Smartasses of the world unite!!

Generally a smartass and believer in the Twainism that Against the assualt of laughter, nothing can stand. Mission: mock bigotry, narcisism, and ignorance. This is a collection of thoughts on baseball, politics, economics, and occasional other things.

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Monday, July 28, 2014

BBWAA - you're still full of shit

This weekend, thanks to the Baseball Writers Association of America, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox, and Joe Torre were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY.

It wasn't hard, and frankly I'm surprised the BBWAA didn't fuck it up. Seriously these were 5 no brainers. Maddux and Glavine won 300 games, multiple Cy Youngs, and World Series titles. Back of the napkin figures tell me these are the first of the 300 game winners inducted who spent their careers in 5 man rotations. Maddux was the pitcher of the 90s easily. Glavine, while never "The Guy" was always in the discussion. Frank Thomas is the only guy to hit .300,  hit 20 home runs, drive in 100 runs, walk 100 times 7 years running. If it weren't for Barry Bonds, and Ken Griffey Jr. he'd be the dominant hitter in the 90s. Joe Torre? All he did was win 4 World Series in 10 seasons in NY. Love or hate the Yankess, he was the guy at the helm. Tony LaRussa is a huge dick, but he's the best manager of this generation. Bobby Cox would be, if not for LaRussa. How do those guys not get inducted?

So, kudos to the Baseball writers for not screwing it up this year. But you know what? Barry Bonds should be in. So should Mark McGwire, and Roger Clemens. I've heard no compelling reason why they should not be. Steroids? Please. If PEDs were widespread (and they were), that means these guys put up staggering numbers against other juiced players. That's called an even playing field. If PEDs were never used, these guys would still have been among the best players of all time. But, to listen to the BBWAA , these guys by virtue of involvement have sullied the game, irreparably according to some.

If these players deserve not to be enshrined, then maybe some writers shouldn't be in the BBWAA. Writers who wrote glowingly of Clemens, Bonds, and McGwire in the 90s should lose their votes too. It's only right. These players were lionized in the heyday of their careers, and now they're pariahs by the same writers. So, all the writers that lauded the exploits of Barry's 73,McGwire's chase to 70 in 98, and Clemens' career of dominance should be expelled from voting. After all by heaping praise on the guys, who "clearly have sullied the game" and failing to call into question their exploits on the field as unnatural - it's not like steroids were only discovered after 1990 - they clearly don't know baseball well enough to vote on the Hall of Fame.

Sound stupid? You're right. It is stupid. It's as stupid as unofficially blackballing 3 guys who dominated their era.

So congratulations BBWAA for getting something obvious right. Too bad it's the only time you do.

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