It's getting crowded on 2013 Hall ballot

The potential Hall of Fame class of 2013 could be quite a doozy. It could be a blockbuster class, or there could be so much debate over these players that the baseball writers will put none of them in.

Curt Schilling's announcement that he'll have shoulder surgery that is likely to end his playing career adds yet another player who could join the debate on a very crowded ballot.

A review the Hall of Fame-caliber players who have stopped playing since the 2007 season ended:

• Barry Bonds: Hall voters will probably look past steroid charges to a certain extent, because Bonds was great before the steroid era began. But he might not make it on the first ballot as "punishment."
• Roger Clemens: See above.
• Sammy Sosa: No proven steroid accusations, and 600 homers says a lot. He'll get in, but maybe not the first year.
• Mike Piazza: The best hitting catcher in baseball history, a career .308 hitter with 427 homers, should be in the Hall.
• Curt Schilling: His career stats are borderline Hall-worthy, and he was 11-2 in postseason play and was a favorite of fans. (The writers? Not as much, but they respect him.) He won championships with two teams (Arizona and Boston), and led a third to the World Series (Philadelphia in 1993). But Orel Hershiser isn't in the Hall of Fame, and their resumes look similar. I'd give Schilling a little better shot than Hershiser, however.
• Craig Biggio: He has 3,000 career hits, but a lifetime average of .281. He isn't as beloved outside of Houston, where he played his entire career.

And it won't get easier in 2014 for those who don't make it on the first ballot. John Smoltz could possibly join that group if he doesn't come back from his shoulder surgery. And Hall of Fame-caliber players such as Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Omar Vizquel, Trevor Hoffman, Frank Thomas and even Pedro Martinez could be ready to hang up the cleats this winter.