Vegas Rich weighs in on McGwire..
"The Truth Shall Set Me Free", so says Mark McGwire after releasing his statement to the press yesterday that he was indeed a steroid user for the better part of the decade. It was Mark along with Sammy Sosa that revived the sport of Major League Baseball from one of it's lowest places in the history of the sport.
McGwire, who never tested positive for any illegal substance during his playing time, stood up before a Select Committee of United States Congressmen and said he would not talk about the past. From that moment on McGwire has been vilified by the fans, the press and the broadcasters throughout the land.
What all of us learned yesterday for the first time was what went on behind the scenes of that committee meeting. According to Mark he had every intention of coming clean that day before Congress but his lawyers advised him in order to avoid prosecution he would need to get immunity. The lawyers met with the two key members of the committee who could not promise immunity so they all agreed that McGwire who refused to lie about his steroid use could say that he would not speak about the past.
Does that make a difference to anyone? It does to me. The committee knew what Mark was going to say and they agreed not to push the issue.
Perhaps the most amazing part of his revelation was that Mark did not feel that his performance was not accelerated by the use of steroids. His claim about taking low doses just to help heal his injuries and himself to "Feel Normal" comes across as either terribly naive or just plain stupid.
McGwire feels that if he were healthy and never took steroids he still would have managed to hit 70 home runs in one season and 583 overall. Really? What Mark clearly does not get is all baseball players play the game going through a series of injuries. Some are obviously more debilitating than others and most of the players of the "Steroid Era" did not use performance enhancing drugs to improve their game.
McGwire is going down the same road as Andy Petitte did for using steroids to help heal injuries faster. So what became of Andy? He's still considered a star and a favorite on a Yankee Team that has seen the use of PED's before.
What happens to Mark McGwire is anybodies guess. He may come out of this like Petitte or Jason Giambi or even like Alex Rodriguez whose play in the playoffs allowed people forget his disclosure 11 months ago.
I have always been a fan of Mark McGwire ever since his rookie year in Oakland where you could not notice his awesome power and his ability to hit gigantic home runs. Now he become the batting coach under his former manager and dear friend Tony LaRusso who has been a consistent supporter of Mark throughout his career.
St. Louis is a baseball friendly town. I don't expect their acceptance of Mark McGwire will be met with animosity or cruelty. If the Cardinals batters are tearing the cover off the wall and they succeed to get to the playoffs and further then Mark should feel secure in his home park.
However it won't be the same on the road. Philadelphia and New York immediately come to mind as places where Mark ought to leave his batting helmet on at all times.
Finally comes the question as to his election to the Hall of Fame. I'm not a big fan of the hall primarily due to the fact that I see the baseball writers lack of knowledge about the players and their criteria for acceptance to the hall being a joke. Knowing I can't change that, I don't feel Mark will ever get 75% of the ballots to get him in. I believe that all the players of this era who have admitted to taking steroids and those who don't admit it but is perceived to have like Barry Bonds, I expect none of them will see themselves enshrined in Cooperstown.
Like everyone else they will have to buy a ticket to get in.
Showing posts with label mark mcgwire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mark mcgwire. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Although I'm getting a few "shut up and talk about the Mets"type comments, I think this topic falls into the "and frankly anyone else" clause of the blog. If you're bored with McGwire skip this one and scroll down to some good quality chop-busting below.
Here's Tom
And here's Adam
I am fully aware that Mark McGuire, even before yesterday's admission, had used some sort of PED. Even if he had done what I've heard some NFL players do, which would be to stay one step ahead of the banned substance list, I knew, and was and still remain a fan.
McGuire never played for a team I rooted for, even as an "out of town" second team to our Amazin's. However, There are a few moments in baseball history when I can tell you exactly where I was when it occurred.
I can tell you exactly where I was, down to the place where I was sitting (not just "in my living room") when Mookie hit the roller up the first base line, when Ripken broke the streak, and when McGuire hit 62. I have no idea where I was when he hit 70, nor when Sosa hit 62 or 66.
Did McGuire break a rule of Major League Baseball? Yes. Did he cheat? I don't know but I don't think so. Does he belong in the Hall of Fame with the rest of the 500 Club? Yes.
