Did McGwire deserve to be left out?

Answer 1

Sammy Sosa and Big Mac brought baseball back to life and Big Mac put up some good #'s. He should be in!!! Thats from a Cubs Fan

Answer 2

Okay, I'm sick of reading all of the answers about how he got "screwed" because people think he used steroids.

Honestly, McGwire's stats do not make him a Hall of Famer. The most comparable player to McGwire, statistically, in the Hall of Fame is Harmon Killebrew and no one will even try to put those two on the same level as far as skill and importance to the game.

McGwire will probably make the Hall of Fame somewhere down the line, but statistically he's probably not a Hall of Famer. He never won an MVP. He only won two Gold Gloves. He never won a batting title (his career average is only .263!). He won Rookie of the Year and he won a Lou Gerhig Memorial Award. He won one World Series.

The only thing on his entire baseball resume that stands out is the 583 HRs. For that I'm sure he'll make the Hall eventually, but come on people, this isn't some sort of conspiracy he just isn't a first-ballot HOFer when you consider the talented group of guys he was up against.

Answer 3

I think McGwire was shafted. I think the voters took it upon themselves to enforce a rule that didn't exist. I don't know if he did use steroids. I don't care. There was no ban on substances. And while MLB was thrilled to have all the money generated from the *historic home run competition between Sosa and McGwire, it came by turning a blind eye towards the possible illegal activities. So, they are putting a rule in and holding him accountable after the fact. It is a tragic event. But one that is in holding with the hypocrisy of MLB. It's also why I will never go to another game or buy another jersey.

Answer 4

To the people that said there was not anti steroid rule in baseball when he played, sorry but your wrong. They have had rules against steroid use in baseball for a long time the problem is no one paid attention to them until guys like McGwire and Bonds started gaining so much muscle late in there careers. As far as if he should have been left out, I think so but not because of the steroid allegations but because I think Gwynn and Ripken deserved it more, as well as a couple of other guys. You know Ripken was going to get in, he Mr. Baseball, and Gwynn is one of the best hitters of all time. McGwire will get in in the next couple of years.

Answer 5

In my opinion, no, he did not deserve to be left off.
In When Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were in the race to 61 Home Runs, baseball fans (and Sports Writers) loved it. They brought baseball back frm the abyss that it was in. Bud Selig and the rest of baseball new exactly what was going on and chose to do nothing about it until a certain ex-player wrote a "tell all" book.

Answer 6

Yeah, if they can let in obviously flawed human beings like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb they can overlook McGwire's faults. It's like some else here said, everyone looked the other way when it cam to doping back when McGwire and Sosa et al were tearing up the league. Now the same fans who were in denial then are all self-righteous about it and claim to be shocked and appalled.

Answer 7

I'm not a McGwire fan but no way. Even if he did take steroids they weren't illegal when he was playing they didn't test for him or nothing. What's next not letting someone in who has the most hits ever (Pete Rose) ahh they already did that next will be not to let the home run king in (Barry Bonds) There's really no point to having a Hall of Fame if the best players are not in it.

Answer 8

Mark McGwire put himself in the position to be left out.

Canseco, Bonds, and Giambi were all man enough to confess that they used steroids.

Mark was given the same opportunity and took the cowards way out.

When you avoid answering questions given to you by congress with the entire baseball world watching you give them no reason to trust you at all.

How in the world can hall voters put a man in the hall that has no honor and can't be trusted? They can't and they won't. There are too many old school voters who will never let him get in.

Answer 9

I say yes, since they do not have positive proof on that stuff about the ball. It conveniently came out the same week as the HOF ballots? BS it was set up.

And to the Go Cavs guy:
Why do all roads of conversation all lead back to talks of bonds? Because you haters are obsessed on him. You guys talk about bonds than the Bonds fans do? ENOUGH, get a new hobby.

Answer 10

I think he's a Hall of Famer, but anytime you cheat there will be those who say you deserve the punishment. I'm not sure of where I stand on the issue, on one hand he cheated all of his peers that did things the right way and on the other hand he was just trying to become the best ball player he could be. They should keep him of a few years then get him in there.