It's high time for the obscure baseball blogger, the voice of the fan rabble, to join the cocktail party courtiers in the big newsrooms and have his say in the Hall of Fame debate. If a Hall of Fame ballot would have shown up in the TO'LC mailroom, it would have been cast for Mark McGwire. In my view (and that of this blog's editorial board), Big Mac needs to be enshrined for his two all beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and sesame seed bun ... even if he did get help from the special sauce.
First, let me make clear that this is not a fawning encomium. I am no fan of Mark McGwire. Or the Cardinals. Or the Athletics. I didn't go to USC. I'm not Irish or redheaded. OK, during the historic pursuit of Maris, I was in attendance in Miami the night Big Mac pole-axed nos. 58 and 59, and that was a great personal baseball memory. But only a few days later, I also remember being PO'd at McGwire for publicly pressuring that poor grounds crew guy into giving up the #62 ball in exchange for a couple of bats, a jock-strap, and an autographed bottle of andro. [If I were that guy, I would have said, "Congratulations Mr. McGwire, I'm honored to meet you, and I suppose ‘for the love of the game' I should hand over this golden egg, but then again, I don't recall you choosing ‘the love of the game' over money during the last player's strike, or did I miss it? So if it's OK with you, I'm going to pay for my daughter's college education, and you'll have to somehow survive the years memorializing your historic achievement with a hat, uniform, spikes, bat, underoos, hundreds of front-page newspaper tributes suitable for framing, DVDs, radio call recordings, and probably a Krugarrand soon to be cast in the event's honor. Oh, you can still have the ball if you really want it. Due in no small amount to those "work stoppages" during which I had no job and the fans were left out in the cold, you make plenty of money. So I'll make sure you're on the formal invitation list. Next Tuesday. 10:00 am. Sotheby's. Smell ya' later."] No, my Hall vote for Big Mac would not be the subjective worship of an entranced fan.
If I betray any bias, it is my nature to be drawn to the contrarian position on any issue, like a moth to the flame. It appears that this is no exception.
My argument for a Big Mac plaque is a defense of the storied history of the game. What's that, you say? A defense of history? By promoting a man who shat all over it by cheating, by artificially inflating his numbers, by sullying Roger Maris and his legendary achievement? Yes, history. Hear me out.
The philosophy to which I'm subscribing takes the purely ontological view of baseball history. It is; it exists. For its own sake it is not to be parsed, debated, or judged, divided between "good" history and "bad" history, the latter to be discarded. I go yard, therefore I am. Thus, Mark McGwire - like many of his even more notable peers - must be enshrined because of the baseball history he created, regardless of how he created it. Because of the history to which he was a part.
Mark McGwire hit 583 home runs in major league baseball games. They counted. Every one. They still "count" - there are not projects underway to go back, scrub the records of the "tainted" dingers, and reverse the outcomes of those games, or seasons. He's seventh on the all-time list, a 4-time home run champion, a 4-time slugging percentage champion, a 12-time all-star. Disapprove of his methods, cast aspersions on the manner in which he is handling it now, but do not deny that McGwire is, objectively, existentially, one of the greatest sluggers the game has ever known. As baseball's all-time leader in home runs per at-bat, you can reasonably conclude that he was the most "dangerous" hitter ever.
He was a legend. His accomplishments on the field made him "famous," the subject of adulation, brought kids to their feet, caused adults to high-five, made memories and magazine covers. He made toes tingle, made fans squirm in anticipation, stopped conversation in sports bars. In 1998, he "saved baseball," or so it is said. What he did occupies a hallowed place in our mind's eye. It embodies the concept of history. So his plaque should hang in that hall of history.
The baseball Hall of Fame represents more than an honor to bestow upon an individual. It's larger than that; larger than one man. It's the museum of baseball, a hall for posterity. The poobahs have already denied enshrinement of (not to, of) Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader. Now McGwire. So how far do they take this? Barry Bonds, the likely all-time homerun king? Roger Clemens, arguably the greatest pitcher of all-time, who was recently put in the cross hairs of suspicion? What kind of history museum is it, indeed what kind of history can baseball claim, if it embarks on a course of simply pretending that these towering figures, these players who filled stadiums and thrilled cities, broke sacredly-held records and took curtain calls, defined the game for a generation, simply didn't exist? It's Orwellian, the kind of history Winston Smith was tasked to re-write in 1984's dystopia. The Hall of Fame is a building in New York, not the Ministry of Information in Oceania. The game's greats, and the moments they created, simply should not be flushed down a memory hole.
