Four former Dodgers — Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, Gary Sheffield and Jason Schmidt — are among the players listed on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. The results of the writers’ vote will be revealed January 6, 2015.
Martinez, who came up in the Dodgers organization, is considered a lock for induction on the first ballot. He won 10 games as a Dodger and 209 games combined for the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.
Sheffield and Garciaparra had fine careers, but will need help to gain the 75 percent majority needed for induction. Schmidt earned $15.4 million for each of his three wins in a Dodgers uniform and $360,870 for the other 127, according to baseball-reference.com.
Another former Dodger, catcher Mike Piazza, is returning to the ballot for the third time after gaining support from 62.2 percent of voters last year.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who appeared on 8.2 percent of ballots last year, is eligible for the Hall for the 15th and final time. Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire, former Dodgers first baseman Fred McGriff and former Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent are also returning to the ballot.
The 2015 ballot features 34 players, and the Hall of Fame’s website has a brief bio on each of them.