The much-flaunted Hall of Fame 2007 award will be announced on Tuesday, and as the moments tick toward that results, it’s getting difficult for the nominees. 
Gwynn
All the participants have kept their fingers crossed. Ripken, the Iron Man, and Gwynn, the eight-time National League batting champion, head the list of most likely electors. These two players are the most obvious candidates, but they still have some doubt. The panel has bizarre on Mark McGwire, the first player to hit 70 homers during a single season, but a man who is tainted by the shadow of Major League Baseball’s so-called steroid era. The trio is among 17 players on the ballot this year for the first time. Holdovers Jim Rice, Andre Dawson and Rich Gossage hope that their strong showings in 2006, when Bruce Sutter was the sole electee, will carry them over the top in 2007.
Ripken
Let’s wait for what those closed envelopes have to reveal!