Should McGwire be in the Hall of Fame? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Should McGwire be in the Hall of Fame?

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Since Hall of Fame ballots went out in December, sportswriters and columnists have been explaining their reasons for voting or not voting for Mark McGwire in his first year of eligibility. Here is a sampling.

Mercury News Writers Who Voted No

Ann Killion:
``What would I tell my kids, who saw my disgust at the congressional hearings in March 2005 and have heard my opinion over the years? `Sure, I think he cheated, but look at the rate at which he hit homers! Let's enshrine him forever!' Some will say I'm playing God by withholding my vote. That I'm being the morality police. But that's actually what the Hall of Fame asks me to be. Voters are requested to factor in moral conclusions.''
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Bud Geracie:
``Would he be a Hall of Famer if he didn't hit 70 home runs in 1998, or 65 the next season, or 583 in his career, or 250 between ages 32 and 35? Is any of that possible without modern medicine? My vote is my answer to those questions.''
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Chris Haft:
``His admitted use of androstenedione during 1998 gave his record-breaking home run total the noxious whiff of artificiality, even though andro was legal. . . . I've waited for McGwire's ex-teammates to rise in his defense since he refused to talk about the past before Congress in 2005. But the relative silence, with the notable exception of Tony La Russa, has been ominous -- and telling.''
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Mark Purdy:
``I just need to hear more from him. I'm not condemning McGwire to Non-Hallness Hell forever. I just want to hear what the guy did in regard to performance-enhancing substances, why he made those choices and what he thinks about those choices today. Then I can make a fair assessment and decide what to do with my vote.''
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Mercury News Writer Who Voted Yes

Dennis Georgatos:
``I voted for Mark McGwire strictly based on his accomplishments on the baseball field, which I felt were worthy of the Hall of Fame. The baseball criteria I can judge. . . . The off-the-field stuff remains a muddle that I really can't make enough sense of to render judgment.''
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Others Voting Against McGwire

Monte Poole, Oakland Tribune:
``I don't know enough about what took place in baseball during the late 1990s. Regarding illegal substances within baseball during the so-called `steroids era,' we're still learning what, when, how and -- most especially -- who.''
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http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2.../san_francisco_giants/16404080.htm&frame=true
 
Even if he didnt use steroids:

His Ba is only a small notch above above the Kingman level, still relatively poor by HOF standards at 263.

He only had 4-5 great seasons. You need more consistancy then that to be a HOFER.

He never won an MVP

He won 1 Gold Glove back in 1990 and for is career he was only average for the position.

His teams in Oakland had some postseason success, he personally did not. 217 career BA in the postseason. Even his power stats dropped considerably in the postseason wit just 5 hr in 129 abs, well below the 1hr/11-12 abs he averaged during the regular season.

He did not have great rbi numbers relative to his 583 hrs. That tells you as much as anything hes 1 dimensional. 7 100 rbi seasons out of 16 is good not great. Career hes got more K's then RBI.

So no I wouldnt put a 1 dimensional hr hitter who really doesnt do much of anything else better then average in the HOF.

Edit: Upon thinking about it further Id sooner put in Andre Dawson or Jack Morris. Dawson was a much more complete player, brought a more complete skill set as an all around player (better BA, better rbi numbers, better sb, better D) or even Morris who posts both impressive win and ws rings. Morris won rings as the ace of 3 different teams and with 254 wins he boasts an impressive total there as well considering his was the first generation with 5 starters in the rotation instead of 4. This isnt even a real question imo.

Rawlings even admitted that the baseballs used in 99 were more juiced then ever which, forgetting about whether mac did roids or not, impacts the hr totals for every player that year.
 
He will get in eventually, but not for a little while
 
andro wasnt illegal when he used it..so that shouldnt matter, b/c i doubt he was the only one using it..although i dont know if he is hof material anyways
 
No. not on first ballot. If you put in Mcquire you have to put in Rose. There should be a class of cheater that goes in . Bonds, Mcquire, Rose.
 
McGwire should absolutely be in the Hall of Fame.

The whole he cheated so he shouldn't go in is such a weak excuse for several reasons. First how do you know he cheated? Yes we all assume (and yes I believe he did juice) but he never failed a drug test nor was steroids illegal in baseball at the time (and if it was in 1998 there would be no way MLB would let him fail a test). Also adding to the fact that he was facing pitchers would were probably jucing too. Other HOFers have cheated before, like Perry and Cobb. Rose not being in the Hall is different, he could have negatively affected his own team and cost his own team baseball games because of gambling (something Cobb was rumored to do as well).

McGwire saved baseball along with Sosa and Ripken from the strike. He had EVERYONE glued to their seats in 1998. He was one of the best HR hitters during his era which he played. He hit 49 HRs in his Rookie year, winning the ROTY award. He was a gold glove winner, had a career OBP of .394. Anyway Jason Stark wrote two good article on why Big Mac should be in, which talks about other stats McGwire had:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof07/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2724111

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof07/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2724114

Also Bill Simmons did too:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070103

I suggest everyone read them. He's going to get in sooner or later and deserves to be.

EDIT: Also I think baseball gets a bad rap. In the NFL a player could get suspended for 4 games for testing positive, possibly win Defensive Player of the Year, make and play in the Pro Bowl and be part of a playoff game half time show and no one makes a stink about it.
 
Id vote yes. He was a great power hitter, the premeire or close to it power hitter of a generation. Hes not the greatest player ever, but he put up huge numbers on really good teams for a really long time. He was as feared a hitter as anyone of his generation.
He never got caught cheating, its hard to put that up as a reason when theres no proof.
 
My vote is NO.

I am hoping that on Tuesday a guy who is a Colorado Spring's native like me finally gets his just due:

GOOSE GOOSAGE. :tongue:
 
NO. he wasn't a HOF player w/ performing enhancers. he had a great rookie year when they juiced the ballas then was medciore and injured all the time so he juiced his body and then became a great HR hitter. He was a 1 dimensional hitter, either HR or nothing and he couldn't play defense. Bonds was a great all-around player befroe he started using so he is a HOFer.
 
Gwynn and Ripken automatics (but cant be unanimous since atleast one voter turned in a blank ballot on purpose).

I think Gossage may get in this time as well.

No to McGwire this go round.
 
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