The rumor factor: Cooperstown limbo Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell are still up against the PED whispers
I think the SI interview of Ken Caminiti where he stated the he used steroids and half of MLB did cast a cloud of suspicion on players like Bagwell, Biggio, Luis Gonzalez and Steve Finley.
Forget gold gloves and 3000 hits, why Biggio really belongs in Cooperstown <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FWF-e9lG_U4?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand with 22% of the ballots in biggio at 80%, good chance he gets in this year. It would have been cool if he went in last year. That class last year was probably the greatest class of 1st timers since maybe the 1st ballot.
I still cringe every time I read that interview with Baggy: The line about eating 30 pounds of meat a day sounds like it comes from the Roger Clemens "I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead" school of denials. I loved watching Baggy play, and I hope he gets into the hall, but his quotes on the subject don't lead me to believe he never used, and that is painful to admit. Sigh, the innocence of youth.
Murray needs his vote revoked, because it's clearly more about one-upping other writers rather than real thought about this group of candidates for him.
I used to care so much about the Baseball HOF growing up. I used to spend a lot of time thinking about which current players would be HOFers and I anxiously awaited the announcements of who got in each time. Now, I honestly couldn't care any less. Granted, part of that comes with no longer being a kid, but the biggest thing is that the Baseball HOF has turned into something it was never meant to be because of writers like Murray Chass. These guys fancy themselves as some sort of baseball morality watchdog. And I don't just mean when it comes to rumored steroid users. Sure, that's the hot-button topic now, but I have just as big a problem with the voters that say that they'll purposefully not vote for someone they know for certain is going to get in anyway because they want to make sure there are never any unanimous selections. They always hide behind the excuse of "if Babe Ruth wasn't a unanimous selection, no one should be." And that's stupid. The voters that didn't vote for Ruth were dumb not to do so. There's no reason to fight dumb with dumb by not voting for Greg Maddux or whoever the sure-fire first-ballot guy is in a given year. But baseball values tradition and history over everything else, so the way the HOF is voted on likely won't change any time soon.
Chass' position is indefensible if he votes for anyone from that generation of baseball. What's the reasoning against Biggio in regards to PEDs... he played with Caminiti?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Maddux, Glavine, Thomas and Biggio will get Hall of Fame phone calls Wednesday, according to Chris Jaffe. <a href="http://t.co/1b1Ng7MRp1">http://t.co/1b1Ng7MRp1</a></p>— Richard Justice (@richardjustice) <a href="https://twitter.com/richardjustice/statuses/420199882100441088">January 6, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>My 2014 MLB HOF ballot: Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Fred McGriff, Jack Morris, Lee Smith, Frank Thomas, Alan Trammell</p>— Pedro Gomez (@pedrogomezESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/pedrogomezESPN/statuses/420267685348270081">January 6, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Pedro Gomez can go f himself. And I say that with no due respect whatsoever. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Actually, I don't. “<a href="https://twitter.com/joshwolff22">@joshwolff22</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/pedrogomezESPN">@pedrogomezESPN</a> You gotta explain Biggio being left off...”</p>— Pedro Gomez (@pedrogomezESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/pedrogomezESPN/statuses/420268402804932608">January 6, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
How is Frank Thomas a first ballot hall of famer and Jeff Bagwell can't even get in? They played in the exact same era and have very similar careers. This picking and choosing of who to cast doubt on really pisses me off.
I'll be happy if Biggio gets in, however I'll also think it's a joke that he'll get in before Baggy. Bagwell was the better player WITHOUT A DOUBT and he should have been voted in first.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Hall of Fame ballots for ESPN's 17 voters. <a href="http://t.co/FcIbZ1UlUB">http://t.co/FcIbZ1UlUB</a></p>— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/statuses/420301473277173760">January 6, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Biggo left off by Howard Bryant, Gordon Edes, Pedro Gomez, & Dan Graziano Bagwell left off by Howard Bryant, Jim Caple, Pedro Gomez, Dan Graziano, Michael Knisley, & Brendan Roberts
If you'll recall, two years ago, I took issue with MLB.com columnist Barry Bloom after he compared Jeff Bagwell to Steve Garvey - and wasn't kidding. It led to a pretty epic takedown. Barry promised to vote for Bagwell last year, and when, a year later, he broke that promise... well, I unleashed a torrent of literary violence upon him. Fast forward a year and… sunvagun - it seems my little campaign worked. Below is my email exchange with Barry after he included Jeff Bagwell on his 2014 ballot (I posted the same comment in the linked blog above). One down, far too many to go – who else can I go after – I’M INDESTRUCTIBLE! For the full story, as it unfolded (my comments appear in his comments section below his article): My Hall of Fame Ballot for 2012 My Hall of Fame Ballot for 2013 My Hall of Fame Ballot for 2014 +++++++++ Barry Bloom <boomskie@me.com> Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 9:12 PM To: (Hey Now!) Thanks for the note. Certainly, our lengthy discussion had a lot to do with re-evaluating my position. It's not the first time. I began voting for other guys like Blyleven, Gossage, Sutter and Morris the longer they were eligible. It's the beauty of the 15-year term of the ballot. You review everything every year depending on the strength of that year 's ballot and how players size up against it. I couldn't vote for Thomas and not vote for Bagwell. And vice versa. And as I said, though I think Sosa, McGwire and Palmeiro should all be in, I'm not going beat my head on the wall when they are trending off the ballot. I hope that Bagwell eventually gets in before his personal problems take him to the same place where it ended for Caminiti. Love to see Bags and Biggio get in at the same time. Keep reading and responding, my friend. All the best and a happy new year, Boomskie -------- On Jan 2, 2014, at 7:56 PM, (Hey Now!) wrote: Barry, With absolute sincerity, thank you for reconsidering Jeff Bagwell and casting a much-needed HoF vote on his behalf. As you might recall (see below), it's my opinion that his candidacy has been severely undervalued by too many of your brethren - so it's heartening to see at least one writer challenge his own conclusions and perceptions, and have the fortitude, as well as humility, to make a change. I hope more of your association has a similar epiphany this year so that Bagwell can rightly take his place among baseball's immortals. Take care, (Hey Now!)
Very cool. And kudos to him for having the humility to rethink his position. That's awesome, Hey Now!
Not only was it awesome that he rethought his position but also he took the time to respond to his readers. I might have to start reading some more Barry articles.