Is there anyone in the Hall of Fame that has thrown a spitball since Burleigh Grimes? Have you heard of Don Drysdale or Gaylord Perry? They cheated. They went out and did something ON THE FIELD that was against the rules of legal play, and knowing this, the sportswriters still elected them to the Hall of Fame.
As Tommy LaSorda has said in many interviews, hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in professional sports. Otherwise, why would people think you were great for doing it just 3 out of every 10 times you tried?
I don't think any PED makes you able to see the ball or hit the ball any easier than someone who never took as much as a multi-vitamin. If they come out with something like that, let me know, I'll be 40 in a couple of years and would like to get a jump on the rest of the guys in the local softball league.
Thanks for a great blog, keep it up.
Adam
This picture is of the all time leader in home runs for the Mets. He hit the ball 900 feet while weighing 110 pounds.
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Here's Tom
Shannon,
Well done, young man. I’m glad that while you still questioned McGwire yourself, you also pointed out all the hypocrites who today are saying McGwire didn’t apologize properly enough for them are many of the same ones who lived off ’98 vicariously (that is what sportswriters do, live off someone else’ accomplishments, while having none of their own) . I won’t go into this, other than to say that this is a good man who made a bad mistake and as a human being who has made my share, I will not get into “judge and jury” on him. Selig, and Fehr and Orza of the Players Association are as much to blame as anyone for this whole situation. Also, I don’t see anyone reminding people that Big Mac donated, what, $1 Million off the top of his contract for three years to Battered Children’s funds. Or that he had a 2-year multi-million dollar contract offered to him after 2001and retired instead. He could have fleeced the Cards for a couple of more seasons if he chose to, but did not. So, you can dislike him or be disappointed by him, but you cannot demonize him, as the weakest parts of the media and the ever-growing moron part of the public will now try to do. Mark McGwire thrilled millions. No sportswriter ever did that. That joy in 1998 was real, it doesn’t change in retrospect, as some have comically tried to claim. Finally, I thing the famous words of Teddy Roosevelt are most relevant today:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
And here's Adam
I am fully aware that Mark McGuire, even before yesterday's admission, had used some sort of PED. Even if he had done what I've heard some NFL players do, which would be to stay one step ahead of the banned substance list, I knew, and was and still remain a fan.
McGuire never played for a team I rooted for, even as an "out of town" second team to our Amazin's. However, There are a few moments in baseball history when I can tell you exactly where I was when it occurred.
I can tell you exactly where I was, down to the place where I was sitting (not just "in my living room") when Mookie hit the roller up the first base line, when Ripken broke the streak, and when McGuire hit 62. I have no idea where I was when he hit 70, nor when Sosa hit 62 or 66.
Did McGuire break a rule of Major League Baseball? Yes. Did he cheat? I don't know but I don't think so. Does he belong in the Hall of Fame with the rest of the 500 Club? Yes.
Is there anyone in the Hall of Fame that has thrown a spitball since Burleigh Grimes? Have you heard of Don Drysdale or Gaylord Perry? They cheated. They went out and did something ON THE FIELD that was against the rules of legal play, and knowing this, the sportswriters still elected them to the Hall of Fame.
As Tommy LaSorda has said in many interviews, hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in professional sports. Otherwise, why would people think you were great for doing it just 3 out of every 10 times you tried?
I don't think any PED makes you able to see the ball or hit the ball any easier than someone who never took as much as a multi-vitamin. If they come out with something like that, let me know, I'll be 40 in a couple of years and would like to get a jump on the rest of the guys in the local softball league.
Thanks for a great blog, keep it up.
Adam
This picture is of the all time leader in home runs for the Mets. He hit the ball 900 feet while weighing 110 pounds. Main Mets Police page
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Monday, January 11, 2010
I can't believe a thing Mark McGwire says. I started out feeling bad for the guy, always hard to see a grown man cry, but as it went on I got angrier and angrier.
Good job, as always, by Costas. Bob at times seemed like he was thinking "are you really going to sit here and say this stuff?"
