Since I am back to blogging, I might as well resurrect my annual Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Of course I don't have a vote, but if I did it might look a little something like this. For reference, here is the list of players eligible per Baseball Reference. Looking at it, and trying to weed it down to 10 (per the actual voting rules) it appears this year we are back to a backlog and bloated list. Below you can see how bloated and backlogged. Most of that is due to the voters for this august group trying to retro fit their own writing from the time, but we get ahead of ourselves. The first three names, and my votes, would go to:
Curt Schilling
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
I list them in that order because that is how they found votes last year. To me, it ought to go Bonds, Clemens and then Schilling. They have each been on the ballot for ten years (and now their last year due to the rules these days) and each have their detractors. Bonds and Clemens remain with the taint of PED (regardless of the fact that none of it was proven even if we all know better) and now, apparently, Schilling has to answer for his off the field persona and AFTER his playing career. To me, Bonds was the greatest offensive player I saw in my lifetime. And before he started juicing! I suppose it is a shame that he has that mark on his character, but I maintain till this day that if he had retired before the start of that phase of his career...he was already a Hall of Famer. Already close to an inner circle one as well. Clemens as well. Now I don't want to get into the ins and outs of how much I dislike the man. Yet it has nothing to do with his PED use (again...not proved.) It has to do with a certain circle in hell for someone that played for the Red Sox and then won with the Yankees (see too Hall of Famer Wade Boggs.) These two players were the best of their generation (though I always like to point out that Greg Maddux has one more career win over Clemens - 355 to 354) and that they are not yet in the Hall of Fame makes it a joke.
Of course neither is Pete Rose.
On the Schilling front, I don't give a whit about his politics. That should not enter into the argument for his Hall of Fame playing career. The writers (voters) want to virtue signal, but how do you leave this man out? He was part of 3 different teams that pushed into the World Series. Phillies in 1993, Arizona in 2001 and Boston in 2004. He has the WS co-MVP from Arizona's win and the bloody sock from the Red Sox 2004 historic win to show for it. You talk about a big game pitcher? Jack Morris got into the Hall of Fame for one game, frankly. Schilling has multiple and is a half a run less in ERA for his career. Get off your high horse, voters, and let these men in!
And on the topic of PEDs, I have to now list my fourth vote -
Manny Ramirez
This one was proved. Twice! And yet I still thinks he belongs. A slash line for his career of .312/.411/.585 with over 500 HR and over 1800 RBI. From above, you can see where I'm going with this. I don't care if he juiced. Bud Selig (Hall of Fame Commissioner, by the way) didn't seem to care at the time. So why should we? He was a young stand out star for Cleveland in the 90s and a real star for the Red Sox in the aughts. Not the best defensive player, but he made up for it with his bat. He's never getting in, but I think it's a crime. Shades of Rafael Palmiero who also belongs, but Manny was the better player.
Going further on this subject, two of the first time eligible players also have this taint. Let's list them here:
Alex Rodriguez
David Ortiz
Rodriguez also tested positive for PEDs but Ortiz never did. Yet both belong. I'm no fan of AROD, but much like Clemens I cannot deny his numbers. I do love Ortiz and he was as impactful as Schilling for that 2004 Boston run. Once again, I do not care about the steroid issue. It was what it was and if everyone was doing it (assumption) then it's an equal footing. Just get over it, writers, and stop trying to let everyone know how virtuous you are.
I'll add two more here for this conversation that have some taint of the PEDs which I think is ridiculous. My next two votes would go to:
Jeff Kent
Gary Sheffield
Kent was one of the best 2nd basemen in the league at the time, and certainly an historic one offensively. As for Sheffield, and despite his attitude and many teams, he was an offensive power for every one. Despite him going from the Braves to the Yankees, the man was a 9 time All Star in a 22 year career with MVP votes in 7 of them. I will continue to champion them as long as they are on the ballot.
So now we've reached 8 votes and I only have 2 more. Despite many deserving candidates, and again...backlog once more, I have to give my last 2 votes to:
Andruw Jones
Billy Wagner
It was difficult for me to winnow this down for these last two. We have a plethora of players to reward here. Todd Helton deserves the nod. Another that slashed a 300/400/500 for his career (and despite the Coors field effect.) First year eligible Jimmy Rollins definitely has a case. In another year, he'd get my vote. Ryan Howard had a shot, but then he petered out. So did Tim Lincecum. Frankly, Jake Peavy might have been better. Holdovers Scott Rolen, Andy Pettitte and even Sammy Sosa have a case. But I go with these two.
Jones was possibly the greatest defensive center fielders of all time. My grandfather saw DiMaggio play. He still thought Andruw was better even if he didn't like him "stepping in the bucket" at the plate. Maybe that's why he was 66 HR from the magical 500 number in his career. And Wagner? Hoffman is in, as are other closers by now, and Billy Wagner was a stud! One of the best. When he retired at age 38, he recorded the lowest ERA of his entire career. He went out on top. And taught a whole new generation how to do the job (hello, Craig Kimbrel.) These two are my last two votes since I'm limited to 10.
Vizquel, Teixeira and Hudson also deserve a look, to be sure. Possibly even Morneau. But when I'm limited to 10 votes, I have to choose these 10. At least...hand count...6 players that are accused or assumed that used PEDS. We're still living with it. And the writers (again...the voters who wrote wonderful platitudes about them at the time) would love them to leave the ballot and not have to answer for it anymore. Well, they probably won't have to. Schilling, Bonds, Clemens and Sosa all fall off the ballot after this year. And then they can start worrying about Rodriguez. If he gets more votes than any of those four...well, it just shows how idiotic and absurd they are. Hypocrisy ain't just a river in Egypt.
So what are your votes?
That is all.
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