Big Mac staying home in 2007?

[mr.miracle]

If Pete Rose cheated I certainly hope he did not do so with steroids because he is by no means a ringing endorsement for what steroids can do for power hitters. I doubt that Steroids Are Us is looking to sign Pete to a contract as a spokesman for the benefits of their product.

Brett

[ironmanfan]

Pete Roses' name has never even appeared on a HOF Ballot. The writer's couldn't vote for him even if they wanted to (which I don't think very many would anyway).

[ham1963]

One thing for sure we never saw a major changes in Rose's body unlike a particular SF. Giants outfielder. Plus I dont think that Pete had the money to spend on roids after paying for his gambling debts

[cjmedina1]

If I had a vote I would vote yes.What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty? The only way I see a voter not voting him in is if theres hard core evidence that proves he infact did take steriods.The people who are voting for the HOF need to put hands over their eyes and just listen to what Mr. Mcgwire had accomplish.The first thing they would probally say is I what to see his accomplishments for them selves.Baseball can do that.What baseball can not do is prove to the HOF voters that Mr Mcgwire did take steriods.The only thing they can show is a book from The other bash brother and a tape from congress.

On a side note if these voters are voting on hear say and not hard evidence that they can see,They all need to be on jury trials here in CA.Maybe we will have less predators and murders here in the public

[R. C. Walker]

What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty? The only way I see a voter not voting him in is if theres hard core evidence that proves he infact did take steriods.

McGwire was on a performance enhancing drug (or if you prefer, supplement) Androstenedione. It was in his locker for all to see. Including the ones that vote for the HOF: The Baseball Writers of America.

Andro was not banned by baseball at that time, yet I believe voters will not vote for McGwire due to the cheating aspect towards the game.

[cjmedina1]

McGwire was on a performance enhancing drug (or if you prefer, supplement) Androstenedione. It was in his locker for all to see. Including the ones that vote for the HOF: The Baseball Writers of America.

Andro was not banned by baseball at that time, yet I believe voters will not vote for McGwire due to the cheating aspect towards the game.

Andro was not banned by baseball at that time.Well when was it.If Mcgwire taking this after it was banned then yes not a first ballot HOF and not a HOF period.But infact he was taking Andro when it was not banned by BASEBALL or the GOVERMENT.So wheres the fault?He was just going about the rules that was in front of him.I can not say as to why he stop taking Andro.Maybe some one can shed some light on this

[mr.miracle]

If memory serves me correctly, the Andro was discovered in McGwires locker deep into the 1998 season when he and Sosa were pursuing Maris's single season record. Whether or not he wanted it discovered is a matter of some debate but that is another story. After it was discovered, I know there was some negative press directed toward Big Mac. At the time, Andro was perfectly legal in baseball and in the U.S. being sold over the counter at GNC. There was some dispute over its long term health affects and the negative press was directed at McGwire over the fact that this was sending a bad message to young kids and young athletes. Shortly thereafter McGwire announced he would no longer use Andro. It was not banned by baseball or the Federal Government until several years later.

It basically boiled down to a public relations/image issue for him. That to the best of my knowledge is what happened with the Andro.

Bret

[sylbry]

If I had a vote I would vote yes.What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty?

Last time I checked the Hall of Fame voting process was not a court of law.

[staindsox]

Rose DID use greenies...and I don't care if "everyone" uses them. They are illegal and it is cheating. Besides this is apples and oranges. Be it placing bets from the manager's office for or against your own team or injecting illegal drugs into your body to cheat the record books, both should keep you out of the Hall. Neither deserves to hang in the same gallery as Matty, Ruth, Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Clemente, or Lou Gehrig. You don't go into the Hall on numbers alone. Keep Rose out...and every juicer with him.

[mr.miracle]

The thing with Big Mac using Andro is that anybody else who could get to GNC could do the same thing. Since it was not on the banned substance list and anybody could buy it over the counter at the time, that substance cannot be held against him anymore than a player using creatine, B12 or any other substance that can be bought at GNC.

The irony is that many people would probably wonder about this entire era in sports anyway, but if not for Jose Canseco's book naming names and the subsequent fiasco in front of Congress where people did not want to talk about the past, others forgot how to speak English, others vehemently denied ever using steroids and were later found to have apparently lied, McGwire would probably be headed to the hall at this point.

I find it very, very difficult to simply dismiss the fact that Big Mac hit 583 homers for his career which would punch his ticket automatically under any other circumstances. If the voters are not going to put him in which still remains to be seen, then do they also deny Palmeiro, Sosa, Bonds etc. which using their standards would seem to be the case. Like him or not, until Bonds is definitively proven to have used a PED, I just don't see how he could be denied entrance with over 720 career homers and seven MVP awards. The next couple of years will prove to be very interesting as all of these issues are weighed by the voters.

Brett