2017 Baseball Hall of Fame class to be announced at 5 p.m.

January 18, 2017 at 5:24AM
Houston Astros batter Jeff Bagwell watches his game-winning solo home run sail over the left field wall in the 11th inning of the first game of a double header against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in New York Sunday, July 14, 1996. The Astros defeated the Mets 7-5 after Bagwell's homer and Derek Bell's double drove in runner Mike Simms.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens) ORG XMIT: NYS103
Houston Astros batter Jeff Bagwell watches his game-winning solo home run sail over the left field wall in the 11th inning of the first game of a double header against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in New York Sunday, July 14, 1996. The Astros defeated the Mets 7-5 after Bagwell's homer and Derek Bell's double drove in runner Mike Simms.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens) ORG XMIT: NYS103 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

What: 73rd BBWAA Hall of Fame election

When: Results will be revealed at 5 p.m. Wednesday

TV: MLB Network

Magic number: Candidates need to be named on 75 percent of ballots cast to win induction into the Hall. Voters can include as many as 10 former players on their ballot. Any new electees will join former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and Braves Vice Chairman John Schuerholz, who were elected last month by the 16-member Today's Game Committee.

Best bets: Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines are in strong position to be inducted when the final vote totals are revealed. Both continue to be named on 90 percent of the ballots made public so far. Raines is in his 10th and final year on the ballot. Bagwell is in his seventh. Also keep an eye on Ivan Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero, both ballot first-timers, as well as Trevor Hoffman. It's possible that five players could get in. That would match the inaugural 1936 class.

Steroids stain: If Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds or both ended up with more than 60 percent of the final vote — and there is still a good chance they will — it would represent a big jump from their support in the 2016 vote, when Clemens was named on 45.2 percent of the ballots and Bonds on 44.3.

Induction day: July 30 in Cooperstown, N.Y.

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