Nobody posted yesterday about Mark McGwire missing the Hall of Fame?

[Bake]

I looked in several forums and nobody mentioned it that I could see.

OK, so nobody gets bulked up like that on their own. But 'roids were not against the rules in MLB at the time. And you gotta admit, in that magical season he and Sosa SAVED baseball, after the strike, with the Great Home Run Chase.

Whattaya think? Should McGwire get in or be kept out?

Bake

[Sequoia]

1. Frankly, my dear, I don't give a #+%$

But thinking about it, he probably should. Or run for Governor of California. After all, we have our own steroid freak running things. McGwire, however, is not a freak.

[Bake]

2. I've heard that term used for him, actually.

He used to be a skinny kid ... still, he was one heckuva first baseman and he did hit a baseball harder and farther than just about anybody else, and waaaaay more often than both.

Plus, he simply did exactly what MLB asked him to do. To keep him out of the HOF for it seems rather hypocritical. Especially if they let Bonds IN, which of course they will do.

Bake

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. 'Baseball' doesn't vote for Hall selection

Baseball writers do.

[Bake]

9. If it hadn't been for Mac and Sammy ...

"Baseball writers" would all be unemployed. They'd have nothing to write about because the Strike would have killed MLB.

Nothing quite so hypocritical as sportswriters. How many of them, during that summer, were crying about how "pumped up" Big Mac was? Not too damn many.

Bake

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. Every so often, something happens

that prompts an outcry of "This will kill baseball!"

John McGraw's refusal to allow the Giants to play an "inferior" American League club in the 1904 World Series. The "Black Sox." The first homer-mania in the '20s. Radio. World War II. Television. Jackie Robinson. Expansion. The 1972 players' strike. Free agency. The 1981 players' strike. Ridiculous salaries. The 1994 players' strike. Steroids.

Yet, baseball is still alive and quite well.

[musiclawyer]

12. As a longtime A's fan

I remember big mac before he juiced. He was always an offensive threat who punished pitcher mistakes, and pretty decent with the glove. In hindsight, he should gave been happy being a 35-40 home run a year guy. He would have played more by virtue of not taxing his chronic bad back with the extra weight and would have been remembered as an untainted very good ballplayer.

[Strawman]

3. I just don't think he was all that good

I don't think one season should put anyone in the Hall of Fame and I don't think arbitrary numbers like 500+ home runs should always put someone in either. He's not even the most important name I think of when I think of those good Oakland teams in the early 1990's.

[Oeditpus Rex]

4. Ahem

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x6039952

[Bake]

5. Sorry I missed it!

Guess I'll have to kick that one up again!

Bake

[matcom]

7. McGwire, Bonds, Sosa, et al will NEVER be inducted

heard Shawnassy last night (he is a voter). Said it will never happen. McGwire out of the box only got 23% of the vote.

[Bake]

8. Then the owners ought to give back everybody's ticket money.

McGwire and Sosa put fans in the stands and saved the owners' hides. Put 'em both in the Hall or give everyone their money back.

Bake

[matcom]

13. the owners don't vote

sports writers do

[madinmaryland]

11. Apparently only 23% of the Baseball Writers actually cared enough

to write his name on their ballot!