OPINION: Blue Jays', Braves' Great Fred McGriff Belongs in Baseball's Hall of Fame

Eight players will receive consideration for the National Baseball Hall of Fame from the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. Among them, is five-time All-Star Fred McGriff. McGriff should finally receive entry into the Hall of Fame, Jack Vita writes.

Monday, the National Baseball Hall of Fame released its eight-player ballot that will receive consideration from the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee for Hall of Fame election on Dec. 4 at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, California.

In order for the candidates to receive election into baseball's most exclusive club, they must receive 75% of the vote from the 16-person committee.

18-year Major League first baseman Fred McGriff was among the names included on the ballot.

McGriff last appeared on the Baseball Writers' Hall of Fame ballot in 2019, in his tenth and final year on the ballot, receiving 39.8% of the vote.

From 1986 through 2004, McGriff excelled during 'the steroid era', despite never being linked to performance-enhancing drugs himself. Having played for the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, McGriff hit 493 career home runs and had a lifetime .284 Batting Average, .377 On Base Percentage and .886 OPS.

As players that were linked to PED's were penalized, some players, like McGriff, played the game clean and have yet to be rewarded for their outstanding careers.

The cases of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and others have been hotly debated over the past 15 years. Other great players from their era, such as McGriff, may have been overlooked.

McGriff made five All-Star appearances, won three Silver Sluggers and was a member of the 1995 World Series champion Atlanta Braves.

McGriff was a top-10 player in his league from 1989 through 1994, finishing top-10 in MVP voting in six straight seasons.

Prior to the steroid era, reaching 500 home runs virtually guaranteed entry into the Hall of Fame. McGriff came up just seven home runs short. So what? Every player that has more home runs than McGriff does and has never been linked to PED-use is in the Hall of Fame. McGriff should be in, too.

McGriff was a consistently great player who carried himself with class and integrity throughout his career. It's about time that he finally gets added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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