[sesfan01]

I was reading this a few minutes ago and I have to say, the 2013 HOF ballot will definitely be interesting to see the outcome. Here is the article below:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=...b&c_id=mlb

[zeprock]

I agree with Barry Bloom's way of thinking on this one although I would vote for different candidates.

[alfredoleal2001]

Interesting article you can see how not many would vote for the peds guys. Makes me assume they wont get the 75% needed to get in even though this is a much smaller universe. And most agreed on Biggio going in which I also assume will happen.

My vote would not include Bonds and Clemens. As I see it, youd have o include other "cheaters" as well A.K.A Pete Rose, maybe Shoeless Joe Jackson (the guy could really hit). Anyway you look at it, its a very tough vote.

[nolan5000]

I completely AGREE with Hal Bodley!!

[rossmaute]

With the steroid era now about to fully infect the election process, the ballots from here on are going to be very tough. I've decided that everyone who played in that era should be painted with the same brush. Either you vote all the qualified candidates in or you don't vote for anyone because they all could have used performance-enhancing drugs. Thus, I've decided that if a player dominated within the context of that era, I'm going to vote him in.

I've never really thought about in these terms but I think it makes sense and I'm completely on board. Biggio is really the only one that I'd feel 100% confident in labeling clean and it'll probably be true of the next 10 or so ballots.

[muz0]

Pete rose did not cheat playing ball. He cheated as a manager but not as a player Just saying... And also i agree that if these roid players get in, then that is beyond disgraceful...

[PadresFan86]

The writers are a joke. Smith and Bagwell should have gone in this year. Biggio and Piazza should go in next year. How can you deny someone with 3,000 hits and a catcher that hit that good? To keep someone out just because you assume he used Peds is a joke.

---

And what about McGriff????????? WOW

[dunnere]

I have a few thoughts on this.

First, I never understood the whole "First Ballot" thing. I could understand if they only inducted five guys in per year, then there might be a reason talk about it. But, unless I am completely wrong, there is no set number...Barry Larkin goes in alone this year, right? (Ron Santo was voted in by the Veterens Committee) How it looks to me is that all the First Ballot talk is about 580 or so BBWAA showing how "powerful" they are and bullying guys that were able to play the game while they were not... Period.

What makes Jeff Bagwell more worthy in 2013 than in 2012? In fact, if you look at who is eligible next year, he is not in the top five...but certainly he was this year. Jim Rice has been on the ballot since 1995. That is 17 votes without getting in, but being on something like 50-60 % of the ballots every year.

I see the Baseball HoF election process as an elitist organization that remedies itself with a Veterens Committee that will put Rice, Mattingly, Bagwell, Morris, etc. into the confines in a few years...heck, I might bet that Jim Rice is still on the regular ballot when he becomes eligible for the Veterens Committee...

Instead of celebrating the sport, where, certainly, All-Star versus mediocrity has become far more difficult to establish in the "modern era" than what we waxed poetic about from our pasts (which is what every member of the BBWAA does), the Hall of Fame makes itself a non-story.

So, to me, it comes down to a big "who really cares?" Other than Cooperstown being the name of a city that rolls off of people's tongues, the induction of HoFers into the Hall is a footnote.

They make the announcement during the NFL Playoffs. Right there it shows that they can not market their product (or do not care to)...how ridiculous that after a weekend of football, the short blurb that is Barry Larkin getting a call to say that he is in is the coverage that there is?

The NFL makes a whole weekend around the induction, a whole pre-season, stand alone event in Canton. It is not just a story, it IS the story.

Baseball is mired in relics of eras gone by.

Second, like Barry Bloom stated: "Did they cheat? Does it matter? How can we keep any of these guys out?" The era was and is defined by Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Piazza, Clemens. Regardless of what they did, didn't or thought about doing...none of them got suspended for anything, did they? What rules are broken when there are not any rules to abide by?

When McGwire and Sosa were going at it in 1998, was there any bigger story? When Bonds hit 73 in 2001, and chasing Hank Aaron in 2006 and 2007, was there any bigger story?

Regardless of he he got there, Bonds could play:
14× All-Star (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007)
8× Gold Glove Award winner (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998)
12× Silver Slugger Award winner (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
7× NL MVP (1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)


Now, I am not a Barry Bonds fan. I am just pointing out that the "purity" of the game may have been tarnished, and everyone feigns outrage over it, because that is what we think we should do, but in the end what we really want to see is something Spectacular.

Watching Alex Rodriguez strike out to end the World Series is awful.
Hell, watching the Alabama-LSU National Championship game was awful.

Watching Tim Tebow throw an 80 yard TD pass to beat the Steelers in OT - SPECTACULAR!

Watching McGwire battle Sosa in 1998 - SPECTACULAR!

Watching Bonds chase Ruth and Aaron - SPECTACULAR!

Watching a five minute piece on Barry Larkin getting notified that he was in Cooperstown - who cares?

That is what the BBWAA and this whole Hall of Fame ballot has done to me.

[zaccheus85]

I definitely think Biggio should get in...played very well at catcher and second, always had a dirty uni and helmet, 4 gold gloves, 5 silver slugger awards, and 3000 hits!

Piazza as well, great hitter. I wish McGriff would make it but I doubt he will with guys like Palmiero, Bonds, Bagwell and such not getting in.

[rossmaute]

I might bet that Jim Rice is still on the regular ballot when he becomes eligible for the Veterens Committee...

Um, Jim Rice was inducted in 2009.