Mark McGwire Hall of Fame?

I set that place up on fire, as they came out, batted their heads like I was Mark McGuire.  I’m in the darkness.  -Insane Clown Posse

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go.  We all know.  We all know by now Big Mac tops the list of first-time Hall of Fame candidates on the 2007 ballot.  We all know by now this is a precedent setting vote.  We all know this year’s voters are going to be put under the microscope more than ever before.  They will be under the microscope now that the first cat from the steroid era stands before St. Peter awaiting judgment.  Awaiting judgment for entrance through the Pearly Gates.  Does Joe Cowley get to vote?  Let’s hope not.  Anyway.  Big Mac.  In or out?  It’s a tough one.  Our guts say absofrickalutely not!  It’s not that easy folks.  Let’s look at this rationally, by the book.  Shall we?      

Voting shall be based upon:

1.  The player’s record:  Ok, let’s have a look.  His flashy career home-run total stands out there.  583, seventh overall.  His career slugging percentage, .588 ranks 10th all time.  American League’s Rookie of the Year in 1987.  Proving he can flash the leather a little bit:  One Gold Glove at first base.  12-time All-Star.  Three Silver Slugger Awards.  Here’s a stat for you:  Career Leaders for At Bats per Home Run.  Big Mac ranks first.  Ahead of Ruth.  Ahead of Bonds.  We’re all aware of the number 70.  As in the first player in major-league history to hit 70 bombs in one season.  And there you have it.  A big bopper with a decent glove.  That’s what it comes down to. 

Make no mistakes.  Mark McGwire was a top tier player.   There were plenty of top tier players during his era.  A lot of those cats played at a higher level for longer period of time than he did.  The only thing that set McGwire apart was his proficiency for the long ball.  That didn’t help Dave Kingman.  I’m here to tell you Don Mattingly, Jim Rice, and Steve Garvey belong in the Hall long before Big Mac.  But going by player’s record alone, McGuire deserves serious consideration.

2.  Integrity, Sportsmanship and Character:  This is where it all gets kooky.  What does all that mean?  Was Ty Cobb a good sportsman?  Was Wade Boggs a man of good character?  See Margo Adams.  Did everybody’s favorite player, the jolly Kirby Puckett show integrity when he was pissing in parking lots, or worse, tried to strangle his wife with an electrical cord, locked her in the basement and used a power saw to cut through a door after she had locked herself in a room?  Once, she said, he even put a cocked gun to her head while she was holding their young daughter.  What are we really saying? 

Is the question did he cheat or not?  Is that it?  If it is, we need to consider some things.  Whitey Ford, Don Sutton, Rollie Fingers and Gaylord Perry cheated by scuffing balls.  George Brett used an awful lot of pine tar.  Willie Stargell blew coke before games.  The Say Hey Kid and The Hammer took speed before games.  The Babe used a corked bat.   Richie Ashburn sculpted the third base line to ensure his expertise at dropping dying bunts up that line didn’t bump into foul territory.  To be fair, Big Mac never tested positive for steroid use.  Andro was not a banned substance.  Sure his head grew bigger than Jason Kidd’s son’s, but still.  During his playing days, Major League Baseball did not have policies and testing procedures to discourage steroid abuse. 

Like Big Bad Buster Olney always says:  “The only real difference between McGwire and many of his baseball superstar peers is that it was McGwire who got the subpoena for the March 17, 2005 congressional hearing, and they didn’t. Imagine if Superstar X, or Superstar Y, or Superstar Z had gotten that subpoena, instead of McGwire.  Those guys would have been hemming and hawing and giving the same non-answers that McGwire and Sosa did.  So I’m supposed to withhold my vote on some guys I suspect of using steroids, but not all of them?  How do I do that, in good conscience?  Because I think I probably know who took steroids?”  And know this, if you refuse McGwire due to integrity, sportsmanship and character, be prepared to refuse Bonds and the Rocket.

3.  Contributions to the team(s) on which the player played:  For everything Big Mac was, I’ll tell you what he was not.  He was not a team leader.  He was not respected by his teammates.  He was not big game player.  In the postseason he batted just .217 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 42 games. His World Series batting average is .188.

Based on the speculation of steroid use, my gut says no way does this guy get in.  However, that is not the reason he should be kept out.  He should be kept out because his play on the field does merit induction.  Period.

