This past weekend baseball held its Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This year two of the classiest and purist players ever to play were the new inductees, Tony Gwyn and Cal Ripken Jr. Both of these players showed hard work during their long careers, and were both loyal to the organizations that brought them up. These players were more than eligible to be inducted.
With the recent steroid scandal hovering over Major League Baseball, many players with Hall of Fame caliber numbers may not get into the Hall of Fame because with the speculation of these players using performance enhancing drugs during their careers. These players include Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, and the player to be debated, Sammy Sosa.
Sammy Sosa is a difficult player to determine whether or not to be in the Hall of Fame because he has never been tested positive for steroid use. However, during the congressional hearing, involving Major League Players, Sosa spoke through an interpreter which was something he had never done when speaking to the media. This was considered a cowardly and questionable move. Below are some bullet point reasons whether or not Sosa should be a Hall of Famer.
Reasons to be in the Hall of Fame:
- Only player in MLB history to hit more than 60 HRs three seasons.
- Has over 600 career HRs
- 1998 NL MVP
Reasons Not to be in the Hall of Fame:
- Used a corked bat in 2003
- Walked out on team in 2004
- No other great stats other than HRs
- Spoke through an interpreter at Congressional Hearings
4 comments:
If you keep one cheater out of the HOF (Rose) then you should keep them all out - Sosa, Bonds, Mark M., and Palmero.
Not sure if you can call rose a cheater. Slimeball, sure. Liar, ok. Degenerate gambler, yep. "Biggest black eye ever"? Priceless.
Sosa has never tested positive for steroids, that should not hold him back, however he did use an illegal bat, so is that enough to keep him out of the HOF, I don't think so.
Brad - agree, corked bat not enough to keep him out.
I do believe that using illegal drugs to enhance performance is cheating - so, if you do let Bonds, Sosa and the clear and cream gang in, would it be out of question to put an * on their plaque stating that they used illegal strength enhancing drugs that may have aided in their accomplishments??
I don't know, I just hope that an Albert Pujols, A-Rod, Prince Fielder can stay with the game long enough to put these tainted players in the rear view mirror.
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