Three MLB players with great careers have received the necessary 75 percent of votes to be elected into the Hall of Fame.
Outfielder Tim Raines, who played the first 12 years of his illustrious career with the Montreal Expos, was elected in his 10th and last try. Slugging Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who has had to wait through five prior votes, broke through despite the notion, by some, that he had benefited from the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Bagwell's numbers -- 488 doubles, 449 home runs, a .297 lifetime batting average and a .408 OBP -- were indisputably Hall-worthy.
Then there's Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, who played for seven different teams during his distinguished career, jumping into the Hall in this his first year of eligibility. Rodriguez is undeniably one of the best defensive catchers in the history of the game, recording 572 doubles as well as 311 home runs and a .296 career average. Every time Rodriguez played, the team's chances of winning were enhanced. It was that combination of talent and a flair for the game that must have caused voters to look the other way on the whispers of him being a cheater.
