The San Diego Padres got some intriguing Hall of Fame news when former stars Gary Sheffield and the late Fernando Valenzuela were added to the ballot for the Hall of Fame’s contemporary baseball era committee. The ballot already includes Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy, all of whom were held over. 

The 16-member committee meets on Dec. 7 at the winter meetings in Orlando, Florida, and a 75 percent vote is necessary for election. Those who are elected will be inducted on July 16, along with anyone chosen in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWA) vote, which will be announced on January 20.

This version of the Hall of Fame’s veterans committed was restructured in 2022for the third time in 12 years. The structure is designed to consider both the contemporary era, which baseball defines as beginning in 1980, along with the classic era, according to an AP story via ESPN. There are two separate ballots, one for players, with another covering managers, executives and umpires. Each committee meets every there years. 

Sheffield and Valenzuela had very different experiences with the Padres, with Sheffield spending two years with the team, while Valenzuela pitched for three seasons in San Diego at the end of his career.  

Sheffield was a multi-positional star who played third base for the Padres in 1992 and 1993 after the Milwaukee Brewers traded him to San Diego. He contended for the Triple Crown in his first season with the Padres, and while he was a near miss in home runs and RBIs, Sheffield did win the batting title with a .330 average. He remains the only Padre other than Tony Gwynn to win a batting title. Sheffield started the next season in San Diego, but he was traded to the then-Florida Marlins in late June of 1993. 

Valenzuela, meanwhile, had his best season with the Padres in 1996, when he finished 13-8 with a 3.62 ERA. The Padres won the NL West that year, and Valenzuela stabilized the staff despite the fact that he was near the end of his career. He was effective the year before as well, and Valenzuela finished his career with the St. Louis Cardinals after being released by the Padres in early June of 1997.

Fred McGriff was the last Hall of Fame member to be elected via this committee, with the other stars who were considered either falling short or being dropped from the ballot.