NEW YORK, N. Discount Old Skool .Y. - Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz appear to be shoo-ins for election to the Hall of Fame in what is shaping up as the baseball writers biggest class of inductees in 60 years.When the Hall of Fame reveals the results Tuesday at 2 p.m. on the MLB Network, holdover Craig Biggio and perhaps Mike Piazza could join those three first-ballot pitchers who were utterly dominant in a hitters era of artificially bulging statistics.Here are some things to know about the balloting, conducted again in a period when whos elected is as intriguing as whose names were not checked by Baseball Writers Association of America voters:THE THREE ACESJohnson, Martinez and Smoltz stand out among the 17 newcomers to the ballot.The reed-thin, scraggly-haired Johnson is a five-time Cy Young Award winner — four in a row from 1999-2002 — with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The Big Unit came up big in the post-season, too, sharing MVP honours in the 2001 World Series with Arizona Diamondbacks teammate Curt Schilling.Martinezs antics off the field were nearly as enthralling as an ever-elusive changeup that helped him to three Cy Youngs — two AL, one NL — and a 2.93 ERA in 18 years. He helped bring the Boston Red Sox their first World Series championship in 86 years.Smoltz was a steady presence on the Atlanta Braves staff for 20 seasons — including 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005 — winning the 1996 NL Cy Young. A career starter, Smoltz smoothly moved into the closer role for three full seasons and earned 154 saves. He should join former teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, last years inductees along with Frank Thomas.The induction ceremony in Cooperstown will take place July 26.BALLOT LOGJAMNot since 1955, when Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons and Dazzy Vance all gained entrance into the Hall, have four players received the necessary 75 per cent of the vote from the BBWAA.Five were elected at the same time on just one occasion, and that was the initial Hall class of 1936.With the ballot jammed by big names from the Steroids Era, the BBWAA has recommended to the Halls board of directors that it increase the number of players each voter can select from 10 to 12. That change could come as soon as 2016.THE PED FACTORSuspected and admitted users of performance-enhancing drugs have been on the ballot since Mark McGwire was a first-timer in 2007. But the real debate over PEDs and players credentials heated up when otherwise certain locks Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens became eligible three years ago. Both glamour stars severely tarnished by steroid use accusations received about 35 per cent of the vote last year, a slight dip from their first ballots.Piazza, who received 62.2 per cent in his second year on the ballot, and Jeff Bagwell (54.3 per cent) are two players who have fallen under suspicion of use but were never caught up in any investigation. Will one more year on the ballot help them get closer to the threshold? Perhaps an enhanced ballot of up to 12 votes per writer next year will give them the nudge they need if they fail this year.CLOSING INBiggio, the Houston Astros second baseman-outfielder with 3,060 hits, fell two votes shy of election last year. Piazza, who has more homers than any other catcher in big league history, went up about 5 per cent from the previous year. According to research by Baseball Think Factory, Biggio was up to 82.9 per cent of the vote on 158 public ballots sourced by the website — thats about 27.7 per cent of the vote, based on last years totals. Piazza was at 76.6 per cent late Monday afternoon.Several others on the ballot of 34 candidates are hoping to get a better look. Tim Raines (46.1 per cent last year), hit .294 with a .385 on-base percentage in a 23-year career for six teams. The prototypical leadoff hitter scored 1,571 runs and stole 808 bases. Career designated hitter Edgar Martinez received 35.9 per cent, Curt Schilling got 29.2 and Mike Mussina 20.3 per cent in 2014.These players get only 10 years on the BBWAA ballot, recently reduced from 15 years maximum.NEXT YEARNext years ballot should open up some after the election of this years expected jumbo class and the amended voting rules. There is one sure thing in the 2016 group: Ken Griffey, Jr. He will be joined by Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner and Jim Edmonds as the chief newcomers. Wholesale Old Skool . - Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick as the Prince Albert Raiders stormed