2013 MLB Hall of Fame Screechfest

You haven't figured that out yet?

OK, short answer. A sport is only legit when everyone agrees to play by the same rules. Otherwise, it's like a bicycle competing in a NASCAR race. You either have rules and, accordingly, consequences for breaking those rules. Or you just make it a free-for-all and tell everyone "Do anything you can to gain an edge. All's fair in love, war and sports, so do whatever you want and all records count."

Because most organized sports have chosen Option #1, there needs to be some sort of method for dealing with those who don't follow the rules. You can fine them, suspend them, put them in jail, whatever. But if you don't at least attempt to enforce your rules, they become a joke. A lot of us walked away from the game altogether rather than endulge in the hypocrisy that was taking place. If one person placing a bet on some games damages the integrity of the sport, how much more so do hundreds of players who don't play by the rules?

For many years and many reasons, baseball chose to turn a blind eye to what was happening. As long as home run and strikeout numbers and attendance and money were increasing, all was deemed well. OK, so be it. The BBWAA may not have the power to suspend or expel people. It may be powerless to sit back and watch. This may be the only recourse for its members to say "We don't like you or what you did". OK, fine.

 

I don't think it was as widespread in that time. I don't think Murphy used. I'm sure there were others who did.

 

That will have to be left to the judgment of the individuals. Had I been commissioner, a lot of those guys would have been permanently benched. But I understand others see it differently. Some even seem to like it. Fine.

 

Sorry, but that doesn't come close to the damage of intentionally fixing games, which is the natural extension of betting on games. Even if it was perhaps using the bullpen a little more or making sure the best pitchers went on the days he had a big bet in, Rose did tremendous damage to the integrity of the game.

 

That's the problem, Mark. You and the voters you support are going on what you think instead of what you know.

It's not the only problem, but it's a big one.

 

How many outcomes were altered because one guy was taking PEDs and another guy was clean?

Is that a level playing field?

As an aside, I am not equatting placing a bet with fixing an outcome. I've placed countless bets through the years, but have NEVER attempted to fix an outcome.

 

OOP, that's the only information available. Do we wish we knew every single thing that ever happened in world history? Sure, but we don't.

Hell, we sentence people to prison based on "beyond a reasonable doubt" in the mind of some stranger in a jury box. You make your decisions based on what you think and believe to be true.

I have no problem excluding someone from a ballot simply because "Eh, I never liked him". Anything that gets voted on is, by nature, a subjective deal.

 

You weren't betting on a team that you manage. Even by placing bets on only some games, that calls into question what he did in every game.

 

And we are all thankful that you don't have a vote.

 

OK, fair enough. I'm simply arguing that was less widespread damage than what happened in the PED era.

OK, I've made my case. Others will disagree and that's fine. Life goes on and it's better without baseball, anyway.

 

ha. fanboy doesn't get his way so he gets hysterical.

 

Heard Olney on the radio this morning, and he swayed me to think "fuck it" for that 20-year stretch. They all cheated, so let's take the best of the cheaters.