Bleacher Bums Forum

Royals sign Miguel Tejada for 1 year, $1.1 million.  Kind of surprising to see him coming back to a guaranteed contract after he was so terrible in 2011 and didn't play in 2012. 

Brett Myers signs with the Indians.

JP Howell signs with the Dodgers.  He was the most recent potential LH reliever the Cubs were looking at.

There is a report this morning that the Hall of Fame lost $2.08 million in 2011.  And it's starting to look like no one on the ballot is going in this year, which would result in the HOF losing out on its best weekend of the year this summer.  The BBWAA and Veteran's Committee have been trying their hardest to make the Hall irrelevant for years now, and it looks like they're succeeding in their attempts.

The steroid era has complicated things for the HOF voting, obviously.  I think there are legitimate cases to be made for and against excluding even guys like Bonds and Clemens.  But if any of those guys do go in, I don't see how the line can be drawn to exclude others like McGwire and Sosa.

We won't really know until the announcement on Wednesday, but the speculation seems to be that only Biggio has a chance to make it.  Well, Jack Morris too--which is on a whole different level of inanity, because he might not even be in the top 20 in my mind.

I agree with you, though...there are no less than six no brainers: Bonds, Clemens, Bagwell, Biggio, Piazza, Raines.  There are five more I would definitely want on my ballot: Trammell, Sosa, McGwire, Schilling, Martinez (and really, I don't see a reasonable argument against anyone but maybe Sosa and McGwire here).  I'm on the fence on Lofton, Walker, and Palmeiro, and McGriff, but I'd lean towards at least Walker and Lofton  being deserving.  I understand the cases for Murphy and Mattingly since they did have a HOF quality peak (but not much else).  That makes 17 guys who I wouldn't have issue with going in.

That doesn't even account for the significant support Morris and Smith get, even though I don't think they're particularly close to being deserving.  And if Morris is ultimately inducted, he's 22nd in Baseball Reference's career WAR among players who are currently on the ballot...so by that standard, there's an argument (albeit a pretty weak one) for the other four guys who compiled a higher WAR than him: David Wells, Bernie Williams, Steve Finley, and Julio Franco.

Bottom line...if no one goes in this year, it's just another sign that the HOF is past it's usefulness as anything other than a place to see a few baseball novelties and oddities.  It certainly is no longer about honoring the best of the best.  If just Morris goes in, that might be even worse.

The steroid era has complicated things for the HOF voting, obviously.  I think there are legitimate cases to be made for and against excluding even guys like Bonds and Clemens.  But if any of those guys do go in, I don't see how the line can be drawn to exclude others like McGwire and Sosa.

If Bonds had retired before he started using PEDs, he still would have had 2 MVPs and a HOF career.  You might have a similar argument for Clemens.  You can't make the same case for Sosa or McGwire (assuming that they were both using and that Sosa started using right before his 98 season).

I can see someone opposed to allowing into the HOF those who had great performances after taking PEDs and still supporting Clemens and Bonds.  I can't see someone very bothered by PEDs and possibly thinking performance enhanced seasons should be discounted or ignored supporting McGwuire or Sosa.