The Baseball Writers Association of America announced Wednesday, Jan. 9 that they elected no candidates on this year’s ballot to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Several nominees, including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire, come from the age of baseball where steroid use rose and spread across the league. Eighteen first-time candidates will not return to the BBWAA ballot since they did not get at least five percent of the vote and one, Dale Murphy, was in his fifteenth and last year of eligibility.
The BBWAA sent a message throughout the baseball world that they will not enshrine any known steroid user in Cooperstown or any suspected users until proven clean. My feelings vary from player to player about whether their steroid use, proven or alleged, should keep them out of the Hall, but this is a good message to send to the upcoming candidates from the so-called “Steroids Era” of baseball, from the late 1980s (the first known uses recorded) to the late 2000s (expanded prohibited substances, Mitchell Report,
I thought at least two deserved first-ballot election. Mike Piazza, my favorite player from my childhood, hit more home runs than any other catcher in baseball history (427), had a .308 career batting average (also .308 for balls in play), 143 adjusted on-base plus slugging, stole 1,400 bases in his career (7th all-time among catchers) and had a .545 career slugging percentage.
Craig Biggio, who tallied the most votes, was one of 28 players in history to record 3,000 hits and one of 10 in the 3000 Club to stay with one team throughout his career (Houston Astros) as well as a .311 batting average on balls in play and ninth all-time ranking in power-speed (341.8; only five Hall of Famers rank higher). Biggio won five Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves. No one has proved either used steroids, though Piazza has come under suspicion as his numbers peaked during the Steroids Era.
Others do not deserve enshrinement now or ever. Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro either admitted to steroid use or reports linked them. Their numbers, though impressive at first glance, now come with the knowledge that they gained an illegal edge to put up their figures. The BBWAA stands on firm, righteous ground to not vote them in.
If they, as a whole, wanted to send a stronger message, these men would have fallen off the ballot. Any player who does not receive at least five percent of the vote does not ever come up for election again. Eighteen players, all first-time candidates, fell short of this requirement. It seems their steroid use will trend them downward over the next few elections. Palmeiro was on the ballot for the third time and took 8.8 percent of the vote compared to 11.0 percent his first time. Mark McGuire was on the ballot for the seventh time and took in 16.9 percent compared to 23.5 percent in his first ballot. Bonds garnered 36.2 percent of the vote and Sosa 12.5 percent.
Disappointing as it was, several deserving candidates will likely stay on for more elections to come until the BBWAA votes them in. They may have to wait beyond next year’s vote, though. Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Mike Mussina and Tom Glavine stand among potential first-ballot inductees next year. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado and Nomar Garciaparra come up for election in 2015. Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner and Ken Griffey, Jr. will join the ballot in 2016. Edgar Renteria, Jorge Posada, Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Tejada, Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez and Ivan Rodriguez come in 2017.
If their year does not come next time, they may still join good company in the years to come. At present, the Hall cannot determine eligible first-ballot players for the 2018 election as players must have retired five years prior to consideration. Most of these players may end up in the Hall later if not elected in the first ballot. Do not panic because no one got in this time. They have more chances later and most, if not all of them, will get the place they earned in their careers, whether that place is in Cooperstown or as an example of products of the Steroid Era.
