The Yankees and the 2017 Hall of Fame Ballot

The 2017 Hall of Fame Ballot has been released and the 2017 IBWAA ballot is now in my mailbox, it's that time of the year ladies and gentleman. Already once we've discussed here on the blog the possibility of certain players like Manny Ramirez and Pudge Rodriguez making the final vote and being inducted into Cooperstown but today we will focus on the Yankees connection to the ballot and see if any of our former heroes will be enshrined forever. Let's take a look.

Roger Clemens
Mike Mussina
Pudge Rodriguez
Tim Raines
Gary Sheffield
Fred McGriff
Jorge Posada
Lee Smith

Yes, Lee Smith spent exactly eight appearances with the Yankees if you didn't know that. It seems unlikely he, Posada, or McGriff (never played for the Yankees officially but was drafted by the team in 1981 and traded in 1982) really have a shot at making the ballot whatsoever in 2017.

Clemens and Pudge likely won't make it due to steroid concerns and questions and the same can likely be said for Gary Sheffield despite an impressive stat line for his career leaving Raines and the Moose.

Raines had 69% of the 75% necessary in 2016 and in the final year of his eligibility I think "Rock" finally makes the ballot which should bring up a whole new set of questions. Raines openly and admittedly used cocaine in the dugout and clubhouse during games, if that's not (A) illegal and (B) performance enhancing than I don't know what is.