baseball hall of famers

Never was dominant? Geez, who was better among AL (or, hell, NL) first basemen in the 1990s? He was the premier player at his position for a decade, a two-time MVP, 11 seasons of 100+ RBI, nine seasons of 100+ runs, .303 career average, 500+ home runs ...

Seems like as much of a lock as a guy can be.

 

It is, actually, since the Football HOF has a completely different voting system and a mandated quota of inductees every year.

 

I'm just saying there is a double standard. Football? Roid your ass off. Baseball? You're an evil CHEATER!

It should be one way or the other across the board.

 

I don't see the corresponding performance distortion in football, though. You had the Ruth/Maris barrier for single season HRs, which was suddenly being eclipsed by more than one player under suspicious circumstances.

In football, you didn't see 2,000 yards as a standard, then suddenly had multiple players with 2,500 yards.

 

One more difference. Merriman was caught, convicted, and sentenced under NFL rules. If he stays clean (ha!) he will be treated as a member of pro football society in good standing, and should be.
The steroid era hitters were under a moral but no legal obligation not to use the stuff. This has created a horrible gray area, which I can assure you as a Hall voter, is no fun to try and assess. I will say this, thank goodness Bonds, a great player, is the cheater who'll break Aaron's recond, and not one-trick ponies like McGwire or Sosa.
Biggio is a Hall of Famer. 3000 hits. Manny, I can't believe anyone doesn't think he's in. Ditto for Thomas. IMO, the difficult choices of the 1995-2010 era will be the pitchers, because of the different way starters are used. Take Schilling. He's as good a money pitcher as there's ever been, but his total career stats are relatively unimpressive, because starters who only go every fifth day have fewer chances to make up for their inevitable injury down times.
As far as starting heated arguments go, I can't believe you guys have missed a surefire Hall of Famer of tommorrow. Gary Sheffield.

 

I checked Baseball Reference. I checked Retrosheet. I called Elias and put them to work on the definitive Sheffield breakdown.

And the only HoF argument I can come up with regarding Sheffield is, "Man, fuck that guy!"

 

Which is not to say that isn't a compelling one.

 

I stand corrected on Thomas.

What about Sheffield's alleged BALCO ties?

And what about his journeyman-like status? Seven teams?

 

Gaylord was viewed as borderline by many. Oh, and a cheat, too.

 

So is Rabbit Maranville. Doesn't make it right.

 

I wouldn't say he's sure fire hall of famer. He'll definitely get some serious consideration tho.

If Thome is in, so is Sheffield. But I don't know that either should be in. Will have to check out those stats after I grab some lunch.

 

Hello, Jim Rice!