Candidate | MLB seasons | Yrs on BBWAA ballot |
| Sandy Alomar Jr. | 1988-2007 | 1st |
| Jeff Bagwell | 1991-2005 | 3rd |
| Craig Biggio | 1988-2007 | 1st |
| Barry Bonds | 1986-2007 | 1st |
| Jeff Cirillo | 1994-2007 | 1st |
| Royce Clayton | 1991-2007 | 1st |
| Roger Clemens | 1984-2007 | 1st |
| Jeff Conine | 1990, 1992-2007 | 1st |
| Steve Finley | 1989-2007 | 1st |
| Julio Franco | 1982-94, 1996-97, 1999, 2001-07 | 1st |
| Shawn Green | 1993-2007 | 1st |
| Roberto Hernandez | 1991-2007 | 1st |
| Ryan Klesko | 1992-2007 | 1st |
| Kenny Lofton | 1991-2007 | 1st |
| Edgar Martinez | 1987-2004 | 4th |
| Don Mattingly | 1982-95 | 13th |
| Fred McGriff | 1986-2004 | 4th |
| Mark McGwire | 1986-2001 | 7th |
| Jose Mesa | 1987, 1990-2007 | 1st |
| Jack Morris | 1977-94 | 14th |
| Dale Murphy | 1976-93 | 15th |
| Rafael Palmeiro | 1986-2005 | 3rd |
| Mike Piazza | 1992-2007 | 1st |
| Tim Raines | 1979-2002 | 6th |
| Reggie Sanders | 1991-2007 | 1st |
| Curt Schilling | 1988-2007 | 1st |
| Aaron Sele | 1993-2007 | 1st |
| Lee Smith | 1980-97 | 11th |
| Sammy Sosa | 1988-2005, 2007 | 1st |
| Mike Stanton | 1989-2007 | 1st |
| Alan Trammell | 1977-96 | 12th |
| Larry Walker | 1989-2005 | 3rd |
| Todd Walker | 1996-2007 | 1st |
| David Wells | 1987-2007 | 1st |
| Rondell White | 1996-2007 | 1st |
| Bernie Williams | 1991-2006 | 2nd |
| Woody Williams | 1993-2007 | 1st |
Yes, oh Guardians of Baseball's Valhalla, each of my highlighted suggestions has been accused of steroid use. There was apparently a heck of a lot of steroid use going on in the major leagues not so many years ago -- and everyone with a brain knew it.
Sammy Sosa was a fast, skinny kid when he was with the White Sox early in his career. But it was a jumbo-sized Sammy Sosa that helped revive the nation's interest in baseball after the 1994 strike when he dueled with Mark McGwire for the home run title. Everyone -- including you baseball writers -- chuckled when Sammy attributed his new massive bulk to "Flintstones vitamins." A famous Nike commercial showed Heather Locklear ignoring Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux in favor of Mark McGwire because "chicks dig the long ball."
How in tarnation can you turn all self-righteous now? You knew they were using then; you didn't protest.
No, I don't condone steroid use. I fully support MLB's belated efforts to clean up the game. But these were the dominant players of their era. If you want to include on their plaques that they were dirty, stinking steroid users who endangered their own health (and, much worse, encouraged impressionable young athletes to try PED's for themselves), go ahead -- particularly if you baseball writers admit your complicity in these crimes. But those plaques belong in the Hall of Fame.
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1 comment:
I must protest when it comes to Sosa, McGwire & maybe Palmeiro. When Sosa went to the dark side, he gave up all pretense of being a baseball player in any respect other than hitting HRs. As a lithe kid built like a greyhound, he covered ground like an All Star. Baserunners feared his cannon arm. On his rare occasions as a baserunner, he stole bases with ease. Then he steroided his body out of all skills beyond HRs. The heavily muscled, thick legs & disdain for all else robbed him of most defensive skills. After getting the magic 40/40 level, his baserunning declined as badly. Did the Popeye arms impede his ability to accurately hit cutoff men, 3d basemen, or others w/in the field of play? Whatever. Sosa stopped playing baseball and in no respect other than the one that reaks of 'roids. McGwire? Was he that great other than HRs? Gosh, he hit so many more after admittedly & openly using andro. I remember countless HR highlights w/McGwire hitting the ball off the end of his bat - 450 feet. I used to marvel at how strong he was. Oh, now I got it. Without steroids, McGwire was Dave Kingman, with steroids Sammy became Kingman. Without steroids, maybe Palmeiro is Mark Grace. Not HOF worthy.
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