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Nine Former Dodgers on 2016 Hall Of Fame Ballot

By Alex Campos |

The Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers have seen 53 players/managers/executives enter the MLB Hall of Fame, but only nine have gone in as Brooklyn Dodgers and five as Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 2016 ballot was released today, and three former Dodgers are Hall of Fame eligible for the first time, joining six others that have been on previous ballots and are yet to be voted in.

Mike Piazza has been the closest old friend to make the Hall of Fame in the past. He received 69.9 percent of the vote (75 percent is required for induction) last year, but Piazza has not exactly been a fan of the Dodgers since they traded him in 1998. He played one more year with the Mets than he did with the Dodgers, so if he is elected he will likely go in wearing a Mets cap.

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There’s a huge drop-off to the next closest Dodger Hall of Famer, as Jeff Kent received 14 percent of the vote. Kent played four years with the Dodgers, but is most known for his six as a Giant during which he and Barry Bonds were as dangerous a middle of the order combo as I can remember. He won the MVP in 2000 with an absurd .334/.424/.596 slash line and 33 homers. He’s far from a guarantee to make the Hall but if he did it would likely be as a Giant.

The Crime Dog, Fred McGriff, was the next highest-voted Dodger last year, receiving 12.9 percent of the vote. His only season as a Dodger came in 2003, and he didn’t do much in his Dodger career but the Dodgers didn’t blow a save in his whole career (the start of Eric Gagne‘s consecutive save streak), which I’m sure had to do with McGriff and his veteran presence. He played for six teams in his 19 year career, so it seems unlikely that he’ll go in as a Dodger.

Gary Sheffield is probably the most likely of the returners to go in as a Dodger, even though he only played in LA for four years. The Dodgers got Sheffield in his prime and he posted a .312/.424/.573 slashline in 2,276 Dodger plate appearances and hit more home runs as a Dodger (129) than he did in six years as a Marlin (122).

Jun 29, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coach

Mark McGwire

against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Dodger hitting coach Mark McGwire only received 10 percent of the vote, likely due to the steroid cloud surrounding him. He never played for the Dodgers, but until further notice is their current hitting coach, which would make it pretty funny if he went into the Hall of Fame as a Dodger (he won’t). Nomar Garciaparra only received 5.5 percent of the vote, and if that number drops under five he will be removed from the ballot.

As for the newcomers to the ballot, they seem like longshots to actually be elected in. Garret Anderson might have the best chance of the three, but he ended his career with a single season as a Dodger, hitting .181 in 163 plate appearances. He’s most known for his 15 years as a California/Anaheim/”Los Angeles” Angel. Anderson is the franchise record holder for games played, hits, runs, singles, doubles and runs batted in and is second on the franchise home run list.

Brad Ausmus finished his long career with two seasons in Dodger blue. None of his offensive numbers pop out, but catching for 18 seasons is an accomplishment in itself. The final candidate, Mark Grudzielanek, is the only one of the nine that played a more years with the Dodgers (five) than he did with any other team. Grudzielanek never struck out more than 90 times in any of his 15 seasons and held a career .289/.332/.393 slashline. He’s also probably the longest shot of these nine to make the Hall, but if he does it’ll probably be as a Dodger.

Next: Grading the Dodgers Infield

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