I've been trying to figure out a gateway back into blogging at least semi-consistently in 2012 and I think I found a way to at least get the first blog entry of the year off my back.
I want to start recording my MLB Hall of Fame voting every year so that I know how I compare to what the baseball writers are doing over the years. Next year I plan to do this before the results are released.
Personally, I am over the steroid stuff.
I believe what the players did was absolutely wrong, but I also think that MLB failed (at least on some levels) to have policies in place at the time and that keeping a guy like McGwire out of the Hall is doing more of a disservice to the game of baseball than letting him in does.
This has been a fairly significant change in philosophy for me over the years.
We can't ignore baseball history or pretend that the power hitters of the '90s and early '00s never existed. And when suspicion alone, even when there is not even remote evidence of proof (like in Bagwell's case) is going to keep players out then it turns into a catastrophic issue for the game of baseball and what the hall of fame represents. Right now, baseball writers are delusional and have more fear that they will put a guy in that used (learning after the fact) than they are about getting the voting right.
My 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (up to 10 allowed)
Jeff Bagwell
Barry Larkin
Fred McGriff (see Just missed my ballot below...this is a sentimental vote)
Mark McGwire
Rafael Palmeiro
Just missed my ballot (it's not the Hall of the Really Really Good it's the Hall of Fame)
Jack Morris
Tim Raines
Alan Trammel
Click here for the actual 2012 Hall of Fame voting results