First, let me say for not the first time that there are a lot of people who are either hypocrites or fools. Fox, Joe Buck, Sports Illustrated, and most everyone else who covered babseball in '98 made this guy out to be a hero. Maybe they didn't know, but wow you had to be an idiot if you didn't think he was on something.
I love when Costas quotes that 1985-94 there were 21 40+ home run seasons in baseball, from 95-2003 there were 104. Costas brought this stuff up at the time, he brought it up in his book, and he's one of the few that didn't have his head in the sand at the time.
For people to not vote for a guy with 583 home runs into the Hall, it's phony. You knew. Where were the columns at the time? Everyone wanted to write books with titles like "Summer of '98" and "The Perfect Season: Why 1998 Was Baseball's Greatest Year" Don't get righteous now that there's no more money to be made off that season.
Some other day we can get into what we want our heroes to look like - whether we like two smiling guys playing in midwest towns, or a surly man who didn't want to play the media's game.
Some stuff I jotted down while watching:
McGwire is sticking to the language about his God given gift of home runs, and "for injuries" (aka the Pettitte defense).
At one point McGwire went on and on about how people are still talking about his little league home runs. I don't know how Costas didn't just get up and leave.
Costas asked McGwire if he thinks he'd hit 70 homers without steroids: "I truly believe so"
"It was the era that we played in." The Bud Selig era. I will not be surprised when the day comes and someone has some evidence that proves beyond a doubt that Selig knew.
"I didn't want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger" - hilarious.
Costas asked him if the timing has anything to do with the statute of limitations now having expired. McGwire says no. Come on dude. Please.
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Good job, as always, by Costas. Bob at times seemed like he was thinking "are you really going to sit here and say this stuff?"
I love when Costas quotes that 1985-94 there were 21 40+ home run seasons in baseball, from 95-2003 there were 104. Costas brought this stuff up at the time, he brought it up in his book, and he's one of the few that didn't have his head in the sand at the time.
Some other day we can get into what we want our heroes to look like - whether we like two smiling guys playing in midwest towns, or a surly man who didn't want to play the media's game.
Some stuff I jotted down while watching:
McGwire is sticking to the language about his God given gift of home runs, and "for injuries" (aka the Pettitte defense).
At one point McGwire went on and on about how people are still talking about his little league home runs. I don't know how Costas didn't just get up and leave.
Costas asked McGwire if he thinks he'd hit 70 homers without steroids: "I truly believe so"
"It was the era that we played in." The Bud Selig era. I will not be surprised when the day comes and someone has some evidence that proves beyond a doubt that Selig knew.
"I didn't want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger" - hilarious.
Costas asked him if the timing has anything to do with the statute of limitations now having expired. McGwire says no. Come on dude. Please.
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Monday, January 11, 2010
Stu sent this over, and it's so strong I thought it deserved a post. I'm watching the Costas/McGwire interview now, and will post something shortly. Here's Stu:
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I read McGwire’s complete statement on your web site and wanted to pass along my perspective as someone who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s before cheating became commonplace and, to some degree, acceptable in sports. Looking at his statement there are a few questions I would love someone to ask him.
Feel free to use some of these if you want (no credit to me needed). I just want to see all of these guys called out on the carpet. As far as I’m concerned anyone who used PED’s cheated the game and cheated the fans. It still amazes me that players who chose not to use steroids during that era have never spoken out about the jobs and the income that they lost when they chose to do the right thing. Guys like McGwire, Pettite, ARod, etc. made a fortune of money after cheating. Money that they would have never made had they not cheated. Where is the punishment?
Stu from NJ
“After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my Congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it.”
You weren’t in “a position” to testify truthfully to the United States Congress? Perhaps now that it’s clear that you probably would never be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame that you realize that “coming clean” is your only opportunity to rehabilitate yourself with enough time remaining on your eligibility that you may someday make it?
“I used them on occasion throughout the nineties, including during the 1998 season.”
So will you be asking Mr. Selig to strike your name, or at least mark it with an asterisk, in the record books?
“Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.”
Oh. OK. So it is the fault of the “steroid era” and not you and your personal choices. Are you saying that everyone who played in that era used steroids? Hello, my I please speak with Mr. Ripken, Mr. Cal Ripken? (Are you saying that he is a fraud too?)