past the Swift Current Broncos 5-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday. Cheap Vans Old Skool . Lauzon rushed for 42 yards on 15 carries for the Vert et Or (2-3) while quarterback Jeremi Roch completed 19-of-32 passes for 251 yards and one interception. Alexandre Aube scored the other touchdown for Sherbrooke. http://www.cheapoldskool.com/ . Whenever United loses, its crisis. When other top teams slip up, its the quirky nature of the Premier League. The predictable reaction speaks to the sky-high expectations for a team proven perennial contender and 13 times Premier League champion. DETROIT -- Robbie Ray provided a glimpse of what the Detroit Tigers saw in him when they acquired the pitching prospect for Doug Fister. Ray gave up one run in his major league debut and got plenty of run support, especially from Miguel Cabrera, to help Detroit rout the Houston Astros 11-4 on Tuesday night for its season-high seventh straight win. When Ray walked off the mound and toward the dugout in the sixth inning, he was given a standing ovation by a crowd that included his mother, father, fiancee and her family. "I did enjoy it," he said. "I started tearing up a little bit." Some of those same fans may have wondered what the Tigers were thinking when they traded a 14-game winner to Washington for the 22-year-old Ray during the off-season. "I got the sense that before today, they didnt know who I was," Ray said. Now, they know and 27,939 fans probably liked what they witnessed from the hard-throwing lefty. Ray (1-0) gave up one run, five hits and a walk, and struck out five in 5 1-3 innings. He probably earned another turn in the rotation because Anibal Sanchez is on the disabled list with a cut on his right middle finger. "Id be surprised if it was somebody else," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Ray responded well when Jose Altuve led off the game with a bloop down the right field line, which he turned into a double. Dexter Fowler followed with an infield single after Ray ran past first base when Cabrera tossed him the ball. With the poise Ausmus predicted he would have, Ray struck out the third and fourth batters in Houstons lineup and an inning-inning groundout got him out of the jam. "That was a big inning," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "You have a guy whos making his first major league start on the ropes with the middle of the order coming up. "But to his credit, he was able to get out of it." The former Nationals prospect had a shot to have a scoreless start, but second baseman Ian Kinsler dropped a popup that allowed Fowler to score in the sixth innning. Old Skool Shoes From China. "Hes got good stuff and a good head on his shoulders," Tigers catcher Alex Avila said. "But people cant -- or shouldnt -- put pressure on the kid about being part of the Fister trade." Cabrera homered in the first inning for his first of four hits and four RBIs. He raised his batting average to .293 after it was .206 on April 21. The reigning two-time AL MVP, who matched a season high with the four hits, had an RBI single in the seventh and a two-run double in the eighth. "Every player goes through a little bit of a lull once in a while," Ausmus said. "Its just that I think Miggy has set such a high standard that people dont expect it." The Tigers scored two runs in the third inning and another in the fourth. J.D. Martinez was the only player in Detroits lineup who did not have a hit until he had an RBI single in the five-run eighth. Houston, which has the worst record in the majors (10-23), lost its fourth straight and sixth in seven games. "Its a little tough, you know," right-hander Josh Fields said after giving up five runs and getting only two outs. "Were struggling. But itll be all right." Brett Oberholtzer (0-6) allowed four runs, nine hits, two sacrifice flies and a walk over six innings. "I thought he did a good job of battling and did a good job of leaving us in a good position when he left the game," Porter said. The Astros bullpen, though, ended any shot of at least staying competitive in the game by giving up seven runs. "Extremely troubled," Porter said. "If our bullpen would have been able to keep it there, it would have been a different ballgame." NOTES: Detroit OF Torii Hunter extended his hitting streak to 13 games and had the first of Detroits three sacrifice flies. ... Porter said RHP Scott Feldman, who has been on the DL since mid-April with right biceps tendinitis, will start Friday at Baltimore and said a decision will be made Wednesday or Thursday about who will be taken out of the rotation. ' ' '