2012 Hall of Fame class - who would YOU vote for?

[Jerlins]

Those who think steroids is a disqualification, speed was just as much an issue in the 50's through 70's, so should we eliminate Aaaron, Mays, Mantle and the like? How about admitted cheaters such as Niekro, Perry, Ford, who did more tricks with foreign substances, scuffed balls, etc than you can imagine. Or maybe those folks who benefited from the AC being turned on during their at bats, and off when they were in the field during home games? Or those folks benefitting from the stolen signs from the CF bleachers when they were up to bat, probably with their corked bats in hand as well.

Cheating has been, and always will be, the norm in baseball. Sorry to burst bubbles how the "players of yesterday" were "pure as snow", but thats just not the case. McGwire the steroid user still had to face Clemens the steroid user, so was there really an advantage?

[fredpaii]

I know it can make one less sleepy. I would know as I took a medication form of speed in Cylert (Pemoline) and while it did help me focus on things like reading a book, it did nothing at all for my baseball swing. That's because it doesn't affect the muscles in any way...unlike steroids.

[RICHARDMILTER]

Larkin and Trammell are both Hall of Famers.

[ShakeyBoomer]

Anyone who doesn't think Tim Raines is a sure-fire hall of famer should have their head examined. And right after that exam, they should read this:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-cooperstown-case-for-tim-raines/

[the splinter]

One has to ask.... Is the Hall about the numbers or is it about sentimental value..... Or a combo of both?


About Raines..... He was a force no doubt..... But IMO he ruined it by carrying baggies of coke in his back pockets when he played..... Could have been so much more

[Jerlins]

[quote:a050af009e="derfs"]I know it can make one less sleepy. I would know as I took a medication form of speed in Cylert (Pemoline) and while it did help me focus on things like reading a book, it did nothing at all for my baseball swing. That's because it doesn't affect the muscles in any way...unlike steroids.[/quote:a050af009e]

But it does increase your stamina, and a tired batter will probably swing the bat with less speed, a tired pitcher might throw 2 miles an hour slower, a tired baserunner might run slower.

I'm in no way condoning the use of steroids, and it has put a black mark on the game of baseball. Yet I'm convinced most folks who condemn the present day players refuse to believe that some of today's players are just as good if not better than their heroes of previous generations. Anyone who thinks the players of yesteryear were pure as snow and played the game without some kind of edge, be it drugs, corked bats, scuffed balls. or the like are just being naive. Below is a link to an interesting article, that I couldn't agree with more.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_3_67/ai_n25147858/?tag=content;col1

[The Turtle]

Tim Raines and Jeff Bagwell.

That is it. This is a Hall of Fame, not a Hall of Good.

Raffy and McGwire should be in one day, but for their actions they can wait it out.

[fredpaii]

Not because Jerlins says speed gives you more stamina. :D

But because McGwire has a huge heart...http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/mcgwire/flashbacks/032398/

That's right, McGwire gets in on heart!

[supertyphoon]

25 voters -

Larkin 19 votes = 76% ELECTED
Bagwell 18 votes = 72%
Raines 16 votes = 64%
Trammell 14 votes = 56%
Smith 11 votes = 44%
McGwire 10 votes = 40%
Martinez , Walker 8 votes = 32%
McGriff 7 votes = 28%
Mattingly 6 votes = 24%
Williams 5 votes = 20%
Morris 4 votes = 16%
Gonzalez 1 vote = 4 %

[the splinter]

A lot of Major League Baseball players did cocaine in the 80's but only one was called "rock." Raines checked in to rehab in 1982 admitting that he had spent $40,000 in the last nine months on the same drug that would fell Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, and Steve "even a cat has only nine lives" Howe. During grand jury probes 100x more interesting than the steroid probes of the past years, Raines described keeping a gram in his uniform's back pocket to snort between half-innings. Always carrying cocaine on him created a fundamental problem: the great base-runner admitted that's why he started diving head first to steal a base.

This is not HOF on-field behavior IMO