I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids.
Some people may wonder how many home runs Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Roger Maris would have hit if they had take steroids. Perhaps they would have put up numbers so far out of reach that McGwire and Sosa in 1998 would have been insignificant.
Here’s a question for you (you can consult with Mr. Nice Guy, Andy Pettite – another one who just wanted to get back on the field with his teammates)
After you starting taking steroids in 1993 you signed contracts worth $56.5 Million (according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts). Now that you are admitting that you cheated, how much of the $56.5 Million will you be returning to the fans who paid higher ticket prices, etc. to support paying your contract.
Mark McGwire 1b
Oakland 1987-1997, St. Louis Cardinals 1997-2001
Oakland 1987-1997, St. Louis Cardinals 1997-2001
- 2 years/$30M (2002-03)
- 02:$14M, 03:$16M
- attendance bonus of $2/fan for each fan beyond 2.8 million
- about 25% of $30M deferred at "reasonable" interest rate
- 2002-03 extension negotiated without an agent
- retired 11/01, leaving 2002-03 extension unsigned
- 3 years/$28.5M (1998-2000), plus 2001 mutual option
- signed extension 9/16/07
- $1M signing bonus
- 98:$8M, 99:$8.5M, 00:$9M, 01:$11M mutual option ($2M buyout)
- attendance bonus of $1/fan for each fan beyond 2.8 million
- bonus worth $586,493 in 2000
- 5 years/$28M (1993-97)
- $7M signing bonus
- 93:$2.6M, 94:$1.6M, 95:$5.5M, 96:$5.6M, 97:$5.7M
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Monday, January 11, 2010
You can get this 5,000 places but I'd feel weird if I didn't have it here too. I am not the least bit surprised, and I've said many times - you knew, you knew, you knew. By you I mean YOU, the person who cheered in 1998 and now doesn't want him in the Hall.
Mark McGwire:
Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.
I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 off season and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the nineties, including during the 1998 season.
I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.
During the mid-90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a rib cage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries too.
I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.
Baseball is really different now – it’s been cleaned up. The Commissioner and the Players Association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I’m glad they did.
I’m grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager, Tony La Russa. I can’t wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis.
I’ve always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I’m going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.
After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my Congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it.
I’ll do that, and then I just want to help my team.
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Mark McGwire:
Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.
I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 off season and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the nineties, including during the 1998 season.
I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.
During the mid-90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a rib cage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries too.
I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.
Baseball is really different now – it’s been cleaned up. The Commissioner and the Players Association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I’m glad they did.
I’m grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager, Tony La Russa. I can’t wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis.
I’ve always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I’m going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.
After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my Congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it.
I’ll do that, and then I just want to help my team.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Mark McGwire can't get elected.
Pete Rose and Joe Jackson are banned.
The way it looks now, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero, and Alex Rodriguez won't get in either
MLB and the BBWAA want to maintain the "purity" of the Hall of Fame.
OK, I'll get on board with that. But if we really want to keep the Hall pure, then we have to do some house-cleaning. Time to weed out those who are "un-worthy." Let's start with 15 for now:
Who else should we weed out? Or better yet, who will be left once we are done?
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Pete Rose and Joe Jackson are banned.
The way it looks now, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero, and Alex Rodriguez won't get in either
MLB and the BBWAA want to maintain the "purity" of the Hall of Fame.
OK, I'll get on board with that. But if we really want to keep the Hall pure, then we have to do some house-cleaning. Time to weed out those who are "un-worthy." Let's start with 15 for now:
- Babe Ruth - The man was a drunk and a womanizer. He openly violated federal law (prohibition). He also fathered a child by a woman other than his wife.
- Ty Cobb - A racist and murderer. Also accused of fixing games
- Tris Speaker - Accused of fixing games with Cobb
- Cap Anson - Racist.
