Fred McGriff – 10th year on ballot (23.2% in 2018)
One has to wonder what Fred McGriff’s Hall of Fame case would look like if he hit seven more homers.
He was one of the most consistent power hitters in his time, hitting 30 or more homers eight times, and leading the league twice. However, he never reached the 40 home run plateau, with his career best being 37 home runs set in 1993. While he was a league leading power hitter early in his career, once the Steroid Era began, his power was not nearly as impressive.
Yet, looking at the raw numbers, McGriff absolutely deserves consideration for the Hall of Fame. He produced a solid 284/.377/.509 batting line, belting 493 homers and driving in 1550 runs. McGriff had 2490 hits in his career as well, leaving him just short of two milestones that could have made a difference in the eyes of the voters.
Then again, he was often overlooked during most of his career. McGriff only made five All Star Games, and only made the MidSummer Classic once during a five year stretch where he averaged 35 homers and had a 155 OPS+. Given how overshadowed he was during his career, perhaps it is not that much of a surprise that he has never received more than 23.9% of the vote.
If Fred McGriff ever finds himself in the Hall of Fame, it will be through the Veteran’s Committee. However, he deserved better during his time on the ballot.