Hypocrites

The Baseball Writers Association of America today voted Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The honors are well deserved for both men, who I was fortunate enough to see play in person during the height of their careers. I also saw Mark McGwire play in person. But, the BBWAA did not see fit to put McGwire into the Hall.

The BBWAA members make their living by writing about the stars of the game. In 1998 when McGwire broke Roger Maris' single season home run mark, they mobbed the guy wherever he went. Many say he revived the game after the strike of 1994 and his home run battle with Sammy Sosa for National League supremacy brought thousands of fans back to the game. These same writers praised McGwire for his brilliant athletic feats and monstrous home-runs. They devoted pages of ink to his accomplishments in 1998 and for several years after that. But today these asses turned their back on him. Only 25 percent of these same writers thought he deserved to be in the Hall. What two faced hypocrites!

The same man they praised nine years ago was rejected by this group today. Why you ask? Well it appears to me the bottom line is these arrogant asses decided Mark's homers were tainted by steroids. I agree that steroids are a detriment to the game, but the substance McGwire openly admitted to taking was legal. So what's the problem BBWAA? Their problem is they are now holding players to a higher standard of conduct and have in some cases ignored the player's achievements. In this case they have found McGwire guilty without a judge, trial or jury. I heard one of these "experts" interviewed this afternoon. He claimed that McGwire was only "one dimensional". What??? Tony Gwynn made his living by being a single and doubles hitter (and one of the best I have ever seen). Isn't that a bit one dimensional?

McGwire hit 587 home runs, which when he was retired, was in the top ten of all players to ever put on a major league uniform. That number in itself is good for admission. But, these losers in the BBWAA don't want him in their club. With only 25 percent of the members voting for him this year it is doubtful he will ever make the Hall of Fame. And that is a shame. But, what's worse is these members of the writers group have put themselves above the game. And that is a bigger shame.