- Pud Galvin - Steroid user
- Enos Slaughter - Racist
- Gaylord Perry - Admitted to using a spitball in clear violation of MLB rules
- Kirby Pucket - Womanizer
- Paul Molitor - Admitted drug user
- Fergie Jenkins - Admitted drug user
- Don Sutton - Admitted doctoring baseballs
- Whitey Ford - Admitted doctoring baseballs
- Rogers Hornsby - Admitted to cheating in a self-penned article "You've Got To Cheat To Win"
- Ralph Kiner - Admitted to using amphetamines
- Willie Stargell - Used Amphetamines
Who else should we weed out? Or better yet, who will be left once we are done?
www.metspolice.com
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Cooperstown has become a joke.
It may not be the baseball Hall of Fame's fault, but nonetheless it's a joke.
You can't have a Hall of Fame without the all-time leaders in all the offensive categories.
I'm sorry that some of these men were mean to sports writers, or took anabolic steroids, or bet on games, their numbers are what they are.
Maybe "Infamy" is unfair to some of the people I will list on the first ever ballot. Let's call them the "Hall of Men With Great Stats" or the Hall of Famous or something.
This hall only worries about stats baby. It doesn't matter if you spit on the ball or corked your bat or bribed the ump or took steroids. Stats get you in, and that's it. Unlike other halls you only need to sit out one full season to be enshrined
It's time to take the Hall back from the sportswriters and back into the hands of fans. I invite you to vote, or even nominate, and we'll publish the results in a month or so. This is your chance to stick up for Gil Hodges, Steve Garvey, Don Mattingly or anyone else you'd like to see enshrined. Some day I'm sure Alex Rodriguez will wind up in our building. Before we get to those folks, there's some others to nominate:
Ladies and gentlemen, the nominees for the 2009 Hall of Famous Baseball Players.
Joe Jackson. You may know him as "shoeless." He even has his own virtual Hall. Jackson has the third highest batting average of all-time, with 1700 hits in ten full seasons (Ichiro type numbers!) His .408 in 1911 was the highest of the century and hasn't even been approached here in Century 21. You've surely heard of him, hence his nomination for the Hall of Famous.
Pete Rose. Pete is baseball's hit king with 4256. Six World Series and a main part of the history of not just the Reds, but also the Phillies. Hard to ignore Charlie Hustle's credentials on the field.
Barry Bonds. The Home Run King. Two numbers that stand without explanation: 73 and the most famous number of them all 762. How could you even consider a hall without the King?
Roger Maris. As hard as it is for anyone under thirty to believe, 60 home runs was once very uncommon in baseball. Roger was the only one to do it between Ruth and McGwire. A two time MVP who played in seven World Series and was a leader with the Yankees and Cardinals.
Mark McGwire. The man who saved baseball. The man who returned the power game to a game that had become boring with 10 run games a rarity. A 12 time all-star who played in three consecutive World Series and has 583 home runs. Hard credentials for someone to ignore.
Sammy Sosa. The other smiling face of the legendary summer of 1998. A man so beloved by all that even New York City threw a tickertape parade for a Chicago Cub. A 7 time All-Star, an MVP and of course609 home runs including three seasons over 60.
Jack Morris. What, you thought I was only going to list bad guys? 254 wins and the best pitcher of his decade. He deserves a look.
Bert Blyleven. 287 wins, 3701 strikeouts. Nobody will win 287 games again.
Tommy John. 288 wins. You can't win 288 if you don't win 287, and nobody will.
Roger Clemens. When he was playing he was considered one of the great pitchers of all time. 354 wins and 4672 strike outs. Let me know who is pitching today that will even hit half those numbers.
Rafael Palmeiro. Before the writers found righteousness there were two numbers that got you into any Hall: 3,000 and 500. Raffy has them both.
Did I miss someone? Hit comments and add your nominations or votes!
www.metspolice.com
It may not be the baseball Hall of Fame's fault, but nonetheless it's a joke.
You can't have a Hall of Fame without the all-time leaders in all the offensive categories.
I'm sorry that some of these men were mean to sports writers, or took anabolic steroids, or bet on games, their numbers are what they are.
Maybe "Infamy" is unfair to some of the people I will list on the first ever ballot. Let's call them the "Hall of Men With Great Stats" or the Hall of Famous or something.
