With the induction of Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Craig Biggio into the Hall of Fame today – not to mention the Frick Award that Dick Enberg received Saturday – we can officially turn our attention to the 2016 ballot.
Who gets in? Ken Griffey Jr., no doubt on his first try. Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell were close last year, too. But what about Trevor Hoffman?
With 601 saves, second all time, he's clearly one of the best ever at his position. The thing is, the Hall isn't exactly in love with relievers. Of the 310 players in Cooperstown, only five had steady work as relievers – Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Bruce Cutter and Hoyt Wilhelm – and none of them rank in the top five in saves.