2011 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot Revealed

The candidates for induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 via the Baseball Writers' Association of America vote were announced Monday.

Heading the list are a number of noteworthy first-time candidates, including Astros great Jeff Bagwell, two-time MVP Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro and Larry Walker.

Palmeiro, one of only four players in major league history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, tested positive for the steroid stanozolol in 2005. He'll follow Mark McGwire as the second significant test case of the Steroid Era -- a player with the credentials to merit election, but also a direct link to steroid usage. McGwire, who admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, received 23.7 percent of the vote last year, and has hovered in that territory in each of his four times on the ballot.

Candidates must receive 75 percent support from voters to gain election, and can remain on the ballot for up to 15 years so long as they receive at least 5 percent support from the electorate in the previous season.

Two returning candidates -- pitcher Bert Blyleven and second baseman Roberto Alomar -- missed out on election by fewer than 10 votes, the first time that has ever happened in the history of BBWAA's Hall of Fame voting process.

In addition to Blyleven, Alomar and McGwire, the 11 other players returning to the ballot for induction in 2011 are: Harold Baines, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell.

There are 19 first-time candidates up for election. In addition to Bagwell, Gonzalez, Palmeiro and Walker, Carlos Baerga, Bret Boone, Kevin Brown, John Franco, Marquis Grissom, Lenny Harris, Bobby Higginson, Charles Johnson, Al Leiter, Tino Martinez, Raul Mondesi, John Olerud, Kirk Reuter, Benito Santiago and B.J. Surhoff will appear on the ballot.

Players who spent at least 10 years in the major leagues and last played in 2005 are eligible to be placed on the ballot. Results of this year's BBWAA election will be announced on Jan. 5, 2011. The Veterans Committee will also vote on a separate set of candidates, with those results set to be announced next week. The induction ceremony for candidates who gain election will take place next July.