This hall only worries about stats baby. It doesn't matter if you spit on the ball or corked your bat or bribed the ump or took steroids. Stats get you in, and that's it. Unlike other halls you only need to sit out one full season to be enshrined
It's time to take the Hall back from the sportswriters and back into the hands of fans. I invite you to vote, or even nominate, and we'll publish the results in a month or so. This is your chance to stick up for Gil Hodges, Steve Garvey, Don Mattingly or anyone else you'd like to see enshrined. Some day I'm sure Alex Rodriguez will wind up in our building. Before we get to those folks, there's some others to nominate:
Ladies and gentlemen, the nominees for the 2009 Hall of Famous Baseball Players.
Joe Jackson. You may know him as "shoeless." He even has his own virtual Hall. Jackson has the third highest batting average of all-time, with 1700 hits in ten full seasons (Ichiro type numbers!) His .408 in 1911 was the highest of the century and hasn't even been approached here in Century 21. You've surely heard of him, hence his nomination for the Hall of Famous.
Pete Rose. Pete is baseball's hit king with 4256. Six World Series and a main part of the history of not just the Reds, but also the Phillies. Hard to ignore Charlie Hustle's credentials on the field.
Barry Bonds. The Home Run King. Two numbers that stand without explanation: 73 and the most famous number of them all 762. How could you even consider a hall without the King?
Roger Maris. As hard as it is for anyone under thirty to believe, 60 home runs was once very uncommon in baseball. Roger was the only one to do it between Ruth and McGwire. A two time MVP who played in seven World Series and was a leader with the Yankees and Cardinals.
Mark McGwire. The man who saved baseball. The man who returned the power game to a game that had become boring with 10 run games a rarity. A 12 time all-star who played in three consecutive World Series and has 583 home runs. Hard credentials for someone to ignore.
Sammy Sosa. The other smiling face of the legendary summer of 1998. A man so beloved by all that even New York City threw a tickertape parade for a Chicago Cub. A 7 time All-Star, an MVP and of course609 home runs including three seasons over 60.
Jack Morris. What, you thought I was only going to list bad guys? 254 wins and the best pitcher of his decade. He deserves a look.
Bert Blyleven. 287 wins, 3701 strikeouts. Nobody will win 287 games again.
Tommy John. 288 wins. You can't win 288 if you don't win 287, and nobody will.
Roger Clemens. When he was playing he was considered one of the great pitchers of all time. 354 wins and 4672 strike outs. Let me know who is pitching today that will even hit half those numbers.
Rafael Palmeiro. Before the writers found righteousness there were two numbers that got you into any Hall: 3,000 and 500. Raffy has them both.
Did I miss someone? Hit comments and add your nominations or votes!
www.metspolice.com
Saturday, January 17, 2009
An extremely slow day, and I don't feel like writing about patches yet again, so I come to you with a premise: You don't know baseball like you used to.
I'm going to ask you some simple baseball questions. 15 years ago you would have rattled these off and laughed in my face about how easy they were.
1. What is the current number of home runs needed to become the all-time career home run leader? You have no idea do you? You know it used to be 755 and it was 714 once, but what's the number now?
2. Remember 2130? Of course you do. Now Cal Ripken is baseball's all-time Iron Man. In how many consecutive games did Cal play?
3. I will make this a little easier. What is the current single season home run record? 72? 73? 74? You tell me. Are you sure?
4. Who is currently the American League leader for most home runs in a season and how many did he hit?
The 2013 Hall of Fame ballot sure will be interesting. Will the writers ignore Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Roger Clemens, and continue to ignore Pete Rose, Rafael Palmeiro (3,000 and 500) and the most popular post-strike baseball player Mark McGwire, you know the guy that restored baseball as America's Past Time?
Amazing how things change.
(762, 2632 , 73 and 61 by Roger Maris).
www.metspolice.com
I'm going to ask you some simple baseball questions. 15 years ago you would have rattled these off and laughed in my face about how easy they were.
1. What is the current number of home runs needed to become the all-time career home run leader? You have no idea do you? You know it used to be 755 and it was 714 once, but what's the number now?
2. Remember 2130? Of course you do. Now Cal Ripken is baseball's all-time Iron Man. In how many consecutive games did Cal play?
3. I will make this a little easier. What is the current single season home run record? 72? 73? 74? You tell me. Are you sure?