Yes, there are ways to draw distinctions among them. McGwire, apparently, owes his entire standing as an all-time great to an illegal substance. Bonds, by contrast, already sported sufficient credentials before he took his first ‘roid. We're sure about McGwire; only a little suspicious of Clemens. Perhaps they should set up a 'Roid Court in Cooperstown to try players, require them to seek acquittal before casting the plaque, or maybe they can plead out to a lesser offense and get a smaller model plaque, or one cast of aluminum. More seriously, perhaps there should be an artificial line of greatness that transcends cheating, one that would enshrine record-setters like Bonds, but make object lessons of his generational supporting cast, players like McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro. This is going to create some sticky debates. Its the course the "official" voters may very well choose - indeed it's one that George Vecsey seems to have charted in a recent NYT column. I won't lie down across a railroad track in protest if this is the way it bears out. But after reflection and internal debate, it's just not the way I would set the rules or treat my ballot.
I am sympathetic to the notion that rewarding scofflaws encourages the conduct in others. It weighs on my thinking, but doesn't ultimately tip the scales. I believe both interests can be adequately served. Punish the cheaters for their impudence in other ways. Ban them from actively participating in the game. Even black-mark their Hall of Fame plaques by noting their role in the steroid era and the controversy their inductions fueled, or create an exhibit in the Hall chronicling the era, casting a shadow on their juice-aided accomplishments. But let them in. Admit all history through the door. Let history be history. Don't just forget.
"The hypocrites are slandering the sacred halls of truth"
-- Geddy Lee
Not on my watch, Bubba. Truth rules. I say, a plaque for Big Mac.
Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
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Comments (14) Add A Comment
I still say McGwire was Dave Kingman on steroids, including the fame brought on by steroids. Both pitched for USC, both sucked at third, then moved to first undistinguished, both struck out a lot, and neither was good at anything but hitting homers, McGwire walked more, partially due to how devastating he was at the plate due to being on steroids, and hit for a higher average, partially because balls that would have been long outs if he wasn't on roids were caught. Kingman, by contrast, could steal a bag, and Kingman was so thin I can't imagine he was on roids.
I respect your reasoning due to the fame aspect, but I'd keep him out, at least for a while to see how well his numbers hold up over time. In 10 years, he might not be in the top ten homer list anymore. Plus, he's a dick, so let him wait.
andy spark
Sarasota, FL
Total Comments (12)
100% agree with this post. Mark McGwire was a monster at the plate and he never broke MLB rules. I don't care if what he did was immoral, that was his decision. If we are really that concerned about laws, every hockey player should be arrested for assault everytime they are penalized for slashing. If I could play in the Majors right now, I would do a hell of a lot worse than take steroids to get a competitive advantage...and don't give me the BS about the difference between professional sports and all of our professions. If you can honestly tell me that you never copied someone's homework or sneaked a peak at someone else's test in high school, then you may have a complaint...of course, you are also a liar.
BK
Total Comments (88)
If McGwire goes before Congress two years ago and says something resembling his own truth ('I played within the rules;' 'I'm not happy that other people got the wrong idea from me.' Something).then he's either elected to the Hall this week or he's on the cusp and getting in next year. This is the first time that a player's hall of fame eligibility is determined SOLELY by his off-the-field performance more than three years after he played his last game. If the bozo voters are keeping McGwire out for his (unproven) steroid use while playing and while steroid use was not specifically banned by baseball, then what do they do when, as Howard points out, Bonds comes up or Clemens or Sosa or the proven obfuscator Palmiero (3000 hits; 500 homers kids). And if they're keeping McGwire out because of his abyssmal performance in testifying in Congress, gee, those bozo voters are stupider than even I thought. And that's pretty stupid (and self-important) indeed.
McGwire had some bad years with the A's; he had some injured years with the A's. He was barely a first-baseman. (He was compared hilariously by Andy Spark above to the Big Donkey and if that ain't a negative, what is?) He had an undeserved (very undeserved) reputation as a warm and fuzzy guy because of his 'friendship' with Sosa and his decent response to the Maris family. I think the bozos are ticked off because he 'fooled' them and they didn't realize until he 'didn't come here to talk about the past.'
Last: I think TO'LC is way too smart to be a voter for the Hall of Fame.
bronxtale
Total Comments (116)
Andy Spark's comparison to Kingman sent me off to the stat books.
We would want to compare McGwire's years in '87-'92 (which were followed by two injury seasons, and then, starting in '95, what one could reasonably presume to be the roid years) against Kingman's full career to see if the comaprison holds water.
I see Andy's point, but I think it comes up a little short. First, McGwire's rookie year (49-118-.289) is about the same as Kingman's greatest year (which was something of an outlier, at least BA-wise). McGwire's sophomore season was better than most Kingman seasons. Then from '89-'91, it looks like McGwire had 3 Kong-like seasons, belting 94 HRs, but hitting .235, .231, and .201. However, closer inspection reveals OBPs of .339, .370,and .330, against Kingman's paltry lifetime OBP of .302. So even when the BA was down, Mac was taking walks. Then in '92, Mac came back with a huge year (42-104-.268), finishing 4th in the MVP voting.
