I have no real problem with the two new Hall of Famers.
Ken Griffey was elected in his first year on the ballot. He received
99.32 percent of the vote, the highest total in history. Tom Seaver was
the all-time leader at 98.84 percent. Nolan Ryan (98.79 percent), Cal
Ripken Jr. (98.53 percent), and Ty Cobb (98.23 percent) round out the
top five.
Piazza, meanwhile, appeared on 83.0 percent of the
ballots. This was his fourth year on the ballot and his support
increased with each passing year. Piazza appeared on 57.8 percent of the
ballots in 2013, 62.2 percent in 2014, and 69.9 percent in 2015.
Seventy-five percent is needed for induction.
Griffey, now 46, was
the best and most exciting player in baseball for much of the 1990s. He
spent the vast majority of his career with the Mariners and Reds, and,
during his peak from 1991-98, Griffey hit .304/.386/.596 (157 OPS+)
while averaging 39 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and 110 RBI per season.
During
his 22-season career Griffey amassed 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. He
is sixth on the all-time home run list, trailing only Barry Bonds (762),
Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Alex Rodriguez (687), and Willie
Mays (660). Griffey is a career .284/.370/.538 (136 OPS+) hitter who
went 13 All-Star Games, including 11 consecutively from 1990-2000. He
was also the 1997 AL MVP.
Piazza was one of the greatest
power-hitting catchers in baseball history. He retired as a career
.308/.377/.545 (142 OPS+) hitter with 2,127 hits, 427 home runs, and
1,335 RBI. Piazza was a 12-time All-Star and ranks first among all
catchers in home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS+. He played the
majority of his 16-year career with the Dodgers and Mets.
The Hall voters continue to penalize alleged PED users such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. Under the strict reading of the Hall criteria, character is part of the selection process so many voters saying that using illegal performance enhancing substances lacks character or integrity to the game. Griffy and Piazza got into the Hall even though their was once a weak allegation whisper about them.
Now, many fans believe that baseball players have been using illicit substances since the beginning of time: abusing alcohol, tobacco products, uppers, pain killers, steroids, HGH, etc. And many of those abusers are in the Hall. On the other hand, this is a more enlightened time in the sport where branding, marketing and reputation are highly valued commodities.
Some proponents of letting everyone in the Hall say that Bonds, Clemens, Sosa and McGwire deserve to be in Cooperstown for their achievements. But, they are in the Hall by their various accomplishments in the official record books. It is the ultimate honor to have a plaque on the wall which is reserved for the best of the best. Until the vast majority of baseball writers change their opinion on the illegal PED era, many record breakers will have to stay on the outside with Pete Rose.
