By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Another year, another Hall of Fame vote, and this weekend, another induction ceremony that will not feature Fred McGriff.

The slugger has been on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot for seven years now, and has garnered enough support to remain on the ballot for each following year, but has never come close to sniffing the 75% required to gain entrance into Cooperstown, by far baseball’s greatest and most rare honor.

You’ll remember the man they call Crime Dog as a dominant and consistent slugger during his career, one that saw him lead the Atlanta Braves into the playoffs year after year, culminating in a World Series Championship in 1995.

He finished up his career just seven home runs shy of that magical 500 home run club that was once thought to be an instant ticket to the Hall (not so much anymore). He had a Hall of Fame career; why has it been so hard to get him into the actual Hall?

Part of it is the era in which he played. His 36 bombs for Toronto in 1989 and 35 for San Diego in 1992 were enough to lead each respective league that year (first guy to lead in HR in both leagues, by the way), but as guys like Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds started knocking out 60 plus each season with ease, McGriff’s power began to look meager by comparison.

Ironically, people look to that era and see a time dominated by the aforementioned three and yet discount them and won’t consider them for the Hall of Fame. So putting those alleged cheaters aside, who else could be considered offensive leaders during the 90s?

A guy like Fred McGriff, that’s who. As far as I know, the Crime Dog has never been suspected of using PEDs; but there’s too much fuss over keeping guys out of Cooperstown that McGriff, Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker and others are being cast aside when they should be celebrated for their accomplishments on the field.

Just think if McGriff had started play in the 60s or 70s and peaked in the 70s or 80s, instead of when he did. If that had been the case, then I have no doubt that he’d be enshrined alongside Ralph Kiner, Lou Brock, Sandy Koufax, Kirby Puckett and Jim Rice.

In case you’re wondering why I went with those five as his chosen peers, it’s because those Hall of Famers each have an equal or lesser WAR than McGriff’s

52.4.

I’m not claiming that Fred McGriff is on the level with Harmon Killebrew or eventual Hall of Famer Jim Thome, but then again Jeff Bagwell isn’t Babe Ruth, but it seems very clear that Bagwell will (deservingly) be inducted in 2017.

McGriff is deserving of the honor, that’s all there is to it. I wasn’t a guy that believed Jack Morris was a Hall of Famer, and I’ve never been quite sold on Dale Murphy’s

being deserving, so I’m not just trying to get everyone in nor am I simply arguing for McGriff because he’s a Brave.

Morris’ candidacy was based largely on his postseason record, so where are the masses pointing out that McGriff hit .303 with 10 home runs in 50 playoff games? Not to mention that McGriff is largely credited for leading the Braves to the division title in 1993 after being traded from the Padres.

His numbers and his performance on the diamond demand that he be inducted into the Hall of Fame; but it’s probably not going to happen.

At 21% in his seventh year on the ballot, it seems like he’s too far away to have realistic shot at reaching 75%, and that’s a crime.