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Palmeiro for
the Hall -- still?
How many of Raffy's home runs would have been long fly-outs if it had not been for steroids?
How many line drive base hits would have been outs?
Surely, the Hall of Fame is not based on character, as you have pointed out.
But when someone uses steroids to enhance their game, they are essentially committing an act of fraud that directly impacts the game itself.
I have heard the argument that steroids don't help you make contact with the ball. Maybe that's true.
But if you are that much stronger, don't you think it helps your bat speed?
And as I said, how much harder and further can you hit a baseball?
Even if the increase is only five percent more distance, that means a three hundred ten foot fly out is now a 325-foot homer.
How many home runs would Aaron, Mays, or Ruth hit if they had taken steroids?
Ask yourself one more question. If these players didn't know that steroids would improve their performance, if they didn't know steroids could help make, improve, or prolong their careers, why would they take them?
Maybe Raffy's career would have been over five years ago if he hadn't helped himself with steroids.
But he still belongs in the Hall of Fame in spite of all that???
Andy Griglock
From the Bench/
Palmeiro article
Dear Mr. Mesh, I enjoyed your "Despite suspension, Palmeiro belongs in the Hall" column.
Thank you for your support of Jim Rice's candidacy. I'm an ardent supporter of Rice's HOF candidacy.
I'm glad the whole steroid thing was exposed. It's the icing on the cake of proof that baseball stats were a sham the last 15 years or so.
Did you know that during a 10 year span (1975-85), Rice led the entire major leagues in homers, RBIs, runs scored, slugging and extra base hits?
Now that's dominating an era! (HOF criteria I believe).
Rice was also a better left fielder than most people give him credit for (he should have won a gold glove in 1983).
Rice and Gil Hodges have received the most HOF votes without getting elected. Rice even got more votes than Gary Carter twice and Carter's in!
Anyway, I believe that if Rice played in the era of steroids, corked bats, juiced balls, short porches and expansion pitching, his numbers would be much higher than his already impressive stats. I think people are finally starting to realize that.
If you get the time, check out the Jim Rice for HOF website.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Garrett Squires