4. Who is currently the American League leader for most home runs in a season and how many did he hit?
The 2013 Hall of Fame ballot sure will be interesting. Will the writers ignore Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Roger Clemens, and continue to ignore Pete Rose, Rafael Palmeiro (3,000 and 500) and the most popular post-strike baseball player Mark McGwire, you know the guy that restored baseball as America's Past Time?
Amazing how things change.
(762, 2632 , 73 and 61 by Roger Maris).
www.metspolice.com
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Let's clarify something right off the bat. The Hall of Fame is not ignoring Pete Rose. In fact, Pete Rose is already in the Hall of Fame.
Yes, I wrote that correctly.
Pete Rose is already in the Hall of Fame.
His accomplishments are recognized and memorabilia from his career is displayed. Depending on when you go you might also actually see a picture of him (probably sliding head first).
What he does not have is a plaque among the Hall of Famers. And this is the way it should be.
In other words - if you ever set foot in a professional locker room, you should know this rule. How many times did Pete Rose see this rule? How many clubhouses did he walk into and out of in his career? He played or managed in 4,330 games in the majors. Add in minor league games, exhibitions, spring trainings, practices, etc. - you have to figure Rose walked past this sign at least 6,000 times in his life.
He knew what the rule was - and he knew the consequences of violating that rule.
It's not a temporary ban. It's not a suspension. It says permanently ineligible.
Rose was an amazing player. Was he the greatest at any specific position? Hardly. But he was outstanding at 5 different positions. And he played the game with more heart and passion than maybe anyone in the history of the game. He wanted to win all the time no matter what.
Sadly it was that passion for winning that was ultimately his downfall.
The debate whether Rose gambled or not is in the past (though the specifics of how he bet are still in dispute). Even if - as Rose now claims (and we know what kind of credibility that has) - he only placed bets on his team to win, it still violated baseball's prime directive.
And as for those who will lump Rose in with those from the steroid era - stop. It's not the same thing. None of the juiced ballplayers (McGwire, Sosa, etc.) ever broke a baseball rule. There was no rule saying they couldn't use supplements. They did what they had to do to win and they should be in the Hall when their time comes up (see my comments about McGwire).
Bottom line, Pete broke the rule. You break the rule, you suffer the consequences.
Yes, I wrote that correctly.
Pete Rose is already in the Hall of Fame.
His accomplishments are recognized and memorabilia from his career is displayed. Depending on when you go you might also actually see a picture of him (probably sliding head first).
What he does not have is a plaque among the Hall of Famers. And this is the way it should be.
“Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible.”That is the rule that Rose violated. It is displayed in every single clubhouse at every single level of organized, affiliated baseball. And I don't mean displayed like the calorie chart of Whoppers at Burger King. It is displayed on signs large enough to see across the locker room.
In other words - if you ever set foot in a professional locker room, you should know this rule. How many times did Pete Rose see this rule? How many clubhouses did he walk into and out of in his career? He played or managed in 4,330 games in the majors. Add in minor league games, exhibitions, spring trainings, practices, etc. - you have to figure Rose walked past this sign at least 6,000 times in his life.
He knew what the rule was - and he knew the consequences of violating that rule.
It's not a temporary ban. It's not a suspension. It says permanently ineligible.
Rose was an amazing player. Was he the greatest at any specific position? Hardly. But he was outstanding at 5 different positions. And he played the game with more heart and passion than maybe anyone in the history of the game. He wanted to win all the time no matter what.
Sadly it was that passion for winning that was ultimately his downfall.
The debate whether Rose gambled or not is in the past (though the specifics of how he bet are still in dispute). Even if - as Rose now claims (and we know what kind of credibility that has) - he only placed bets on his team to win, it still violated baseball's prime directive.
And as for those who will lump Rose in with those from the steroid era - stop. It's not the same thing. None of the juiced ballplayers (McGwire, Sosa, etc.) ever broke a baseball rule. There was no rule saying they couldn't use supplements. They did what they had to do to win and they should be in the Hall when their time comes up (see my comments about McGwire).
