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A Lonely Day in Cooperstown

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For the first time in 16 years, nobody will be joining the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds headlined the class as key players who without a doubt would be first ballot Hall of Famers if it wasn’t for their steroid use.  Needing 75% of the voters to get in Clemens totaled 37%, Bonds totaled 36%, and Sosa just 12%.  They kept these men out of the Hall for now, but will they be kept out forever? My guess is no.

Overshadowed by the three men mentioned above was Craig Biggio.  Biggio received 388 votes, just 39 shy of election.  Biggio is 20th on the career hit list with 3,060 and most of all was never under suspicion for steroid use.  To some people the accusations against Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa don’t mean anything because “you still have to hit the ball”.  While I agree with that, it still gives you an unfair advantage that the other players don’t have.

Jack Morris came in second with 67% vote and then it was Jeff Bagwell, who was teammates with Biggio in Houston, he got 59%.

A lot of people, including myself, are upset that the writers didn’t vote anyone in, but as I sit down and look at everything that goes into it I think that this could possibly be a statement by the writers.  I think we all knew that Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa weren’t going to get in on their first ballot because of what has transpired over their careers, but I think its madness to leave a guy with 3,000 hits and a  career .985 fielding percentage playing 5 different positions, second base, catcher, and all three outfield spots, and excelling at a very high level at all of them.

Biggio is a guy that, when you’re a young kid wanting to grow up to be a baseball player, should be a role model to you.  He played all 19 years with Houston, played the game fair, and excelled at a very high level.  He’s a family man and a great person off the field.  Leaving this player out is madness in my eyes.

Seeing nobody get in this year makes me wonder what will take place next year.  Most of these same guys will be on the ballot including people like Greg Maddux,  Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas who will be entering their first year on the ballot.  I would be surprised if Biggio didn’t get in next year and I would also be surprised if Greg Maddux wasn’t a first ballot guy, but I guess crazier things have happened.