Baseball Hall of Fame or Shame?

   Every year at around this time, the Baseball Hall of Fame voting ballot has come out. We have some holdovers and some new faces. The familiar faces of Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Omar Vizquel are all new the ballot. Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero, Edgar Martinez, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are part of the 14 players returning to the players. If I were voting for the Hall of Fame, I would fill it with the maximum 10 players on the ballot. Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Trevor Hoffman, Vlad, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Jeff Kent,  Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. That would be my 10 going into the Hall.We are gradually moving away from the “Steroids Era” of baseball. All of these players have been associated with that era. Many of these players based on stats alone are qualified for the Hall of Fame.

    Recently, Joe Morgan sent out a letter stating that it was his belief that no one who was connected to PED’s at all should go into the Hall of Fame. I disagree with him on this point. You may be thinking on how is this possible? Joe Morgan comes from an era where we think the players were clean compared to the late 80’s through the mid 2000’s. As much as I respect his talents and skills as a player, he comes from an era in baseball where players took amphetamines.  Many players would take these drugs in order to have less fatigue and give themselves to strength to play the game. What is the difference between taking steroids and amphetamines? There are honestly minuscule differences. There is no difference in Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays taking amphetamines and Sammy Sosa taking steroids(I am in no way accepting the taking of PED’s).

    Voters need to look at the truth. Clemens and Bonds were RUMORED to have taken PEDS. If any of this rumor and trial BS did not happen, they would have been in the Hall first ballot. They did not get a lifetime ban like Pete Rose or Shoeless Joe Jackson and not eligible for election. If they are on the ballot and are Hall worthy they should be In the Hall.

   Which brings me to my next issue with the Hall voting. Everyone hears every year “O I didn’t vote for him this year because I need to really think about it” meanwhile you have a maximum of 10 votes on the ballot and you leave some blank? What is their to “think about”? Either the player is Hall worthy or he is not. Roberto Alomar deserved to be on the first ballot, but got in on his 2^nd year because he spat on the umpire early on in his career? Come one voters? You are going to judge someone on an incident like this one?  I understand the logic if you feel the player is not a Hall of Famer, but to not vote for him on 1^st or 2^nd ballot but then vote for him on 4^th or 5^th ballot?

    Will Trevor Hoffman and Vlad Guerrero get inducted this year? Yes, they will. Will Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and possibly Vizquel(I think he should be) first ballot Hall of Famers? Absolutely they will be enshrined. We will have a stacked class this year. I am also excited to see who goes in because there are those players that deserve to be enshrined. It was nice to finally see Tim Raines get “The Call” last year. When it comes to the Hall voting, lets call a spade a spade and be fair! Come on fellas none of this drama!

  Every year at about this time of year, the Baseball Hall of Fame voting ballot has come out. We have some holdovers and some new faces. The familiar faces of Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Omar Vizquel are all new the ballot. Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero, Edgar Martinez, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are part of the 14 players returning to the players. If I were voting for the Hall of Fame, I would fill it with the maximum 10 players on the ballot. Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Trevor Hoffman, Vlad, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Jeff Kent,  Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. That would be my 10 going into the hall.We are gradually moving away from the “Steroids Era” of baseball. All of these players have been associated with that era. Many of these players based on stats alone are qualified for the Hall of Fame.

    Recently, Joe Morgan sent out a letter stating that it was his belief that no one who was connected to PED’s at all should go into the Hall of Fame. I agree and disagree with him on this point. You may be thinking on how is this possible? Joe Morgan comes from an era where we think the players were clean compared to the late 80’s through the mid 2000’s. As much as I respect his talents and skills as a player, he comes from an era in baseball where players took amphetamines.  Many players would take these drugs in order to have less fatigue and give themselves to strength to play the game. What is the difference between taking steroids and amphetamines? There are honestly minuscule differences. There is no difference in Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays taking amphetamines and Sammy Sosa taking steroids(I am in no way accepting the taking of PED’s).

    Voters need to look at the truth. Clemens and Bonds were RUMORED to have taken PEDS. If any of this rumor and trial BS did not happen, they would have been in the Hall first ballot. They did not get a lifetime ban like Pete Rose or Shoeless Joe Jackson and not eligible for election. If they are on the ballot and are Hall worthy they should be In the Hall.

   Which brings me to my next issue with the Hall voting. Everyone hears every year “O I didn’t vote for him this year because I need to really think about it” meanwhile you have a maximum of 10 votes on the ballot and you leave some blank? What is their to “think about”? Either the player is Hall worthy or he is not. Roberto Alomar deserved to be on the first ballot, but got in on his 2^nd year because he spat on the umpire early on in his career? Come one voters? You are going to judge someone on an incident like this one?  I understand the logic if you feel the player is not a Hall of Famer, but to not vote for him on 1^st or 2^nd ballot but then vote for him on 4^th or 5^th ballot?

    Will Trevor Hoffman and Vlad Guerrero get inducted this year? Yes, they will. Will Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and possibly Vizquel(I think he should be) first ballot Hall of Famers? Absolutely they will be enshrined. We will have a stacked class this year. I am also excited to see who goes in because there are those players that deserve to be enshrined. It was nice to finally see Tim Raines get “The Call” last year. When it comes to the Hall voting, lets call a spade a spade and be fair! Come on fellas none of this drama!