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Astros: Roger Clemens may make the Hall of Fame this time around

By Brian Murray |
ATLANTA - OCTOBER 11: (L-R) Manager Phil Garner #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates with pitcher Roger Clemens #22 after the Astros defeated the Atlanta Braves 12-3 to win game 5 of the National League Divisional Series on October 11, 2004 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The Astros move on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - OCTOBER 11: (L-R) Manager Phil Garner #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates with pitcher Roger Clemens #22 after the Astros defeated the Atlanta Braves 12-3 to win game 5 of the National League Divisional Series on October 11, 2004 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The Astros move on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

After eight years of being on the ballot, former Astros pitcher Roger Clemens may be on track to finally get the necessary votes to make the Hall of Fame.

This may just be the year Astros fans will get to see Roger Clemens enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Due to the rule allowing players to be on the ballot for only ten years, this year and next year are the last two times Clemens will be eligible to be on the ballot. But early indications show that he may not have to wait any longer.

According to a tracking system that runs a continuous tally of incoming votes, Clemens currently has 78% of the votes on ballots that have already been returned. Of the estimated 412 ballots cast, 106 have been turned in, or approximately 26.5% of the total ballots. All ballots are to be turned in by the end of today and the announcement of the inductees will be made January 21st.

A player is required to get votes on 75% of the ballots to make the trip to Cooperstown, New York on July 26th for the induction ceremony. If the current voting trend continues, Clemens will just be over that threshold. Last year he garnered just 62.2 % of the votes, falling short of the 75% needed.

Curt Schilling (80.7%) and Barry Bonds (78%) have also been on the ballot eight years and are on track to finally make the grade. Derek Jeter is sure to be a 1st-time ballot inductee collecting 100% of the votes to date. The only other player that looks to get enough votes is Larry Walker who is sitting at 86.2% at this time. This is the final year that Walker has a chance to get into the Hall of Fame being that this is his 10th and final year on the ballot.

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Along with Schilling and Clemens, other former Astros on the ballot are Billy Wagner, Andy Pettitte, Jose Valverde, Jeff Kent, and Carlos Pena. Valverde and Pena have yet to receive any votes and will be dropped from future ballots if they fail to get %5 of the votes. Billy Wagner is sitting at 31.2 %, Kent at 26.6%, and Pettitte down at 13.8%.

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