrem's list: Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Mark McGwire, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa

Oh, relax.

Or as Aaron Rodgers made fashionable … R-E-L-A-X.

Yes, the bad news is I voted for several steroids guys again.

The good news is this figures be the last year on the ballot for Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

Once those two are shuffled off to the Veterans Committee, you and I will have a better chance to make it into the Hall of Fame than they will.

Without Sosa and McGwire, a couple of the 10 spots will open up and a renewed discussion will begin for players on the wrong side of the cusp.

What we'll see is a few who don't belong be elected to the Hall of Very Good.

I used to be strict, voting for only a two or three players every year.

Now it's up to 10 because steroid-tainted candidates like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens return to the ballot every year instead of getting in. They'll become ineligible for regular voting in a few years after failing to receive enough votes to make it to Cooperstown.

Again, what we'll see is a few more players who don't belong be elected.

Barry Rozner's list: Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Jeff Kent, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Lee Smith

My holdovers from last year are Bonds, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling and Smith. With Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio elected last year, there's room for four more.

Griffey and Hoffman are no-brainers. Bagwell was a victim of numbers, but should be in. The last spot was a tough choice, and I went with Kent. He's top 100 all time in offensive WAR (97th), home runs (73), RBI (51), extra-base hits (41), total bases (67), doubles (26), runs created (88) and sacrifice flies (23).

Bruce Miles' list: Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Lee Smith, Alan Trammell

Griffey is a no-brainer for me, as he is for almost every voter.

In addition to the great steroid debate, another topic generating spirited discussion is whether specialists - such as designated hitters and closers - do enough to get into the Hall of Fame.

I say yes. The DH and the closer are integral parts of the game and have been for decades, and if you're among the best of all time in each role, you deserve a spot in Cooperstown.

In the 40-plus years the American League has played with the DH, Martinez is in the team picture as one of the top two or three.

Hoffman was never overpowering as a closer, but even when hitters knew his famed changeup was coming, they still had a hard time hitting it. The main measure for a closer is the save, and Hoffman had 601, and he made seven All-Star Game appearances.

Trammell is in his 15th and final year on the ballot (he and Smith were grandfathered in after the change to 10 years was made), and he was one of the game's understated greats in addition to being one of the faces of the Detroit Tigers.

Raines was the National League's version of Rickey Henderson during his days with the Montreal Expos.

Scot Gregor's list: Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines

Griffey was nearing the end of a brilliant career when the White Sox acquired him in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds on July 31, 2008, but he still had a very rare air and was a pleasure to cover for the final two months of the regular season and the playoffs.

Sparked by his strong throw to the plate to cut down Michael Cuddyer, the Sox edged the Twins 1-0 in a one-game playoff at U.S. Cellular and advanced to the postseason.

Griffey played parts of two more seasons with the Seattle Mariners, the team he broke in with in 1989 at age 19, before announcing his retirement.

With 630 career home runs (No. 6 overall), 1,836 RBI (No. 15) and 10 Gold Gloves, Griffey is a shoo-in to make the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

As for the rest of my picks, Piazza garnered 69.9 percent of the vote last year and might land the required 75 percent this time around.

Like Griffey, Trevor Hoffman is on the ballot for the first time, and it'll be interesting to see how the former standout closer fares.

Hoffman ranks second all time with 601 saves, which should be good for 50 percent of the vote. Lee Smith, who is No. 3 all time with 478 saves, only got 30.2 percent of the Hall vote a year ago.