Bottom line, Pete broke the rule. You break the rule, you suffer the consequences.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Derek Lowe got his money and his fourth year. I guess it's hard to give a 35 year old a fourth year, thing stend not to work out (cough, Pedro) with that fourth year, but on the other hand it's the price of doing business these days. The old one stupid owner theory.
So I'd like to be mad and throw things but I get it.
So we're back to Oliver Perez. Guess who represents him. Guess who knows the Mets really need starters. How much do you think a 27 year old left-hander is going to cost now? Ollie, you can buy lunch.
What are the Mets going to do, say no? Tim Redding is a fifth starter....they need a four, and by four I don't mean Four Inning Pedro.
This Randy Wolf fellow intrigues me. He used to be pretty good back when with the Phillies before the Tommy John surgery. He might be worth a gamble.
..
Morgan Stanley Stadium in 2010? Is there a single person out there who thinks the present Name Which Shall Not Be Said (until they stop using taxpayer money to name ballparks) will last 20 years? The Washington Post printed the following:
I may have to start my own Pantheon Of The Famous and invite Rose, Bonds, McGwire & Sosa to be in the inaugural class.
Finally, The Times says you can still get premium seats at Yankee III. 20 games will only set you back seven grand.
www.metspolice.com
So I'd like to be mad and throw things but I get it.
So we're back to Oliver Perez. Guess who represents him. Guess who knows the Mets really need starters. How much do you think a 27 year old left-hander is going to cost now? Ollie, you can buy lunch.
What are the Mets going to do, say no? Tim Redding is a fifth starter....they need a four, and by four I don't mean Four Inning Pedro.
This Randy Wolf fellow intrigues me. He used to be pretty good back when with the Phillies before the Tommy John surgery. He might be worth a gamble.
..
Morgan Stanley Stadium in 2010? Is there a single person out there who thinks the present Name Which Shall Not Be Said (until they stop using taxpayer money to name ballparks) will last 20 years? The Washington Post printed the following:
"I think within 12 months, Citigroup no longer exists," said William Smith at Smith Asset Management, who owns Citigroup shares. He has been calling for a breakup of Citigroup for years, and believes the government will force that fate in piece-meal fashion over the coming year.The Boston Herald has a piece about Roger Clemens not making the Hall of Fame. Absurd. Like I said about Rose unless you're going to re-write the results book, Clemens is a Hall of Famer.
I may have to start my own Pantheon Of The Famous and invite Rose, Bonds, McGwire & Sosa to be in the inaugural class.
Finally, The Times says you can still get premium seats at Yankee III. 20 games will only set you back seven grand.
The Yankees have hired a division of a residential real estate brokerage, Prudential Douglas Elliman, to help sell unsold premium seats and luxury boxes at their new stadium.
www.metspolice.com
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Hall of Fame voting results were announced this afternoon and once again, the members of the BBWAA have shown that they are a bunch of hypocrites. Ricky Henderson – a man with amazing talent that was from time to time berated by the media for being an egomaniac – and Jim Rice – one of the most feared hitters on the field yet hated by media off the field – were both elected to the Hall.
Yet Mark McGwire – who for several years was the media’s darling; who broke Roger Maris’ homerun record; who was held up as a great American in papers across the country; who hit over 500 homeruns; and who did nothing against the rules of baseball was yet again snubbed by the same writers that held him aloft just 10 years ago.
I give credit to the 118 writers who did vote for McGwire this year – and have to wonder about the 10 who voted for him last year and did not vote for him this year. In many ways they are even worse hypocrites than the rest of this sorry lot.www.metspolice.com
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Back Back Back opens tonight at the Manhattan Theater Club.
Don't forget that nobody knew these guys were on steroids. You couldn't tell. Also Sammy Sosa of the Cubs got a ticker-tape parade in New York City for hitting the second most home runs ever. Disgrace.
The play is a fictionalized inquiry into the strange saga of former Oakland A's teammates Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. The daring and talented playwright tosses in a third teammate, the lesser known shortstop Walt Weiss, as a pretty good device to get some of his own points across.Read more here.
Don't forget that nobody knew these guys were on steroids. You couldn't tell. Also Sammy Sosa of the Cubs got a ticker-tape parade in New York City for hitting the second most home runs ever. Disgrace.
