Yesterday, Rickey Henderson (on his first ballot) and Jim Rice (on his last possible writers’ ballot) were elected for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rickey, of course, needs no introduction.  He was one of my favorite players growing up–I still have a souvenir ball from when he broke the all-time stolen base record.  The only question: Why did 28 people vote no on him?  He was eminently qualified.

Jim Rice was one of the best hitters of the 1980s, an era that will see few hitters elected because it was the golden age of pitching.  His road to the Hall would have been easier if the Red Sox weren’t so unlucky in the playoffs in that era.

Former Devil Ray Greg Vaughn got zero votes.  You need at least 5% of the vote to be on the ballot the next year.  Personally, I wasn’t expecting him to get any votes anyway.  Former Marlin Andre Dawson got 67% of the vote–nobody who has gotten at least 65% of the vote at some point has failed to make the Hall of Fame.  Dawson is eligible until 2016.

On a special induction program last night on MLB Network, the crew looked forward to the 2010 class of first-time hall of fame nominees.  This is important for us, of course, because among them is Fred McGriff, a player who is identified closely with the Rays.

McGriff was described several times as a player who might be hurt by the fact that he played in the Steroid Era.  He had a career OPS+ of 134 (actual career OPS of .886), was 7 short of 500 HR, had 1,550 RBI, and was top 10 for MVP voting six times.  He was also voted into the All-Star Game three times as a first baseman.

A sure help for McGriff is the fact that he was a member of the great Atlanta Braves teams from 1993 through 1997, including the 1995 World Championship team.  He had a .303 postseason batting average.

His RBI numbers may be his saving grace.  Only two eligible players with more RBI aren’t in: Andre Dawson and Harold Baines.  Some question whether Harold Baines will make it to the Hall or not.  While he has more RBI than McGriff, Baines also has over 100 fewer home runs, a lower batting average, only one MVP top 10, only one All-Star election (late in his career as a DH), and (probably most importantly) no ring.

Will Crime Dog make it into the Hall?  I really don’t know.  I know he’d have my vote if I had one.  Personally, I see him going in based on the example of current inductees like Phil Rizzuto: somebody of above-average skill for their era who was a major presence on a dynastic team.  Whether that happens in the writers’ ballot or the Veterans Committee, I do not know.

Will he wear the Rays hat?  Most likely not.  His plaque will probably bear a Braves hat.