4 replies to this topic

[GaryArmida]

Here's my Hall of Fame Ballot...

 

http://baltimorespor...hall-fame-vote/

[mweb08]

Good article Gary. I agree with everyone you have on and with the few you seemingly left off simply due to space.

 

My main issue is with having Bonds and Clemens on the ballot but refusing to consider Palmeiro and McGwire. It's pretty obvious that the former two used IMO. So for me, it's either consider all very likely (guys like Bagwell and Piazza don't fall into this category) or known PED users, or don't consider any of them. 

 

I would greatly prefer the former approach. Cheating has been part of baseball for all of its existence; furthermore, I don't know of one instance where the character clause kept anyone out of the HOF. It seems that a clause that was practically, if not completely ignored throughout history has been selectively invoked only to address steroid use, not any other types of character issues. So it's rather inconsistent and unfair to me for writers to suddenly care about that clause and to only use it to keep out guys that took PEDs with the addendum that PED usage is ignored until the 90's, many users of PEDs are in the HOF and will continue to be elected, and even now PED usage is fine as long as it's amphetamines rather than steroids.

[GaryArmida]

Thanks man. I appreciate that. You're right, I should've included Palmiero and McGwire in "Maybe Next Year" as my only process with this is whether or not they got a spot on the ballot. I've made peace with the PED's thing a long time ago. It's really the only fair way to vote on the players without having a witch hunt or last year's debacle of a vote. 

[SportsGuy]

Gary...I assume you know some people who have votes...I'm curious as to what you feel are the biggest issues with the process and if you feel many of the voters should have their votes taken away?

[GaryArmida]

Gary...I assume you know some people who have votes...I'm curious as to what you feel are the biggest issues with the process and if you feel many of the voters should have their votes taken away?

 

I do know some. The process is flawed for a number of reasons...

1. Some writers look at themselves as the guardians of the Hall. That makes it more about politics than baseball.
2. The whole first ballot BS
3. How players are evaluated. Wins will keep Mussina out for a while, when he should be a no-brainer.
4. Some voters haven't seen a game in years.
5. Some use ballot as a way to make a stance.
6. The morals clause in the voting criteria is very ambiguous. Interpretation is far too wide.

I do believe voters should lose their right. Not sure of a system though.