Biggio, Bagwell: Must both wait? (c) Associated Press

Bagwell boosted his vote total from last year (41.7%) to 56%, meaning he picked up 79 votes he didn't get the year before. That's still well short of the 75% he needs for induction. Jeff needs to find 109 more votes (more or less, the number of ballots vary from year to year) to get inducted.

The good news is that once half the baseball writers say a player is good enough for the Hall, they eventually get in. But the bad news is that Bagwell's wait may be a lengthy one.

As long as there are dolts out there who think Bagwell was not as great as Steve Garvey or Don Mattingly, a great deal more education has to happen. Honestly, when you read what some baseball writers think, you really have to question if these ought to be the right judges. Could you imagine if veteran baseball players were the voters for the Taylor Spink Award, particularly if it held the same morals clause that the writers invoke about the players? Ooh, what fun!

In a normal progression, Bagwell might get to 75% in 2-3 more years but some names are going to be added to the ballot in the next two years which will suck all the oxygen out of the Hall debate for anyone like Bagwell, Jack Morris or Lee Smith that was hoping for a final kick over the top.

Next year, Bagwell's teammate Craig Biggio will have his first chance on the ballot. Although Biggio got 3060 hits and most consider him a shoo-in, he still could face East Coast and A.L. biases since he never won an MVP award or was a big postseason producer.

Even Biggio won't be the headliner next January. That's when Barry Bonds (did he or didn't he?), Roger Clemens (did he or didn't he?), Mike Piazza (did he or didn't he?) and Sammy Sosa (did he or didn't he?) all join the ballot for the first time, setting off an argument about steroids use that will put the Bagwell discussion at the back of the fridge along with the week-old casserole.

I can't wait for all the hair-splitting and hypocrisy when that happens.

After that tsunami comes another big wave in 2014 when Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, Jeff Kent and Mike Mussina are up for discussion. Given this, the Astros might have a winning record again before Bagwell or even Biggio get their 75%.

At least they won't have to endure the wait of Ron Santo, one of two inductees to the Hall this year. Santo had to die before his name was called by the Veterans Committee. By that measure, Bagwell's wait will probably seem short.

- Bob Hulsey