2013 MLB Hall of Fame Screechfest

OK let's work under the assumption that the following players are all HOF-worthy...

McGwire
Sosa
Palmeiro
Clemens
Bonds
Piazza
Bagwell
Schilling

Let's assume they all used PEDs at some point in their careers. Palmeiro is a proven cheater. McGwire has admitted to using PEDs. I would go as far as to say the courts proved that Bonds and Clemens did (I know... not exactly a reach...) and it's fairly well-known that Piazza has admitted to using off the record.

That leaves Bagwell, Sosa and Schilling.

Do you vote for any of those guys ever? Do you vote for A-Rod? Do you vote for Manny Ramirez?

Does Frank Thomas get a pass?

 

Why is Schilling under suspicion? With as much shit as he talks about PED use, combined with him being a grade-A asshole, wouldn't someone have chirped on him by now?

 

I think both should get in, and I think both should have gotten in this year, but if I had to choose between the two, I would vote for Raines over Biggio. I know stats would overwhelmingly support Biggio being the better player, but I think Raines is one of the most underrated players of the last few decades. He was a game-changer but he had two major things working against him, he played in Montreal during his prime and he was overshadowed by Ricky Henderson.

That is not a knock on Biggio, who was obviously a great player...

 

He was in that group that had to testify wasn't he? I don't know if he's lumped with that group or not. It wouldn't surprise me either way.

 

Quite the contrary, I believe.

 

Julio Franco isn't a Hall of Famer, but his batting stance is. Maybe they can build a statue?

 

Yes, because of his outspokenness against PEDs.

 

Not before Merv Rettenmund.

 

Was that why Sosa and Palmeiro were there?

Just kidding... That's probably a fair assessment.

 

Who's doing the encouraging/discouraging? I've voted for more than 20 years and nobody has ever tried to encourage/discourage me from voting for certain players.

 

SoCal, will you share your ballot and your reasoning behind your picks or non-picks?

 

No, but I think there were a decent number of voters who had a problem voting for Biggio and Raines while not voting for better players even if they did have PED questions.

I had a couple really long conversations with my friend about this and he was pretty torn over putting certain guys' names down and not putting others down. I told him, "You're taking this way too fucking seriously..." but he's a proud seamhead who lives for the game.