The Hall of Fame ballots are out and, this year, there are many definite steroid users on the list. I don't think that they should be in Cooperstown, but I will tell you who I do think should be in the Hall. Here is my list of people who are on the ballot for the first time and should be in the Hall of Fame and why.
Why? He is the leader in all-time hits as an Astro with 3,060 hits in his 20-year career from 1988-2007. Just the part about him getting 3,000+ hits says that he should be in the Hall.
Why? He holds the record with the most homers in a career as a catcher with 427. He is the best all-around hitting catcher in history, and I'm a Yogi Berra fan!
Why? He won two monumental World Series with Arizona and Boston, is 15th on the all-time list for strikeouts, and was just amazing (especially in the playoffs). He "only" won 216 games, but I think he definitely belongs in Cooperstown.
Well, those are the people who are on the HoF ballot for the first time and who I think should be in the Hall of Fame.
I know there are a lot of other people on the ballot this year, but the other people who I want in Cooperstown were on the ballot in past years. Nonetheless, if you want to know who else I want in the Hall of Fame who's on the ballot this year and why, click here for Alan Trammell, here for Fred McGriff, Larry Walker and Don Mattingly, and click here for Jeff Bagwell, Edgar Martinez and Bernie Williams.
Thanks for reading!
I know there are a lot of other people on the ballot this year, but the other people who I want in Cooperstown were on the ballot in past years. Nonetheless, if you want to know who else I want in the Hall of Fame who's on the ballot this year and why, click here for Alan Trammell, here for Fred McGriff, Larry Walker and Don Mattingly, and click here for Jeff Bagwell, Edgar Martinez and Bernie Williams.
Thanks for reading!
The Hall of Fame Ballot for 2013
ReplyDeleteBefore I start telling you who I think should be inducted into the Hall of Fame from the candidates listed below, let me get my opinion on cheating out of the way. “Cheating to Win” and “Cheating to Lose” are light year away from each other. This great game is built on finding ways to get the upper hand. From Reggie Jackson illegally getting his hip in the way of a throw in the 1978 World Series, to the Giants stealing signs down the 1951 stretch drive, to Gaylord Perry doctoring of the baseball, the game has survived cheating. I think we can all agree that “Cheating to Lose” a la the 1919 Black Sox has no place in the National Pastime.
The real question is where do steroids rank in all of this? To me it certainly falls into the category of trying to get the advantage over the opposition. It was the way the played during the time period of baseball’s greatest offensive era. Can we ever definitively know who did and who didn’t take “the juice”?
Other questions such as, what did MLB do to stop this? They were too busy repairing the games image after labor problems in the mid 90’s, so letting the McGuire-Sosa 1998 home run chase take the daily headline was a way to get the business back to it former heights.
Casey Stern of MLB/Sirius/XM radio had what I thought is a great, not perfect, solution to helping one define a steroid filled Hall of Famer from a pure juicer. Take the 3 best years before and after you assumed the player took Performing Enhancement Drugs and average them for the years they you believe they took the later to be determined illegal substances.
The only person who would pass the “Casey Stern” test who I would not let into Cooperstown under any circumstances is Roger Clemens. When he called for that Senate Subcommittee to clear his name, he cost the taxpayers millions of dollars just for his selfish ego. Despite his incredible talent and his eye-popping numbers I hope he never gets into the Hall of Fame.
With all that out of the way, Let’s start the discussion. First, alphabetically, here are the 37 players on the ballot for 2013.
