How Am I Supposed To Vote For Players In The Hall Of Fame?

In an era (at least the last twenty years) tainted by steroids in baseball, there has been much speculation over who deserves to be in the Hall Of Fame and who doesn't. This issue has raised much debate everywhere and this is why I say the exploitation of steroids has ruined baseball rather then helped it. Because you don't know 100 percent who did and did not take steroids, you either have to vote all the deserving players into the Hall Of Fame or none at all.

One way people shouldn't vote is based on race or who they like or dislike. On a poll on ESPN, America as a whole voted that they would elect Mark McGwire into the baseball Hall Of Fame over Barry Bonds. I suspect that's because the public just doesn't like Barry Bonds and that's not what the Hall Of Fame is about. Rather, the Hall Of Fame praises those who have impacted the game of baseball in a tremendous way and left a lasting mark on the game. Who better fits this description than the all-time home run leader Barry Bonds (steroids or not, it still takes timing, skill, and accuracy to hit the damn ball)? Also, do people forget how McGwire and Sammy Sosa revitalized baseball during the home run chase back in 1998. I bet the MLB knew they were taking steroids (see my conspiracy in baseball article), but baseball let it slide because they were bringing in massive income, fans, and ratings. And you mean to tell me now we hate these guys when all they did was entertain us, which was what he wanted all along?

Why did I go on a tear about Mark McGwire? Because he was NOT voted into the Hall Of Fame this year and that's wrong, especially after what he did for baseball. I suspect that's because people believe he took steroids and doesn't deserve to be voted in. This goes back to my earlier statement. In an era where practically every all-star and CY Young winner used some kind of performance enhancing drug and you really don't know who is telling the truth and who is lying, you either have to vote nobody into the Hall Of Fame or vote the players who deserve to be there into the Hall Of Fame as if steroids weren't an issue. I see no other way to do it. You can't pick and choose because of who you think took steroids.

So, who did get voted in this year? Rich "Goose" Gossage became only the fifth relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame, earning baseball's highest honor Tuesday in his ninth try on the ballot. Known for his overpowering fastball, fiery temperament and bushy mustache, the Goose received 466 of 543 votes (85.8 percent) from 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "It was very emotional I'll tell you, off the charts. I can't describe the feeling," Gossage said after learning the news. "I can't lie. There's been some frustration and some disappointment."

Jim Rice was passed over yet again in his next-to-last year on the ballot, getting 392 votes (72.2 percent), up from 346 (63.5 percent) last year but 16 short of the 75 percent needed. "Today's results are obviously a disappointment," Rice said in a statement. "I believe my accomplishments speak for themselves, and a majority of the voters seem to agree. It is tough to come this close, but I remain hopeful for the 2009 results."

Mark McGwire, a casualty of the Steroids Era in some writers' minds, received just 128 votes -- the exact total he had last year. His percentage increased slightly to 23.6 percent, up from 23.5 percent last year when he was on the ballot for the first time.

Rich "Goose" Gossage was the only player voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2008 ballot. Jim Rice, who has just one year remaining on the ballot, finished just 16 votes short of induction. Players remain on the ballot for a maximum of 15 years as long as they receive 5 percent of the vote.

Player	Votes	Pct.
Goose Gossage	466	85.8
Jim Rice	392	72.2
Andre Dawson	358	65.9
Bert Blyleven	336	61.9
Lee Smith	235	43.3
Jack Morris	233	42.9
Tommy John	158	29.1
Tim Raines	132	24.3
Mark McGwire	128	23.6
Alan Trammell	99	18.2
Dave Concepcion	88	16.2
Don Mattingly	86	15.8
Dave Parker	82	15.1
Dale Murphy	75	13.8
Harold Baines	28	5.2

Others receiving votes: Rod Beck 2, Travis Fryman 2, Robb Nen 2, Shawon Dunston 1, Chuck Finley 1, David Justice 1, Chuck Knoblauch 1, Todd Stottlemyre 1.

Could Roger Clemens And Andy Pettitte Go To Jail?

In no way do I want either of these guys ending up in the slammer. They've contributed too much to baseball and unlike Barry Bonds, these guys aren't rude, cocky, or hated by the media and the public. However, they are following the exact trail as Bonds, which may lead them to prison.

Why might they go to jail? Because Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were asked Friday to testify before a congressional committee on Jan. 16, along with their former trainer, Brian McNamee. Once you're in front of Congress, you have to tell the truth. That's what put Barry Bonds in the position he is now. He lied under oath. Will Clemens and Pettitte lie like Bonds did or will they come clean under extreme pressure? And even if they deny their accusations, are they still citing the truth? What is the truth? Only time will tell.

