So they put him in with a failed drug test but not other far superior players without a failed drug test. The shear hypocrisy of baseball hall of fame voters never ceases to amaze.
False.
I mean what is false there, Ortiz admitted he failed a test but then blamed supplements and vitamins. Pretty classic excuse for failed test takers. Then of course there is the less direct stuff like the DEA investigation into a Dominican drug lord connected to Ortiz, the failed assisnation attempt by a different Dominican drug lord, and a whole host of other seedy stuff.
I have no issue with Ortiz in the HOF, but onky after far superior players like Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, McGuire, etc. The hypocrisy of putting him in and not those others just taints the Hall. It is just nonsense and every single person that failed to vote for Bonds and Clemens should have their vote revoked, especially if they voted for an inferior failed drug test player like Ortiz. The hypocrisy is disgusting.
There is no way Sosa and McGuire were better than Ortiz. However, I do agree that Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, and McGuire should have been elected in the HOF. The BBWAA shouldn’t be the only factor in determining who gets into the HOF for the first 10 years of eligibility. I know there’s the veterans committee after the 10 years, but the honor at that point is almost a backhanded compliment. How can the same BBWAA not elect Clemens, Bonds, etc, but elect Bud Selig in 2017? He was the commissioner of MLB when the steroid/PED era took place. The game was very popular during that time, especially during the McGuire/Sosa home run chase. The members of the BBWAA probably made more money too because of the increased coverage to do TV and radio segments, in addition to their writing responsibilities.
Bud Selig, and everyone involved with the MLB had to know of the rampant steroid/PED use, but did nothing about it because they were all making more money. Even the members of the BBWAA had to know, because it was pretty obvious as a viewer, especially when someone like Brady Anderson could suddenly hit 50 home runs. If it wasn’t for one sports writer asking Mark McGuire about a bottle in his locker, the scandal may have never broke.
BTW, I know steroids/PED’s are a big part of the conversation, especially since it’s linked to why players like Clemens and Bonds weren’t elected. However, I also don’t think we should lose sight of what Ortiz accomplished that made him worthy of being elected into the HOF either. As a Red Sox fan, I will never forget that 2004 season, especially that 7 game series against the Yankees. After the Boston marathon bombing, Ortiz gave opening remarks before the team’s first game back from the incident, where he said “This is our f’n city”. There was also the World Series that year, where Ortiz was unstoppable against St. Louis. I’m sure there are countless stories people have from not only watching him play, but meeting him, or even his charitable contributions. Heck the guy is still a huge Red Sox ambassador now, during his pre and post-game shows.