March 9, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves coach Fred McGriff during the game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

But outside of the debate regarding the eligibility of those players, the ballot is also significant for Toronto Blue Jays fans, as there are four former Jays that are appearing on the ballot this year. In this series, I will examine the case that each of these players have for their induction into the Hall of Fame and then make a determination if they truly belong enshrined in Cooperstown.

Fred McGriff – First Baseman
Years on Ballot: 4
Years with Blue Jays: 5 (1986-1990)

Fred McGriff was a very one-dimensional player, but he was very good at the one dimension. From 1987 to 2002, there were very few players that were more consistent than the “Crime Dog”. McGriff spent just five seasons with the Blue Jays, but it could be argued that he was one of the biggest contributors to their two championships, being packaged with Tony Fernandez in the trade with San Diego that brought Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar to the Blue Jays. He saw 23.9% of the vote in 2012, his third season on the ballot.

Case for election:

.284 Career Batting Average
493 Career Home Runs
1550 Career RBI
.886 Career OPS
134 Career OPS+
61.0 Cumulative fWAR

Offensively, McGriff is actually superior to Dale Murphy, one of the most debated names on the ballot for the past two decades. McGriff has a higher career batting average, higher fWAR, more home runs, and more RBI. For a player often remembered for being moved in favor of Joe Carter, McGriff actually carried himself well in the playoffs, with a career .917 OPS, 10 home runs, and 37 RBI in 50 career games.

Case Against Election:

1882 Career Strike-outs
1 Top-5 MVP Finish

The biggest knocks against McGriff are the fact that he played 19 seasons yet failed to reach either 500 career home runs or 3000 hits. Those two plateaus are often viewed as the hurdles for Hall of Fame hitters to surpass, yet McGriff never made the leap. McGriff also failed to register a single 40-home run campaign, despite the home run being his calling card.

Final Verdict

The “Crime Dog” is another great example of a Hall of Very Good player, but the case could be made for his election in the current environment. During an era ruled by muscle-bound meat-heads, McGriff quietly went about his business and was one of the class acts of his generation. However, he was ultimately over-shadowed year-in and year-out. Those same shadows will appear on the ballot with him this season and going forward.

McGriff may see an uptick in his vote total, but he will ultimately have to wait another few years to see how this ballot shakes out for years to come.

Oct 16, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers former player Jack Morris waves to the crowd before game three of the 2012 ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

But outside of the debate regarding the eligibility of those players, the ballot is also significant for Toronto Blue Jays fans, as there are four former Jays that are appearing on the ballot this year. In this series, I will examine the case that each of these players have for their induction into the Hall of Fame and then make a determination if they truly belong enshrined in Cooperstown.

Jack Morris – Right Handed Pitcher
Years on Ballot: 14
Years with Blue Jays: 2 (1992-1993)

Jack Morris is one of the elder statesman on the Hall of Fame ballot, second only to Dale Murphy(15) in terms of years appearing on the ballot. Morris narrowly missed joining the 2012 class, appearing on 66.7% of the vote, which was second only to Barry Larkin. He has two more chances at election on the BBWAA ballot before he goes before the veteran’s committee. 75% is required for admittance. 2013 could go one of two ways for Morris:

1.) Voter blow-back over suspected or proven steroid activity involving Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, and Piazza could swing the vote favorably in Morris’s direction. Of course, this could swing votes away from Morris to another first-time candidate, Craig Biggio, whose character is not being contested.

2.) Voters could soften their stance on steroid activity and ignore the standards that have been in place involving candidate character, instead splitting the vote which could result in no single candidate getting the necessary vote.

Case for election:

254 Career Wins
56.9 Cumulative fWAR
175 Complete Games
5 All-Star Games
4 World Series Championships
1 No-Hitter

Morris registered 3 seasons with 20 or more victories, but his regular season career was filled with the stuff that makes Bert Blyleven look like a certifiable ace. However, his postseason pedigree is what continues to drive Hall of Fame chances, and it is hard to argue with the results. Four World Series Championships (1984, 1991, 1992 and 1993), including the first two in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays. During the postseason, Morris was the go-to guy on the mound, posting a 7-4 record with a 3.80 ERA and 5 complete games in 13 appearances.

Case Against Election:

186 Career Losses
3.90 Career ERA
3.94 Career FIP
2478 Strike-outs

Morris had plenty of good seasons, but he also had 11 seasons with double-digit losses, despite playing for some of the better teams of his generation. He also posted a mediocre 5.8 SO/9 ratio while surrendering 389 home runs over his 18-year career. For all of the doubts against the aforementioned Blyleven, they are multiplied for Morris.

Final Verdict

Jack Morris was a hell of a pitcher during his time, but is he a Hall of Famer or does he simply belong in the Hall of Very Good? He may very well see election in 2013, but that does not necessarily make him a Hall of Famer. It simply makes him a beneficiary of another’s mistrust.

Jack Morris can punch his ticket to Cooperstown in 2013.

As the lone electee from the Class of 2012, Larkin appeared on 86.4 percent of ballots that were cast; a significant jump from the 62.1 percent of ballots that he appeared on last year. In fact, the 24.3 percent increase from 2011 to 2012 was the largest in 55 years, when Herb Pennock gained an identical 24.3 percent in 1947.

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Rewind back to early December 1990. The Jays controversially traded slugger Fred McGriff, who had just come off a stellar .300/.430/.500 season, as well as three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner Tony Fernandez for Joe Carter, who was coming off a season where he hit .234 with a career-low .681 OPS, and Roberto Alomar, a young 22-year-old kid with a ton of upside who had just captured his first All-Star appearance.

Then Jays GM Pat Gillick knew what he was doing at the time, but definitely drew his fair share of criticism for the move. It’s safe to say that there was no way he could have foreseen the kind of effect that 2011 Hall of Fame electee Roberto Alomar would have on the Toronto Blue Jays franchise.

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