Selig on Letterman: The burden is on the writers

I don't know if this is a rerun, if it is, I haven't seen it before, but Bud Selig goes on Letterman and gets asked a question about Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens, and the potential Hall of Fame mess.

Selig goes on to say the "burden for the future is on the writers," because we are the people who vote, beside the veterans committee.

Do you agree, disagree or accept Selig's statement that the burden in this issue is on the writers?

 

Was the burden on the writers to keep Pete Rose out?

 

Shutting out a great player and person like Ron Santo hasn't bothered many of them. Why should they worry about a few roid-heads?

 

Maybe it was his .277 batting average, no top-3 MVP finishes, No. 80 all-time HR rank (342), 2,254 hits (143rd, tied with Willie McGee) and never led the NL in any major category (unless you count walks)

on the plus side, he was a nine-time all-star and won five gold gloves

not enough for me

 

This isn't the point of the thread, so I'll just add this and try to be finished.

When Santo retired, you could make a legitimate argument that he was the second best overall third basemen in the history of baseball. He's still arguably one of the five best third basemen in the game's history, and he's definitely in the top 10. He should be in Cooperstown. Compare him to other players of his era, especially other third basemen of his era, and he's got to be in the Hall.

If he doesn't deserve to be there, then neither do all but a few third basemen.

 

In a way, Selig is right. We (Hall voters, of which I am one) will to some extent decide how the "steroid era" fits into history. Do you make the statement that those people don't count? Do you put that aside and try to put them in the context of their time? It feels like a huge responsibility.

 

Just for the record, the show was not a rerun. It was taped on Monday afternoon.

 

Well, somebody has to be the best third baseman not in the HOF.

 

I completely agree with that. But Santo is arguably better than some third basemen who are in the Hall.

This will get fixed next year, though.

EDIT: I tried to not post again on this thread. Really, I tried.

 

Selig's position is as weaselly as it gets. He's begging the voters (and I am one) to get him off the hook by keeping Bonds, McGwire, et. al. out of the Hall while he averts his gaze.
Sorry Bud. You want 'em out, ban 'em from baseball. I'm on the jury, but I don't make the laws.

 

I don't see what grounds Selig would have for banning McGwire.

 

Did Selig scrunch up his face and act like he could barely hear Letterman? As for the "burden" being on the writers ... when it comes to the HOF, when isn't it?

Oh, and as far as Santo being "arguably" one of the top five third basemen ever? Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson, George Brett, Wade Boggs, Eddie Matthews. He's not even close to any of those five.