Public Knowledge:

1.  The Red Sox have made an offer to pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka that Boston president Larry Lucchino describes as “fair” and “comprehensive.”  What does that mean?  How much?  C’mon, tell us.  It couldn’t be more ridiculous than the money Gary Matthews Jr. got?  Could it?  I mean that cat was a .249 hitter coming into this season. He’s 32.  He’s been picked up off of waivers three times I know of.  He’s been cut once. He was almost traded straight-up for Tony Graffanino.  Now he gets five years and $55 million from the Angels?  Lordy, lordy, lordy.

2.  Manny to SF?  Could be.  At this point though, with all the money being thrown around, isn’t Manny’s contract a bargain at this point?   Not for nothing, please no JD Drew.  If you thought the nickname DL Drew was bad, his Dodger teammates called him “Nancy Drew.”  Egads, we’re in trouble.  The last time I heard that nickname, Butch from the Cape was using it for Bledsoe.  Egads, we’re in trouble.  Food for thought.  Mark Teixeira.  I’ve heard that name being murmured about. 

3.  Junior Seau.   I’m gonna miss him. I loved the fact he was a Patriot.  He played great, fit in like he was here for years.  I would’ve loved to see him to play for a ring.  Not for nothing, Brady’s deek on Brian Urlacher goes down as my favorite play by a Patriot.  Doug Flutie’s pooch kick not-with-standing.   Sam Bam’s goal line dives not-with-standing.  Richard Seymor is the best defensive player in the league.  And he’s playing hurt.

4.  Running back Priest Holmes will not return to the Chiefs this season.  However, Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson said Holmes hopes to return for the 2007 season.  OK, a couple of things.  A) I didn’t know he was even trying to come back.  Thought he was done.  B)  There was a time there, I thought he was going to be the greatest running back ever.  Remember 2003?  Remember he rumbled and stumbled for 1,420 yards?  Remember he set the record with 27 touchdowns?  I do.  Now I think LaDainian is going to be the greatest running back ever.

5.  The Charlotte Bobcats added depth to their backcourt Tuesday by signing veteran swingman Derek Anderson.  I thought he was Charlie Frye’s back-up in Cleveland.  Hmmm. 

6.   The Big Tuna cut inconsistent kicker Mike Vanderjagt.  I’m psyched.  Wanna know why?  Sure you do.  They signed my boy Automatica.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m a big Go Go Gostkowski guy, but when the Pats cut Martin Gramatica, I was forlorn.  I really wanted to say Automatica a bunch of times.  Now, thanks to the Tuna, I can.  Thank you Bill.

7.  News Flash.  D-Wade had 33 points and 13 dimes last night.  D-Wade had 35 points and 12 dimes Saturday.  D-Wade had 33 points and 15 dimes Friday.  Yowza baby, yowza!  Only three other players in history have had at least 30 points and a dozen dimes in three straight games: The Big-O did it four times.  My boy, Nate Tiny Archibald did it once; and Kevin Johnson did it for the Suns back in ’89.  Just a couple things here.  I can’t imagine how big the Big-O would have been if he didn’t toil away in the city that made Schlitz famous.  And, in 1973, Tiny led the league in both scoring and assists.  Holy cow!

8.  I guess Shaun Alexander’s back, huh?  40 carries.  201 yards.  Yup, he’s back.  Fantasy owners and Seahawk fans alike could’ve lived with him coming back sooner.  You can’t have everything.

9.  Paris Hilton’s baby daddy boyfriend led the league this week in passing yards with 405.  It’s the first time that a rookie led the league in passing for a week since 1997, when Jake Plummer threw for 337.  That’s not so encouraging.  The Snake just got did Old Yeller style.  I like Mighty Vince Young surpassing John Elway for the biggest comeback by a rookie.  Now that’s encouraging.

10.  A Tale of One City.  Who has less control of his team, Tom Coughlin or Zeke?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

11.  The Celtics looking to get Pau Gasol.  I like it.  With a couple of caveats.  Don’t give up the Truth.  That just defeats its own purpose.  Raging Bull style.  Also, do not trade that draft pick under any circumstances.  This draft is packed.  Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, Julian Wright, Joakim Noah, Bill Walker, Brandon Wright, Chase Budinger, Josh McRoberts, Darrell Arthur, and Al Horford. I’ll take any one of those cats.

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

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