The Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has some new names joining the list of eligible players for 2016, as Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, David Eckstein, Troy Glaus, Mike Hampton, Jason Kendall, Mike Lowell and Billy Wagner all have the chance to get votes. Holdovers of notable players last year who received votes include Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds.
According to the Associated Press, results of the voting will be announced on January 6 and players need 75 percent of votes from the Baseball Writers' Association voters. The AP reports that this year there will be some changes to the voting, as there are now 450 voters down from about 600, with some voters getting cut for not being "active in the game for more than 10 years."
The class last year is considered one of the strongest in recent memory, with Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio getting elected. Griffey is considered to be a near-lock for the Hall of Fame, while Hoffman will get some consideration but it not likely to make it. Last year Piazza was the closest to not get voted in, as he had 69.9 percent and needed just 28 votes to make it. Bagwell came in at 55.7 percent, Tim Raines at 55 percent, while Schilling had 39 percent, Clemens 37 percent and Bonds at 36 percent.
Griffey had an amazing start to his career with the Seattle Mariners and he won the AL MVP award in 1997 and is sixth all time with 630 home runs. Griffey won 10 Gold Gloves in hsi career and made the All-Star team 13 times. Hoffman comes in after being a seven time All-Star player and recording 601 saves, which was the all-time record before Mariano Rivera broke it.
The votes will be submitted by December 21 and the Hall of Fame ceremony will be in Cooperstown on July 24 in upstate New York.
Check here for the full list of candidates and the ballot.
The ballot this year has: Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Luis Castillo, Roger Clemens, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Troy Glaus, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Trevor Hoffman, Jason Kendall, Jeff Kent, Mike Lowell, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Lee Smith, Sammy Sosa, Mike Sweeney, Alan Trammell, Billy Wagner, Larry Walker, Randy Winn, per the Associated Press.