Sad, sad McGwire

Oh, woe is he.

While ironman Cal Ripken Jr waxes on about how longevity and stamina deserves to be applauded and Tony "always with a smile on his face while hitting over .300 for an entire career" Gwynn shines on in consistency, but Mark McGwire isn't going to be enshrined this year.

Hopefully, he will be denied every year that he comes up to plate.

McGwire scored a vote on 128 of the 545 ballots. He needed 409 to get the requisite 75%. In comparision, Ripken and Gwynn both received over 97% of the votes.

Why the difference between the men? Easy answer, steroids...McGwire obviously used steroids, HGH, etc, while Ripken and Gwynn never tested positive. Additionally, Ripken and Gwynn didn't play baseball in a manner that raises suspicion...neither went on a record tearing homerun binge like Big Mac in the heady 1998 70 homer season.

So, let's address the latest theory: McGwire is being blackballed for one year, but will eventually be voted in. He has 583 HR which is seventh on the all-time list. Everyone around him (with Barry "Big Head" Bonds eventually joining the Hall when he decides to retire) is in the Hall. McGwire, according to many talking heads, will be in the hall in the next five years.

Should he? No. Why? McGwire was one of the most feared hitters in the 90's. His 1:10.6 HR to at bats ratio is the best all time...but here's the reason not to vote him in. All of his accomplishments came after his body ballooned up. As a rookie with the A's, McGwire had a lanky body type that quickly morphed after a dismal 91 season hitting only 22 HR. From 1989 - 1995, he wasn't a factor for the A's, having been diminished with injuries that limited him to 74 games in 1993 and 1994. Yet, as soon as he was healthy (and huge), he moved over the Cards and went insane. 1996, as a player who had never hit more than 40 HR in a season, took off for a MLB leading 52 HR, then 58 in 1997, and 70 in 1998. How does a player increase their homerun totals to that degree at the tail end of his career. His numbers before 1996 make him a good player to have in the lineup but definitely not HOF. Therefore, now big mac.

Compare Barry Bonds to understand the line. Barry was a HOF player before his insane blowup in HRs. He was a player with five tools, high average, excellent outfield defense, and several MVP quality seasons without seeing the physical evidence of outside medicinal help.

So, Mac, come clean, write a book, cash in, and enjoy the old timer's games. Congrats, Ripken and Gwynn, you earned it.