Image via Wikipedia
I look forward to the annual baseball Hall of Fame elections each January more than any other sports Hall of Fame voting.
Very enjoyable to see Barry Larkin (statistics) get voted in this past week on his third try, capturing 86% of vote (75% minimum required to get in). The 12-time All-Star was the first 30-30 infielder, and was the standard at shortstop for his 19-year career….all with the Reds.
Image via Wikipedia... Barry Larkin
Perhaps Jack Morris, Lee Smith, Jeff Bagwell, and Tim Raines will get voted in soon….they’re getting close and improving each year. Over the next 5 years, voters will have the usual slate of no-brainers the baseball hall of fame (Biggio next year, Maddux, Glavine, and Frank Thomas in 2014; Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez in 2015; and Ken Griffey in 2016). However, next year will begin the era when known or highly-suspected steriod users will begin to populate the ballot each year (Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, Piazza, Sheffield, Pettitte, etc., etc.).
Go no further than Palmiero and Maguire to see how voters have treated roid injectors so far. Maguire pleaded the 5th, and Palmiero pointed his defiant finger at the US Congress….it didn’t help them. What then do we do with these past heros of baseball who no doubt changed the game, but relied on PEDs to get the job done?? Who are voters anyway?……the BBWAA are mostly frustrated athletes themselves and TOTALLY subjective.
I say if a guy has the numbers, let him in. Baseball is all about numbers anyway! Ruth, Cobb, and Mantle were no saints off the field and at least Cobb had very questionable character (it was believed he even killed a man). Who’s to say some of these players wouldn’t have used steriods themselves if they were available back then? Base induction on what an athlete produces on the field……..however he produces it. I say open Cooperstown’s doors to Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson…..and next January, open them up for Clemens and Bonds too!
Related articles
- Barry Larkin elected to Baseball hall of fame (bazaardaily.com)
- Larkin elected to Baseball Hall of Fame (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
0 Comments