The Hall of Fame ballot has been released by the Baseball Writers Association of America and it provides plenty of food for thought. I prefer real food, but thought I'd throw in my two cents anyway.
Rickey Henderson (right) is at the top of the list of first-time candidates. He's a lock, considering he's the all-time leader in stolen bases and is a member of the 3,000-hit club. He's also a 10-time All-Star and one of the most exciting players ever to wear a uniform. So we'll be seeing him on stage this summer.
None of the other first-timers -- David Cone, Jesse Orosco, Mark Grace, Ron Gant, Jay Bell, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn or Matt Williams -- really jump out at you, so the remaining intrigue will center on a few notable holdovers.
Is this the year the voters finally give Bert Blyleven his due? I certainly think it should be. He had 287 career victories. He retired as one of the top five strikeout pitchers of all time and remains high on that list. He also was reputed to have one of the best curveballs in the history of the game.
This could also be the year Jim Rice finally makes the Hall. I was not a big proponent during his early years on the ballot, but have come around to the concept that he was probably the most feared hitter in baseball in his prime. I know all the sportswriters were afraid of him, which probably has cost him some Hall of Fame votes over the years.
You can make a case for several other candidates, including Andre Dawson, Don Mattingly, Tommy John (partly because of the surgery that bears his name), Dale Murphy, Jack Morris and Lee Smith.
