HALL OF FAME 2013

Starting in 2014, the hall of fame election process should include a review/grievance committee whose sole purpose is to evaluate the careers and statistics of the players who played in the steroid era.

January 18, 2013

The steroid era is the most difficult era to put in perspective. While the performance enhancement drug use was widespread, we know not all of the users. And while the users experienced a clear performance enhancement, we know not exactly to what extent. We know that the era is filled with inflated numbers but judging those numbers is a difficult and perhaps an impossible task. Measuring inflated statistics against the truer statistics of predecessor eras is unfair. Measuring the cheaters against other cheaters or suspected cheaters seems inherently wrong. Crowning a “king” of the cheaters seems clearly inimical to the standards and integrity of the game. But should all be punished? Should those admitted cheaters who would have gained admission anyway by virtue of their pre-steroid numbers and accomplishments be elected?

Many baseball fans feel quite strongly that known and/or admitted cheaters should be disqualified from the Hall as their election makes a mockery of the standards and ideals of the game. While we recognize that some of these players undoubtedly were great even absent steroid use, the ideals of baseball must transcend and supersede the individual. Cheating cannot be countenanced and ideals must be preserved for future generations. We also think that those who are suspected of cheating must be put through a process of high scrutiny.

The traditional process of electing players to the Hall of Fame has worked very well, but dealing with the steroid era is perhaps the most difficult task the baseball writers will ever encounter. At baseballsgreatesthitters.com we feel a review committee/grievance committee needs to be set up to overlook the election process.

Mike Piazza, arguably the greatest hitting catcher in baseball history is a first ballot Hall of Fame player, but in his first year of eligibility only received 57.8% of the vote .It is obvious a good number of the writers “felt” Piazza cheated and did not vote for him.The message was simple – taking steroids and putting up inflated statistics will not be tolerated and “cheaters” will not be elected. The steroid era is the most difficult era to put in perspective.As previously stated, while the performance enhancement use was widespread, we do not know all of the users. Since the era is filled with inflated numbers,and no one is certain who used and who didn’t, perhaps the traditional way of electing players to the Hall of Fame needs some “help.”

Using the new system we are suggesting the Hall of Fame to put into use, Mike Piazza would have 10 days to go to a committee, plead his case and explain that he had a clean career and BBWAA got it wrong. The committee would then meet with a committee of baseball writers to try to get it right Another example is Fred McGriff (20.7%), who has Hall of Fame numbers or at least border-line numbers, who could also make a case since his stats as a clean player don’t measure up to the stats of the players who used PED’s.

The review/grievance committee would be set with approximately 15 members to include Hall of Fame members, retired players, and members of the media. The BBWAA committee would also be set up with writers who covered baseball both before the steroid era as well as writers of the steroid era, which would present a balanced mix. To tie it up, basically electing players to the Hall of Fame remains the same, but in 2014 the review/grievance committee will be added to help with the difficulty of dealing with the steroid era.

We feel our patented home run curve can be an asset in analyzing a players statistics from this complicated era since the home run statistic has been the center of attention. At www.baseballsgreatesthitters.com we feel a review committee/grievance committee needs to be set immediatelly to overlook the election process. We also feel very confident that our patented home run curve accurately levels the playing field when comparing the statistics of players of all eras.

Though our system does give an accurate rating of the all-time greats of all eras,we cannot change how many baseball fans will view the tainted accomplishments of this era,and most importantly, how they will look back at the players, they felt,cheated this great game.and it’s rich history.

What do you think? Please share your comments…