McGwire is the first player eligible that is suspected of being tied to the steroid era. Tim Kurkjian of ESPN said that he will vote for him because he doesn't have any substantial proof of his involvement with steroids. He also went on to say that you need 65 percent of the votes to get in and that McGwire won't even get 50 percent of the vote (because of his suspected connection to steroids). Some of the voters won't vote for him as a show of punishment. Kurkjian also thinks McGwire won't even get in the HOF in his 2nd year of eligibility. So here is the first test. Looks like these guys are in trouble. And rightfully so. Mods, please correct spelling in title (McGwire). Thanks.
He hit a lot of HRs, but had a terrible batting average. Some will say that if you take away the juice, he would have just been an average power hitter.
Excatly. At least Barry Bonds did other things like stealing bases. It will definately be interesting to see if they put him in. Guess we get to look forward to the media debating this one till we are blue in the face.
I personally think the steriods thing is being over hyped. Big freaken deal. Everyone was taken steriods during Marks era. So vote him in. He was great for a game that lost alot of fans due to the players greed. Just like I think Pete Rose should be voted in and allowed back in baseball. The man made a mistake and anted up and admitted it. His stats as a player show that he deserves his place in history. Do people really think that only Pete Rose voted on baseball? Gimmie a break. If ya believe that, I gotta bridge to sell ya, cher!
Pete Rose is an absolute disgrace. It is posted in every MLB locker room that gambling is the worst thing you can do - and is punishable by a lifetime ban. "Voted on baseball?" Um, I guess you meant gambled. And no, I don't think he was the only one. He was the dumbest and most brash about it, for sure. He lied about it for 15 years, including several times after he was sworn in, then only came clean to sell copies of his lame book. In the process, his biggest supporters (like Mike Schmidt) were made to look like fools for standing behind him. Since I think the Hall of Fame is a harmless honor of one's career, I really don't care if he is let in. Beyond that, Major League Baseball should keep this guy as far away from the sport as is legally possible.
Agreed. Whether or not MM is let in, steroids shouldn't be the reason. Steroids can't help you hit a baseball. You're gifted with that talent. Personally, I don't think MM should make it. Reason being, he wasn't that good of a ball player. No speed, poor BA, and his fielding wasn't up to snuff either. I know he hit a million homeruns, but I like the more complete package, IMO! Pete Rose, on the other hand, should be inducted into the BBHOF. I know he lied about gambling, and he was absolutely wrong for doing that. But he his one of the best players to ever play. They didn't call him "Charlie Hustle" for nothing. Just think if players today would play the way he did. They don't make em like that anymore.
Steriods can help you hit it out the park when you actually hit it. Agreed. Only thing i didn't like was him denying it for all those years, then when he does, it's right before the deadline for him to get in, and it was mostly to sell books. Just bugs the hell out of me.
Steroids does make it easier to hit a baseball. 1. Steroids increase muscle mass and therefore more strength. 2. Being stronger allows a batter to swing the bat faster. 3. Having more bat speed allows a batter to wait longer before deciding whether or not to swing at a pitch. 4. The longer the batter can wait before starting his swing means more information about the pitch being hittable or not. 5. Swinging at better pitches means increased chances at making solid contact and hitting the ball out of the park. There you have it... logical proof that being steroids aids homerun hitting. Regarding the HOF, McGuire was the most prominent of a horde of steroid users so he is catching most of the heat for the steroid era in baseball. Pitchers were using them too. I say let him in. I mean, I'm sure there is a huge exhibit about the 98 season already in the HOF...
First off, that's a pretty good analysis of the benfeits of steroids. I would also include faster rehabilitation of injuries or weightlifting, which is key in a 162 game season. Secondly, the bold text above blew me away. GREAT illustration of the hypocrisy of baseball right now. Finally, I never lost interest in baseball during the strike -- I understand there can be differences between employer and employee. However, I was absolutely captivated by the McGwire/Sosa battle. I didn't need it to get me back into baseball, but I was positively glued to my TV in my crappy apartment. I think my buddies and I put down a few cases of beer to celebrate.
How does using steroids make you swing at better pitches? Answer: it doesn't. I'll give you the physical aspect. Yes, steroids will help you hit it farther, but, and it's a big BUT, only IF you hit it. That's where hand/eye coordination comes in. Like I posted earlier, that's something you're gifted with. Steroids can't give you that. I'll give you the "physical" aspect of steroid usage,