Sandy Alomar Jr.New
Jeff Bagwell 3rd, (56.0 %)
Craig Biggio New
Barry Bonds New
Jeff Cirillo New
Royce Clayton New
Roger Clemens New
Jeff Conine New
Steve Finley New
Julio Franco New
Shawn Green New
Roberto Hernandez New
Ryan Klesko New
Kenny Lofton New
Edgar Martinez 4th, (36.5 %)
Don Mattingly 13th, (17.8 %)
Fred McGriff 4th, (23.9 %)
Mark McGwire 7th, (19.5 %)
Jose Mesa New
Jack Morris 14th time (66.7 %)
Dale Murphy 15th, (14.5 %)
Rafael Palmeiro 3rd, (12.6 %)
Mike Piazza New
Tim Raines 6th, (48.7 %)
Reggie Sanders New
Curt Schilling New
Aaron Sele New
Lee Smith 11th, (50.6 %)
Sammy Sosa New
Mike Stanton New
Alan Trammell 12th, (36.8 %)
Todd Walker New
Larry Walker 3rd, (22.9 %)
David Wells New
Rondell White New
Woody Williams New
Bernie Williams 2nd, (9.6 %)
I now give you my ballot. I have it down to 10 and and so sad that I had to lop off Fred McGriff who I believe he also deserves the honor. Curt Schilling was going to be my “bubble boy” until I heard the stat that Schilling has the best K-BB ratio in the history of the game. How can you a guy with that distinction out? Maybe next year, Fred.
1 Mike Piazza New
2 Barry Bonds New
3 Tim Raines 6th, (48.7 %)
4 Jack Morris 14th time (66.7 %)
5 Jeff Bagwell 3rd, (56.0 %)
6 Craig Biggio New
7 Dale Murphy 15th, (14.5 %)
8 Lee Smith 11th, (50.6 %)
9 Alan Trammell 12th, (36.8 %)
10 Curt Schilling New
11 Fred McGriff 4th, (23.9 %)
I like your picks a lot and I agree with you that steroid-users shouldn't go to Cooperstown. Fun fact: Trammell has the same birthday as me.
DeleteMatt- First of all, fantastic job on your blog. I really enjoy reading it and enjoy that someone your age is so into the history of the game.
ReplyDeleteMy take on the 2013 HOF Ballot is a bit different than most. On principal I agree that steroid users should not be allowed into the HOF. My main problem with this debate is, what is the burden of proof use to determine if someone was a steroid user and should be excluded? 1.) They tested positive 2.) Found guilty by a court of law 3.) They admitted using steroids 4.) I am pretty sure they used steroids. 5.) I think they used steroids 6.) I read somewhere that they used steroids.
Also keep in mind that steroids were developed in the 1930s and were used rampantly in professional sports in the 1970s. I am not sure to what extent they were used in baseball, but I heard first hand from a former MLB baseball player in the 1970s that they themselves used steroids. It is extremely probable that there are already several payers in the HOF currently who were steroids users.
So here is my suggestion and then my HOF ballot...
At the entrance to the HOF, put a disclaimer that would read something like this..."These Halls tell the history of the game of baseball. The game has undergone many changes since its inception in the 1800s, and there have been many different eras. These eras include but are not limited to The Segregation Era, The War Years, The Dead Ball Era, The Amphetamines Era, The Expansion Era and The Steroids Era. These Halls show the best players from each of those eras. You are free to draw your own conclusions about the story of our hallowed game."
Here is my 2013 ballot with that in mind...
1.) Bonds
2.) Clemens
3.) Sosa
4.) McGuire
5.) Bagwell
6.) Biggio
7.) Raines
8.) Murphy
9.) Piazza
10.) Larry Walker
11.) McGriff
12.) Trammell
13.) Schilling
14.) Martinez
15.) Palmiero
Again, I do not condone the use of steroids or performance enhancing drugs, I just don't think we know enough about who did and did not use them to keep everyone out who used them. For example, people seem pretty certain that Bagwell, Biggio, and Piazza are clean. I am not accusing them of anything, but I don't know how you can say those three are clean while we would say others aren't who have not tested positive.
It might be fair to draw the line at "tested positive" but then any player who used before testing gets a free pass. I say let the hall tell the story of the game and let individual people make up their own minds.
Great remarks, Coach Nelson. I agree that there is no real way of determining who has taken steroids even if not tested positive, but usually, all the prominent guys would either confess, like McGwire, or be accused, like Clemens. My Hall of Fame ballot considers Tigers shortstop, Allan Trammell, who should get in because of his shortstop stats. The three people who you have first on your ballot, in my opinion, should not get into the HoF. As I said in my blog post, Biggio, Piazza, and Schilling should get in, but I also want Bagwell, Raines and Martinez in as well. Those are just my thoughts, but I hope you enjoyed them.
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