Fred McGriff Elected to Hall of Fame by Era Committee; Bonds, Clemens Fall Short

Fred McGriff was elected to the baseball hall of fame on Sunday.

A panel of 16 voters weighed in on the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot and chose McGriff as one of eight former players. He was voted in by the panel.

They failed to meet the 75 percent threshold.

Jon Heyman @JonHeyman

Results of the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Ballot (12 votes needed for election): Fred McGriff (16 votes, 100.0%); Don Mattingly (8 votes, 50%); Curt Schilling (7 votes, 43.8%); Dale Murphy (6 votes, 37.5%); Belle, Bonds, Clemens and Palmeiro each received fewer than 4

McGriff was a five-time All-Star and a three-time Silver Slugger. He hit 493 home runs and had a slash line of.284/.377/.509.

Even though McGriff played in the steroid era, he still led the NL in home runs twice.

His game was based on consistency. He never had anOPS+ below 106 between 1987 and 2002. He was 38 years old in 2002 and had 30 homers, 103RBI and a.500 slugging percentage.

McGriff posted a.303/.385/.528 slash line in 50 playoff games.

Some fans might focus on who didn't get elected rather than McGriff's accomplishment.

Even though they're being judged by their peers, the spectre of the steroid era was too much for Bonds, Clemens and Palmeiro.

Dan Szymborski @DSzymborski

If the Hall isn't going to have a voting process that could possibly induct Bonds or Clemens or McGwire or Palmeiro or any of that group, then why waste everyone's time?

Just focus on the older mistakes, like no Whitaker, Grich, etc.

Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin

For 10 years, the BBWAA heard "let someone other than the writers vote."

Opinions on Bonds and Clemens are split, no matter who you ask: writers, fans, or a veterans committee that includes Hall of Famers. https://t.co/LYE5lqUkyn

Jose de Jesus Ortiz @OrtizKicks

In 2017, the late Joe Morgan wrote all of us @baseballhall of Fame voters a letter on behalf of the Hall of Famers urging us not to vote for steroids cheaters. He was adamant that the Hall of Famers didn't want Bonds and Clemens in.

Today's results seem to back Morgan's stance.

Bonds is one of the best baseball players of all time, and few pitchers can match what he did. They don't seem to have a way to go to New York.

McGriff's nod might make Mattingly's omission more difficult to square.

Ryan Reynolds @RyanReynolds

Mattingly, a 6-time all-star, 9-time Gold Glove winner and .307 career hitter whose debilitating back pain cut short a career that still saw him compile more than 2,100 hits over 13 seasons, one of them an MVP campaign.

I get McGriff being in. He deserves it. So does Mattingly.

The Yankees legend was a six-time All-Star, a nine-time Gold Glove winner and the American League's Most Valuable Player. He doesn't have statistics because of his back problems. He retired with a.500 batting percentage and a 127OPS+.

Mattingly was in his prime when he was the Most Valuable Player.

The Hall of Fame is too far away after he failed to get elected on the traditional ballot.