FanPost

Hall of Fame vote.

I must admit from time to time I have the overwhelming desire to slap a sportswriter. Whether it be the constant dribble I read over and over to the over reporting or pressure that some of the rookies are forced to endure. (See Michael Pineda) They often resemble jackals over that dead animal carcass.

Now for whatever reason, they have determined that they need to save us baseball fan from ourselves. They have taken upon themselves to be judge and jury of the future and past of baseball. Even in our legal system that is a separate function. I keep getting a flashback of my Sunday school teacher and her stating "Judge not, unless you are ready to be judge yourself." and "Who amongst you will cast the first stone, because he who cast the first stone surely will be free of sin".

By not being of age (at least being in high school) during the sixties, I missed out on the sex, drugs and rock and roll era, somewhat. Dam just my luck. But I graduated in the seventies a generation of either you did or you did not partake in alcohol or drugs. The seventies seems to be that era that you were a goody too shoes or a rebel trying to change the world. Or at least trying to imitate those hippies of the sixties. Each and ever one of us are a product of our environment. Yes that goes for baseball players as well.

Now to the vote. I remember such players as Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford (how racist would that be today), Mickey Mantle (my favorite), Willie Mays, etc. That group was followed with the likes of Bob Gibson, Carl Yastremski (bet I miss spelled that) {better know as Yaz to me anyways}, Frank Robinson, etc. On and on we have marched threw baseball history and each generation has had it own heroes. There has always been villains and heroes in baseball. Or should we say the cheaters and non-cheaters. Back in time we heard of the dreaded spit-ball pitchers, who used everything from slippery elm to Vaseline to get that edge or advantage. Amphetamines to keep them alert from all those travel days. Cocaine and marijuana to relax, calm down and unwind. Remember back in Babe Ruth's day cocaine was very prevalent, even an ingredient in Coca-Cola (the name says it all). From the inception of baseball smoking, drinking and chewing have always been part of the game.

Basically my point is this: Baseball has always been a product of the society or generation in which it was played. That being said if society has been drug induced then so was baseball. That could be from amphetamines to steroids. Then again baseball has always been a game of taking advantage to get that edge. Yes just like a pitcher throwing at the batter's head.

When that steroid user steps into the batters box-----He just might be facing a pitcher who is a steroid pitcher. Now who has the advantage? Did us fans want it any other way? If we did why did we flock to so many games? How could we worship those baseball heroes?

When the baseball writers decided that no one was worthy of admission to Baseball's hall of fame. They themselves decided for all of us fans that they should be that dictator who tells us what to do and when to do it. By simply looking a person they decided if they were guilty of using steroids. Did not matter if no evidence had been presented, all that matter was their opinion or perception of that former baseball player.

I have been very fortunate to witness some of the greatest baseball players of all time. Yet when those numbers and records are throw up there the sportswriters would not let them stick on the wall.

So Mr Sportswriter have you ever seen a better overall hitter than Barry Bonds? A better pitcher than Roger Clemens? Sure you have because it is all subjected to opinion. But dam Barry has to be in the top five, you have ever seen play the game. Roger has to be a top five pitcher, you have ever had the pleasure of seeing throw a baseball.

Just vote on who was the best of their era. Let the Hall decide if an asterisk needs placed by their names. The truth is, the society that these guys played in worshiped them. If not ,explain to me how all those fans filled up so many stadiums over the years to root for their heroes and boo those villains.

One last thought. How many times have we heard "I would have done anything to play major league baseball? " Well Mr Sportswriter what drug would you have taken to play professional baseball for a 1 year? How about 5 years? How about 10 to 20 years? Probable just about anything right.

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