The 2016 induction class of the Baseball Hall of Fame was announced Wednesday evening and we have two inductees: Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza. Two of the greatest players of the 1990s and 2000s are on their way to Cooperstown.
Players must be named on 75% of the Baseball Writers Association of America’s ballots to get in. Griffey was named on 99.3% of the ballots, which is an all-time record, topping Tom Seaver’s 98.8% in 1992. Piazza was named on 83%. Non-inductees of note include Jeff Bagwell at 71.6% and Tim Raines at 69.8%, each of whom stand an excellent chance of being inducted next year. The full results can be seen here.
Others not making the cut include Trevor Hoffman (67.3%), Curt Schilling (52.3 %), Roger Clemens (45.2%), Barry Bonds (44.3%), Edgar Martinez (43.4 %), Mike Mussina ( 43%), Alan Trammell (40.9%) and Lee Smith (34.1 %). This was Trammell’s last year of eligibility. He will now be the business of the Veterans Committee.
Players who fell off the ballot due to not having the requisite 5% to stay on: Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Mike Sweeney, David Eckstein, Jason Kendall, Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Luis Castillo, Troy Glaus, Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Mike Lowell and Randy Winn.
We’ll have continued updates on today’s Hall of Fame vote throughout the evening and in the coming days. In the meantime, congratulations to Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza.