Zero.  None.  Zip.

That's how many of the greats of baseball who were eligible to be voted into the Hall of Fame got the requisite number of votes from the Baseball Writers of America Association.  Some say it was the fact that the best of the players on the ballot had career statistics tainted by steroid or other performance-enhancing drug use.  Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are among the names on that ballot who appear to have had their careers tainted by these allegations.

But is it fair?  Here's a look at the ballot the writers were voting on and the tally of votes (names in italics either didn't get 5% of votes or were in the last of 15 years of eligibility):

Ballots Cast: 569 Needed for Election: 427
VOTES	PLAYER	PERCENTAGE
388	Craig Biggio	68.20%
385	Jack Morris	67.70%
339	Jeff Bagwell	59.60%
329	Mike Piazza	57.80%
297	Tim Raines	52.20%
272	Lee Smith	47.80%
221	Curt Schilling	38.80%
214	Roger Clemens	37.60%
206	Barry Bonds	36.20%
204	Edgar Martinez	35.90%
191	Alan Trammell	33.60%
123	Larry Walker	21.60%
118	Fred McGriff	20.70%
106	Dale Murphy	18.60%
96	Mark McGwire	16.90%
75	Don Mattingly	13.20%
71	Sammy Sosa	12.50%
50	Rafael Palmeiro	8.80%
19	Bernie Williams	3.30%
18	Kenny Lofton	3.20%
16	Sandy Alomar Jr.	2.80%
6	Julio Franco	1.10%
5	David Wells	0.90%
4	Steve Finley	0.70%
2	Shawn Green	0.40%
1	Reggie Sanders	0.20%
1	Aaron Sele	0.20%
0	Jeff Cirillo	0.00%
0	Royce Clayton	0.00%
0	Jeff Conine	0.00%
0	Roberto Hernandez	0.00%
0	Ryan Klesko	0.00%
0	Jose Mesa	0.00%
0	Mike Stanton	0.00%
0	Todd Walker	0.00%
0	Rondell White	0.00%
0	Woody Williams	0.00%

Sean Green is a good example of players who had good, but not Hall of Fame careers.  He did hit more than 300 home runs but that's not that special.  He never had a 50 home run season.  He only drove in 100 or more RBIs in a season four times and never more than 125.  Those just aren't HOF numbers.

Craig Biggio on the other hand reached one of those career milestones that have historically lead to selection for the Hall.  He passed the 3,000 hit mark, finishing with 3,060.  He had a career that deserves enshrinement, although perhaps not on his first year of eligibility.  The question is, did he not make it because of the issue of steroids.  I think that's exactly what happened.

Barry Bonds may someday make the Hall.  He was a great player before he got "roided" up.  But I don't see a Hall of Fame induction in the futures of Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire or Rafael Palmeiro.  They are 'tainted'.

What do you think?