These days, voting for Hall is no party

New Year's Eves are getting rougher, and we're not talking about over-imbibing.

We're talking about voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Having a vote is a privilege taken seriously, but the process gets more and more agonizing as players with paper trails to steroid use continue to appear on the ballot. The annual deadline to submit ballots is Dec. 31, and research through the final hour isn't uncommon.

Such as:

One more look at first-ballot candidates Jeff Bagwell and Larry Walker, both players explosive but neither a slam dunk. Another glance at Fred McGriff, the epitome of consistency who sank the mighty Giants of '93. A final look at all-around Dave Parker, on the ballot for the last time. More baseballreference.comming of Jack Morris, Edgar Martinez, Tim Raines and Alan Trammell.

And further attention to Rafael Palmeiro, who tested positive for steroids, and Juan Gonzalez, who appeared in the Mitchell Report (without great evidence he was a user).

I settled on Roberto Alomar (the best second baseman of his era, who last year finished eight votes short of the required 75 percent), Bert Blyleven (just five votes shy), Lee Smith (Trevor Hoffman before Trevor Hoffman) and Barry Larkin (complete player at one of the toughest positions, shortstop).

Expect both Palmeiro and Gonzalez to get the Mark McGwire treatment and fall short.

In the case of Palmeiro, it'll be a telling story considering he's one of four players with at least 500 homers and 3,000 hits. If he's anything like McGwire, who received just a quarter of the votes four straight years, it might not bode well for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa, who'll all appear on the 2013 ballot.

Mike Piazza is eligible that year, too.

We're asked to pick and choose all-time ballplayers, and it ain't easy when analyzing possible cheats while Rule 5 states we must consider integrity, sportsmanship and character.

Wish the deadline wasn't New Year's Eve so I could enjoy it a little more.

E-mail John Shea at jshea@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page B - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle