Yesterday the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame announced it 's ballot for the potential 2013 class. This ballot is special because it will be the first real test for the BBWA . Among many others this ballot includes the faces of the "steroid Era" in Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. These 2 have been the only players put on trial and have been the faces of EVIL, if you will, when it comes to cheating and using steroids. Add to that Sammy Sosa and this is the most juiced list yet!
Until now the BBWA have decided that anyone even remotely implicated in steroid has not gotten in on their first ballot, or at all since. On a matter of principle, and honestly without much challenge, they have not allowed these so called "cheaters" in to the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. This same fate will apply to Sammy Sosa....HE just isn't going to get in.
Sosa is, probably more so than Bonds, the poster child of the Steroid Era. A skinny outfielder that, in the middle of his mediocre career, switched sides of Chicago, gained 40 lbs of muscle and became the most prolific HR hitter of the late 90's. Then when the steroid allegations started coming around and he left Chicago for Baltimore he appeared to be 20-25lbs lighter....couldn't hit the ball out of one of the most hitter friendly parks in all of baseball and became injury prone...Some saying about quacking like a duck, walking like a duck.comes to mind. His case is WAY more open and shut (in my opinion) than Bonds and Clemens.
Let me first be very clear that I have no doubt, regardless of what the judicial system has decided, that after the Bonds watched the McGwire/Sosa HR chase and once Clemens crossed 38 years old, that they used HGH and steroids. With that said.....BOTH Clemens and Bonds were Hall of fame players prior to those specific incidents and prior to them cheating. They were.....Bonds had 3 MVP awards...Clemens had 5 CY Young awards....In my mind they are still first ballot Hall of Famer's, and shouldn't be subject to the Principals and high horse the BBWA are riding to keep steroid users out....Remember a couple of things...Prior to BALCO, Game of Shadows and the Mitchell report STEROIDS WEREN'T ILLEGAL IN MLB! Yes in the country but not in baseball...Two, I am tire of hearing cheaters aren't allowed in the Hall...SPARE ME! Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe. Gaylord Perry and John McGraw are all NOTORIOUS cheaters and in the Hall...
Sure Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are 2 incredibly easy to hate human beings, but as ball players they were elite, Hall of Fame Ball Players. This ballot isn't for the Character hall of fame...It is for the greatest and best ball players ever, which both were even before they cheated. Just look at the Eligibilty requirements:
B. Player must have played in each of ten (10) Major League championship seasons, some part of which must have been within the period described in 3 (A).
C. Player shall have ceased to be an active player in the Major Leagues at least five (5) calendar years preceding the election but may be otherwise connected with baseball.
D. In case of the death of an active player or a player who has been retired for less than five (5) full years, a candidate who is otherwise eligible shall be eligible in the next regular election held at least six (6) months after the date of death or after the end of the five (5) year period, whichever occurs first.
E. Any player on Baseball's ineligible list shall not be an eligible candidate.
Doesn't say anywhere they have to have a good moral character....
Here are my thoughts on a few others on the ballot:
1.) Jack Morris-----This generations Bert Blyleven. The difference is Jack was a better pitcher and a multiple time champion....He deserves to be in more so than Blyleven was. Jack was the Ace on 3 World Series championship teams and was a durable bulldog on the mound. IN
2.) Mike Piazza----He is the greatest Offensive catcher in the history of baseball PERIOD. True no one is ever going to say they won a game because of Piazza behind the plate, but the Mets and Dodgers won a TON of games because of his bat. In 16 years of NL baseball (no DH...had to play Catcher/1B) he hit 427 HR's and had 1335 RBI's ...Oh by the way...managed to bat .308. Johnny Bench has long been the man that set the bar for catchers and offense. In 17 years he only had 389 Hr's and batted .267. Piazza is the new "Bench" mark, yep Pun intended. Still the greatest opposite field power I have ever seen. IN
3.) Craig Biggio----There aren't many Astros in the HOF so there is point number 1...The entire time he played only the Ironman Cal Ripken played more games. He has over 3000 hits and is one of the only players in history to have a 20/30, 20/40 and 20/50 season in HR/SB. IN
4.) Jeff Bagwell----Again another Astro.....Bags has never been accused nor linked to steroids, but eh hit a LOT of HR's during that time so suspicion will be there. He was a ROY and MVP and MLB Player of the year in 94. His 449 HR's and 1500+ RBI's could help but aren't elite level. Tough call here... NOT IN
5.) Edgar Martinez----In another year he may make it, but not in this year...too many. Martinez was the first REAL full time DH and he may have been the best. As clutch as any player I have seen he batted .312 for his career but his durability was a HUGE issue. NOT IN
6.) Don Mattingly-----Donny baseball! He was Mr Yankee before Derek Jeter.....He was the Yankees in the 80's and early 90's. He batted .308 for his career, won 1 batting title and was an MVP. He may also be the greatest fielding 1B I have ever seen. I just don't think, unfortunately the numbers are there to be Hall worthy. NOT IN....
So My ballot is:
Bonds
Clemens
Morris
Piazza
Biggio
Whats your ballot? Do Bonds and Clemens get in this year? At all? Saddle up to the bar and LET's HEAR IT!
GOLDY
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