Also invited to appear before the House Oversight Committee were former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, whose allegations were a central part of last month's Mitchell report on doping in baseball. Former All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch also was asked to speak to the panel.

A day earlier, the committee is to hear testimony from baseball commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell.

McNamee told Mitchell he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone during the 1998, 2000 and 2001 seasons. Clemens, in an interview to be broadcast by CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday, said McNamee injected him with vitamins and painkillers but not performance-enhancing drugs.

Pettitte admitted McNamee injected him with HGH twice while the pitcher was recovering from an injury.

The panel also convened a March 2005 hearing, when Mark McGwire refused to say whether he had used performance-enhancing drugs. Sammy Sosa said he had never knowingly used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Rafael Palmeiro denied using drugs but tested positive later that year for a steroid.

Jose Canseco Is Getting On My Nerves

Someone shut Jose Canseco up. Please. One book was enough, but he's writing another book now. Again, on the same topic, which is steroids. Please, just vote this guy into the Hall Of Fame so he'll stop writing books and exposing others as a way to avenge the MLB and the other players who are or will make it in. Don't you see? Roger Clemens was a sure-fire vote for the Hall Of Fame. Jose Canseco is so bothered by the fact that he's not in the Hall Of Fame that he's exposing others to prevent them from potentially entering the Hall Of Fame. Canseco's mindset is that if he can't get in, then no one else will either.

Jose Canseco has finalized a book deal for his sequel to "Juiced" and it is expected to hit bookstores by Opening Day of the 2008 season, two New York newspapers reported Sunday.

Canseco

Robert Saunooke, Canseco's lawyer, told The New York Daily News and The New York Post that the book, which has a working title of "Vindicated" will be co-authored by former Sports Illustrated writer Don Yaeger.

"Jose already has a lot of stuff put together," Yaeger told The Daily News.

Disappointed by the Mitchell report, Canseco hopes to publish "an unjaundiced view, without the rose-colored glasses" of steroid use in baseball, Saunooke told The Post.

"The book is basically going to be -- I don't want to say an attack -- but it will be a clarification of why certain names should have been mentioned [in the Mitchell report] that were not mentioned," Saunooke said of the new book. "We had hoped that the Mitchell report would have been more revealing. It basically ended up being nothing more than [Mitchell saying], 'I talked to a lot of people, some people wouldn't talk to me and it's up to the commissioner,'" Saunooke told The Daily News.

Saunooke told The Post that he and Canseco talked to Sen. Mitchell and provided him with "tons of information and background" on steroid use in baseball. But when the Mitchell report was released, he and Canseco were disappointed that names like Rafael Palmeiro and Ivan Rodriguez were not named.

Canseco's name appears 105 times in the Mitchell report, more than that of Barry Bonds (103) or Roger Clemens (82). In all, the 409-page report identified 86 names to differing degrees, but Clemens clearly was the symbol.

"I saw the list of players, and there are definitely a lot of players missing," Canseco told Fox Business Network this month. "I don't know what they accomplished or what they are trying to prove."

Prodded further about players not included, Canseco said this of Alex Rodriguez: "All I can say is the Mitchell report is incomplete. I could not believe that his name was not in the report."

One of the topics of Canseco's new book, Saunooke told The Post, will be how Mark McGwire asked for immunity before his appearance before Congress in 2005.

Another topic of Canseco's new book might be A-Rod.

In July, Canseco told WEEI Radio in Boston that he had "other stuff" on Rodriguez, who he called a "hypocrite" who "was not all he appeared to be."

"Jose has information about A-Rod and the Yankees that will be in the book. But, I am not sure if Jose is willing to disclose it at this point," Saunooke, told The New York Times in July.

In Baltimore for a Yankees' game against the Orioles that month, Rodriguez told reporters that he hadn't heard Canseco's comments about him. "And I have no comment."

In "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big," Canseco called himself the "godfather of steroids in baseball," saying, "I single-handedly changed the game of baseball by introducing them into the game."

He wrote in that book that he personally injected McGwire with steroids and that he saw McGwire and Jason Giambi inject each other.

Canseco also claimed he introduced the performance enhancers to Palmeiro, Rodriguez, and Juan Gonzalez when he joined the Rangers in 1992.

Canseco hit 462 home runs in a major league career between 1985 and 2001. He played seven full seasons for the A's before being traded to Texas in '92. He also played for Boston, the Yankees, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Oakland again, and the White Sox.

Wow, now Canseco is going to raise debate about Ivan and Alex Rodriguez. I knew there were more names on the list, but I don't want to hear anymore from Canseco. The Mitchell Report was just the first of many lists to come.