Finally, while I'm not contending that McGwire was a glove wizard, he did win a gold one in 1990. Now, that's certainly unscientific. However, Kingman was such an unbelievable butcher in the field, even mediocrity gives McGwire a big leg up.
I don't think he's quite Kong on roids. But he certainly was not on track for the Hall without roids.
Howard Camerik
Weston, FL
Total Comments (123)
One other factor cutting AGAINST (before someone beats me to it). McGwire was simply horrible in post -season play. In 129 ABs, he managed 5 HRs, 14 RBIs, batted .217, and had an OPS of under .700.
In the two World Series' he lost, he was 4-for-31 with 1 HR. In the one he won, he was 5-for-17 with 0 HRs. In 48 total World Series ABs, he drove in 2 runs.
All together, now. Yecchh.
Howard Camerik
Weston, FL
Total Comments (123)
One last point I found interesting. Even in two of McGwire's "Kingman" years, he was placing in the MVP voting. IN 1990, when he batted .235, he finished as high as 11th.
Kingman's outlier year was 1979. He led the NL in OPS. He finished 11th in the MVP voting!! Is that even possible? Has there ever been a player who garnered less respect than Sky King? The following players finished ahead of him: Keith Hernandez, Willie Stargell, Dave Winfield, Larry Parrish, Ray Knight, Joe Niekro, Bruce Sutter, Kent Tekulve, and Dave Concepcion.
Howard Camerik
Weston, FL
Total Comments (123)
583 Home Runs + 70 Home Runs in one season = Hall of Fame!!!
The guy was a member of the MLB All-Century Team, but not good enough to be in the HoF???
BK
Total Comments (88)
Another sign of disrespect for Kingman was that he couldn't sign with anyone at the end of it and ended his career with a 35-home-run season, second highest in the league.
andy spark
Sarasota, FL
Total Comments (12)
Bronxtale: sothis is not the first time a player's HOF eligibility is in question for his off-field actions. Enter Pete Rose. Without opening too big of a controversy--and I will likely address this in my next blog--I am curious to know how many of you who want McGwire in the HOF would put Pete Rose in as well.
chicago al
Total Comments (336)
Enter Rose, indeed. But that's not what I said, or at least what I thought i meant to say. Rose was kept out for betting on baseball while he was managing the Reds. So that would count, in my opionion, as still on the field. McGwire's not being kept out, again in my opinion for what he did when was in uniform but what he did (and didn't say) when he was wearing a suit and "testifying" in Congess. And, my opinion is this: Rose does not belong anywhere in anything having to do with baseball after being found out as a pathetic, lying, gambling-on-baseball loser. That was against the rules every time he did it. He knew it; he lied about for about 15 years and finally owned up to what everyone knew when he decided to "write" his autobio.
McGwire using steroids or near-steroids was within the 'rules' when he played. So, yes, he could and probably should be elected to the Hall. And when I go to Cooperstown I can choose to ignore his presence. Al don't you think that if McGwire had actually said something, anything, in his congressional appearance that he would have gotten a lot more than 23 percent of the vote and been in line for election next year? I sure do.
bronxtale
Total Comments (116)
Ok, as much of a Andre Dawson and Dave Kingman fan that I am, I have to draw the line with the Kong. Dave was just horrible in the clutch, if you thought Dawson was bad at taking walks, check out Kong's stats. Dave Kingman might earn a place in my heart - but never, ever in the Hall.
krish
New Hartford, CT
Total Comments (405)
I don't think I've ever seen the words 'Dave Kingman fan' or 'Dave Kingman might earn a place in my heart' in one place EVER. The Big Donkey was the least missed big home run hitter there ever was. My fave Dave Kingman fact was that when there were 4 divisions, he played in all 4 in one season.
Arthur Pincus
Total Comments (783)
Let me just clean up the comments section here at TO'LC. Krish, nobody, absolutely nobody, was promoting Sky King for the Hall. His name was brought up to demonstrate Big Mac's ineligibility for the Hall, by submitting that he was similar to Kingman before he took up the juice. Players with a lifetime BA of .236, a lifetime OBP of .302, and a glove that makes Manny Ramirez seem like Mark Belanger do not get considered for the Hall.
Interesting Kingman fact: the Mets dealt him to the Padres for ... Bobby Valentine.
Howard Camerik
Weston, FL
Total Comments (123)
The same clarification about Kingman not belonging in the hall of fame applies to me, but I should add that Kingman played in a lesser-homer era, which may or may not make a difference in comparing the two. Anyway, it took about 8 years before another major leaguer equaled Kingman's 1979 total. McGwire's record-setting total wasn't topped in three. Thirty-something homers was enough to lead at least one of the leagues every year of Kingman's career except 1978, 79, and 80. No one's taken a league title with less than 40 since 92,
andy spark
Sarasota, FL
Total Comments (12)
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