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Each year, two separate votes are held for the Baseball Hall of Fame. The most attention is focused on the BBWAA ballot, which includes players who have been retired for at least five seasons. There is also an Era vote, which was formerly called the Veterans Committee, among other things. There are different committee names for different eras these days. 

The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee is the one that'll meet in December to vote on possible 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees. Further, the Hall of Fame has divided the Contemporary Committee up into two parts. One is for players and the other is for managers, executives and umpires. The players version will be for the 2025 induction class, so this one will be for managers, executives and umpires. 

Thursday, the Hall of Fame released the names of the eight candidates on this ballot. This group will be voted upon by a 16-person committee at the MLB Winter Meetings this coming December in Nashville. Anyone getting at least 12 of the 16 votes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. 

As an incredibly important reminder, this is not the only Hall of Fame ballot coming this offseason. The BBWAA ballot will include players like Adrián Beltré, Carlos Beltrán, Todd Helton, Billy Wagner, Andruw Jones, Gary Sheffield and Joe Mauer. This isn't that. Got it? Good. 

Here are the eight Contemporary Baseball Era candidates for the 2024 Hall of Fame class. 

Cito Gaston

He had two managerial stints with the Blue Jays, but the focus here would be on his first. He took over in 1989 after a 12-24 start and went 77-49 the rest of the way, securing the AL East title. It would be his first of four division titles in a five-year span, culminating with winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. Those remain the only two pennants in Jays history. Gaston was the first Black manager in history to win a World Series title. 

Davey Johnson

Johnson managed five different teams, making the playoffs with the Mets, Reds, Orioles and Nationals (the Dodgers were his other team). He ranks 33rd in wins, but his .562 winning percentage is 13th all-time among those with at least 10 years in the dugout. He won 108 games and the World Series with the 1986 Mets. Though he's here as a manager, perhaps Johnson being a four-time All-Star as a player betters his case? He still holds the record with 43 home runs in a season as a second baseman. 

Jim Leyland

A manager for 22 big-league seasons, Leyland amassed 1,769 wins (18th all time). He won three straight division titles with the Pirates, the World Series with the Marlins and two pennants with the Tigers. He led the turnaround in Pittsburgh and his 2006 Tigers saw a 24-win improvement with him at the helm. 

Ed Montague

One of two umpires on this ballot, Montague umpired in the majors from 1974-2009. He worked four All-Star Games, seven divisional series, seven LCS and six World Series. He was the crew chief for the World Series four times (1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007). 

Hank Peters

A long time former executive, Peters helmed three different franchises to great success. 

Peters took over as A's general manager in 1965 in the middle of a second-straight 100-loss season. In 1968, the A's had the first of what would be nine straight winning seasons. From 1971-75, the A's won the division five straight times, the AL pennant three times and the World Series three times. He took over the Orioles in 1975. They'd win the AL pennant in 1979 and World Series in 1983. He took over as president of his hometown Cleveland ballclub after the 1987 season, helping to lay the foundation for those powerhouse '90s teams. 

Lou Piniella

"Sweet Lou" was a Rookie of the Year, All-Star and two-time World Series champ as a player, but he's here as a manager. He took the Reds, Mariners and Cubs to the playoffs, winning six division titles in his 23 years, including the 1990 NL pennant and World Series with the "wire-to-wire" Reds, who swept the heavy favorite A's in the World Series. The Mariners still only have three division titles in their entire existence and Piniella was the manager for all three. 

Joe West

"Country" Joe West worked as an MLB umpire for a whopping 45 years before retiring after the 2021 season. He racked up three All-Star Games. five Wild Card games, eight divisional series, 10 LCS and six World Series. He holds the record for the most games officiated in MLB history. 

Bill White

As a player, White was an eight-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glover. He's here for his contributions as an executive, though, which were significant. He was the president of the National League from 1989-94, becoming the first Black executive at this level of leadership in major professional sports. He also oversaw expansion that added the then-Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies to the league. Further, he was part of the leadership that consolidated the American League and National League into just one governing body.