Friday, February 27, 2009

The New Eight Men Out.

The New York Daily News had an interesting article the other day. They looked at the Hall Of Fame chances of 8 men, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Raphael Palmeiro, Gary Sheffield, and Ivan Rodriguez. The original eight men out were the members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox who conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to look at each of these 8 individually and voice my opinion on them. I will state now that I don't believe any of them deserve to be in the Hall. I will give my reasons when I discuss them.

The steroid era has given baseball a black eye. I have talked about it before and I am sure I will talk about it again. If they want to clean it up, and there is no indication that they do, the solution is simple. Get caught once, automatic 60 day suspension without pay. Get caught again, you're done. A lifetime ban. The Players Association will not allow that of course. At one time the Players Association was needed. Now they are ruining baseball. The players need to wake up and see just how fortunate they are. When someone like Manny Ramirez sneers at an offer of $25 million for one year, it makes you wonder what is going on in his head. Part of Manny's problem is his agent is the poster boy for excess, Scott Boras. There is no interest in Manny because Manny is only for himself. He can tear a team apart. The only team in baseball even remotely interested in him is the Dodgers. I would like to see them now tell him, Well since $25 million wasn't enough, we are no longer interested. Again, it probably won't happen but I would like to see it.
Al and Travis were both right. Spiders are invertebrates.

Today's question is Grade 2/Geography.

What city in Greece is known as the birthplace of democracy?

I had to guess on this, but I guessed right. 39-10.

1 comment:

Al Penwasser said...

Uh, Athens?
By the way,once again you are absolutely correct! Insert "union" for "Players' Association" and there you are.
As a Yankees fan (I know-groan), I am most distressed about ARod, Pettitte, and other ex-Yankees (especially that toad, Clemens).
I agree with you that the only way these loads should get into the HOF is if they buy tickets (fear not-I don't think they'll get voted in).
Baseball really is killing the golden goose with crap like this. They are losing many many younger fans by other monkeyshines, too, such as holding playoff games at friggin night during the friggin week at the end of friggin October (sadly, it's all about the TV money).
I'm all for a 154 game schedule so we could start the playoffs earlier. What young fan can-or even want to-stay up till after midnight to watch ballplayers shiver?
Like Dennis Miller, I love the game but hate the business it has become.