Ah, Baseball's Hall of Fame Class 2008. The Year of Mr. Well-Above Average. Mr. A-/B+ Player. The Guys Who Are Sneaking in the Back Door. That's how this year's potential class of Hall of Fame inductees might very well remembered. But that would be unfair. Each one of these players is worthy of induction and immortality.

For both good and bad reasons, many of this year's candidates have been passed over in previous years for enshrinement. Some because better, more worthy players were eligible; others simply overlooked, while another was shoved to the background due to an on-going controversy.

This may be the last best shot at baseball immortality for some of these players. More so than any other year because so many of the new eligible candidates don't have the credentials that these players do. And there will other players coming up for eligibility in the coming years that could reduce their chances even further.

These are the 5 players that the Baseball Writers Association of America should unquestionably be voting into the Hall of Fame. If I had a vote, these would be mine. In order:

Andre Dawson
Career highlights: .279/438 HR/1,591 RBI/1,373 Runs/314 SBs; 8 Gold Gloves; 1977 NL Rookie of the Year; 1987 NL MVP; 8-time All Star

Nickname: "The Hawk".

Before there was the vicious swing of Gary Sheffield, there was Dawson. His lithe and strong 6'3" frame would unleash 34+ ounces of pure wooden hell on any pitcher who dared to leave a ball near the plate. I can think of no National Leaguer during the 80's that pitchers feared more than Dawson. (I hated when the man came to Candlestick; he always ripped Giants pitchers.) Unfortunately, Dawson had the misfortune of playing a majority of his 21-year career for the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs, and only went to the playoffs 3 times.

Hobbled by bad knees throughout the later half of his career, The Hawk produced consistent and brilliant numbers and was well liked by teammates and fans. And he was rock-solid outfielder with a cannon for an arm.

Mark McGwire
Career highlights: .263/583 HR/1,414 RBI/1,167 Runs/.588 SLG.; 1987 AL Rookie of the Year; 12-time All Star; 1 World Series ring; Led the NL and AL in home runs 2 times

Nickname: "Big Mac".

On Opening Day 1998, MLB was still reeling from the 1994 players' strike. The excitement over Cal Ripkin breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games started streak was almost 2 years old and the game still hadn't bounced back. Attendance and interest were apathetic at best. Then Big Mac stepped to the plate and all that changed. Along with Sammy Sosa, he electrified the nation and shot life back into baseball. But before his historic 1998 season in which he broke Roger Maris' home run record, McGwire was already smashing balls out of parks at a record pace--including his rookie year in which he hit a then-record 49 home runs.

Big Mac's batting average was, well, pathetic for the early part of his career. Many, including myself, figured him to be a just a nicer, more likable version of Dave Kingman--a guy who just had a job because he could hit the long ball. Things got worse, too. McGwire suffered from plantar fasciitis in his feet during 1993-4 seasons, limiting him to just 74 games and 18 home runs combined. But by 1995, he had mostly recovered from the injury and slammed 39 homers in just 317 at bats. Across the board his numbers came up after that until they tailed off toward the end of his career.

During his chase at Maris' record, he handled himself and his relationship with the Maris family and the media with dignity, grace and respect, demonstrating his professionalism, his humbleness and his deep sense of and appreciation for baseball history--traits lacking in many of today's ballplayers. On this alone, he deserves to be in the HOF.

Yet many are calling his character into question when it comes to considering for the Hall. That's grossly unfair. Big Mac's character was not called into question until long after his career had ended. While his "I'm not here to talk about the past" Congressional testimony was sad and evasive, it should have no bearing on his career as a player.

If he gets elected to the Hall, I wonder if he'll show up to the ceremony. I think he will, I hope he will. But part of me thinks he won't. Not to be spiteful or disrespectful of the Hall, but because he has been hurt by allegations of being a doper. (Yes, it's well known he used androstenedione, but that is apparently all he used. Moreover, and not to be a copout, androstenedione wasn't on the list of illegal substances until years later.)

McGwire, an intensely private family man, retired from the game pre-maturely in 2001 at age 37.

Bert Blyleven
Career highlights: 287 wins/3.31 ERA/3,701 strikeouts. 2 World Series rings. 2-time All-Star. 5th all time in Strikeouts. 60 career shutouts (9th all time). 1 no hitter.

Throughout major league parks the ghosts of batters past may still be standing frozen in the batter's box, their knees thoroughly buckled from one of Blyleven's curveballs. Yes, his curveball was that good. The only pitcher today that comes even close is Barry Zito, and even Zito doesn't have the command over the pitch that Blyleven did.

Considered the best pitcher not yet in the HOF, Blyleven was often out-spoken and perceived as being disgruntled and ornery over his present team's losing ways. He would demand to be traded, and get it would happen. But that's the hallmark of champion: The overwhelming desire to win. The man didn't tolerate losing, and that's the sign of a leader and a true sportsman.

Blyleven was also well-liked by his teammates, particularly for his "hot foot" gags (setting fire to a teammates shoelaces) in the dugout.

He is in his final year of eligibility for the Writers' vote.

Lee Smith
Career highlights: 124 wins/3.01 ERA/310 Saves; 7-time All-Star; 3-time Rolaids Relief Man of the Year; 4-time single-season saves leader; MLB's former all-time Saves leader.

If Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter are in the Hall of Fame, how in the hell is the man who set the mark for saves (broken in 2006 by San Diego's Trevor Hoffman) not already in the Hall? Don't ask me. I haven't a clue. But this, to me, remains The King of All Slights.

During his 18-year career--unheard of for relievers who tend to burnout rather quickly--Smith was a dominant closer who was slightly overshadowed by more celebrated relievers who played on winning teams (think: Eckersley). He played in the post-season only twice, and he never won a Cy Young (but finished in the Top 10 of vote-getters 4 different times), but this should hardly keep him out of the Hall.

His stats alone are enough to put him into the Hall. Let's hope the BBWAA has the good sense and decency to induct Lee Smith in. Now.

Rich Gossage
Career highlights: 71 wins/3.03 ERA/478 Saves; 9-time All-Star;

Nickname: "The Goose"

The heat. The cheese. The gas. Whatever you want to call it, Gossage's one pitch repertoire, the fastball, was all he needed to close out games and dominate hitters. His fastball routinely clocked anywhere between 98-102 MPH. At times, he was nearly unhittable.

And when you think of power, all-hell-breaking-loose relief pitching, Gossage was the man. Unlike to today's relievers who usually just work the 9th/last inning to earn a save, Gossage would come into games in the 7th and 8th innings to slam the door shut and preserve the W. And his wild deliver earned him the nickname of "The Goose"

Yes, his stats aren't terribly impressive compared to the likes of fellow relievers in the Hall, Dennis Eckersely and Rollie Fingers, but they are better than those of recent Hall of Fame inductee, Bruce Sutter.

His hard-as-nails demeanor, funky moustache and nasty heat helped define the modern-day reliever.

Bubble Boys: Jim Rice, Tim Raines and Dale Murphy. For reasons I'll not go into here, Rice and Murphy would stay off my ballot. Raines might be on it in later years.