Hall of Fame Also-Rans

After sifting through the top 10 for my faux ballot for the Hall of Fame and ruling out confessed or caught drug users, there are still some candidates left over, some of whom are near-misses in my mind, some that might garner future support, and some that will be off the ballot for good in the near future, perhaps even after this year’s vote by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Members of the Baseball Writers must submit their ballots by today, Saturday, for their votes to count for the 2012 Hall of Fame class. Whoever joins the Veterans Committee’s election of Ron Santo will be inducted in Cooperstown in July.

The going, going gone candidates are Eric Young (465 stolen bases, .285 average), Tony Womack (three-time National League stolen bases leader, .273 average), Brad Radke (148 wins, one 20-game season), Phil Nevin (208 homers, .270 average), Bill Mueller (.291 average, one batting title), Terry Mulholland (124 wins, 2o years), Jeremy Burntiz (315 homers, .253 average), Tim Salmon (American League rookie of the year, 299 home runs) and Brian Jordan (.282 average). Under voting rules a player must receive at least five percent of the vote to remain on the ballot for the next year, up to 15 years). These guys can tell their grand-children that not only did they play in the majors, when they retired they were considered for the Hall of Fame.

Another handful of candidates deserve a second look, and although their totals will not be anywhere near close enough for induction, they will probably survive on the ballot with enough support to remain under consideration in future years.

Vinny Castilla hit 320 home runs with 1,105 RBIs and a .276 average and was a two-time All-Star. Castilla had three 40-plus-homer seasons for the Colorado Rockies and five 100-plus RBI seasons with 144 as his best. He is extremely popular in his home country of Mexico and has worked with the national team in various competitions, including managing the nation’s entry in the World Baseball Classic in 2009.

Javy Lopez was best known for his work behind the plate with the Atlanta Braves. He batted .287 with 260 home runs and was a three-time All-Star.

Ruben Sierra was a four-time All-Star in a 20-year career, most prominently with the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. He slugged 306 home runs and knocked in 1,322 runs.

Bernie Williams, the graceful-fielding center fielder for the Yankees, was on the ballot for the first time this year. The guitar picking singer hit 287 home runs with 1,257 RBIs and a .297 average. He was named to five All-Star teams and won four Gold Gloves. A member of four Yankee World Series champion teams, Williams accumulated 2,336 hits in 16 Major-League seasons. Good numbers and accomplishments, but  when it comes to long-term Yankees it’s hard to see Williams becoming a Hall of Famer without Don Mattingly beating him to Cooperstown.

More challenging to review and eye in the context of the big picture are the careers of Fred McGriff and Juan Gonzalez.

McGriff is right there, just this shy of being an automatic selection to the Hall of Fame. He smashed 493 home runs without ever reaching 40 in a season. He did, however, win home-run titles in each league and was a five-time All-Star first baseman with 1,550 RBIs. McGriff won a world title with the Braves. This is McGriff’s third year on the Hall ballot and his high vote total has been 21 percent. But it is not impossible to see him garnering more support as the years go by.

Although he has denied using steroids, the Rangers’ Gonzalez was mentioned in baseball’s Mitchell Report and was accused of taking the performance-enhancing substance in the book “Juiced” written by former teammate Jose Canseco. Gonzalez slugged 434 home runs, batted .297, drove in 1,4o4 and earned six Silver Slugger awards. He had eight seasons of at least 100 RBIs, with a high of 157.

Unless better evidence is forthcoming about Gonzalez using steriods he cannot be labeled a drug abuser and the dirt thrown around should not be held against him. As with McGriff, it is not difficult picturing sentiment for Gonzalez mounting. There are high standards for the Hall, but it may yet work out for McGriff and Gonzalez.