My Predictions for the Hall of Fame Voting of 2012

What a poor year for the baseball hall of fame 2012 seems to be! When Bernie Williams is the best new name out there, we can look forward to another 2006 or 2008 when one man, or in both those cases, one relief pitcher, barely nudges his way into the hall, and that is only if another 1996 does not happen where no one gets in.  My prediction is another 2006/2008 except it is not a relief pitcher who had long occupied the ballot(Sorry Lee Smith), it is a shortstop.  Yes, with all the hype he has received, there is no doubt in my mind that Barry Larkin will be the sole member of the 2012 Baseball Hall of Fame class, as elected by baseball writers.  Here is how I feel the ballot will play out:

*Barry Larkin 77.6%

Jack Morris 69.3%
Jeff Bagwell 65.7%
Edgar Martinez 58.4%
Lee Smith 49.6%
Tim Raines 41.3%
Alan Trammell 33.6%
Larry Walker 25.5%
Fred McGriff 23.6%
Mark Mcgwire 21.8%
Rafael Palmeiro 16.0%
Don Mattingly 15.8%
Juan Gonzalez 13.8%
Dale Murphy 12.7%
Bernie Williams 5.7%
-Vinnie Castilla 3.8%
-Ruben Sierra 3.6%
-Phil Nevin 2.8%
-Tony Womack 2.1%
-Eric Young 1.9%
-Javy Lopez 0.8%
-Jeremy Burnitz 0.4%
-Brian Jordan 0.2%
-Tim Salmon 0.0%
-Brad Radke 0.0%
-Terry Mulholland 0.0%
-Bill Mueller 0.0%

And there you have it, one, and only one, person is eligible to return in 2013 for a second ballot and that is Bernie Williams.  It is not the last ballot of anyone who isn't a first year candidate and the roiders like Palmeiro, Gonzalez, and Mcgwire see slight increases.  I feel Fred Mcgriff, Jeff Bagwell, and Edgar Martinez are a few years away from their peaks into the hall, and I feel Jack Morris may have a slight chance next year, when he competes with the likes of Craig Biggio and Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.  Otherwise, there is no doubt in my mind that Barry Larkin gets in...I'm looking forward to seeing how close I am.