McGwire is a great player. He is loved and respected by the fans. He also respects those he plays for and in front of.
He never was found to take any illegal substances.
McGwire for the Hall of Fame in '08
2007-07-17 23:42:06 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
I do think McGwire will make the HOF eventually. I think the writers wanted to send a strong message that he not go in with Ripken and Gwynn, two ambassadors for the game.
McGwire did too much in his career, despite a low batting average, etc. And he was one of the dominant figures of his era.
I will disagree with your assertion about the fans. I am a huge Cardinal fan, and I think he has fallen slightly out of favor among the Cardinal fans - at least in my circles. I don't disrespect him because I don't know him, but I don't respect him either.
And don't forget his career ended with Kerry Robinson pinch-hitting for him in the playoffs. Ouch!!
But all that aside, I think he will make the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later.
2007-07-18 02:50:15 · answer #1 · answered by Matt G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love the 'never found guilty' concept.
When you don't test for something, it's hard to find guilt.
However, if you were McGwire and you DIDN'T take steroids, what would you have said at the congressional hearings.
Would you say "I'm not here to talk about the past"??
He had retired, there was no present, there was no future, only past and he doesn't want to talk about it.
Unlike Bonds, if McGwire had taken steroids to enhance his home run power or his health (which is my belief) , then he isn't worthy of HOF status. McGwire's whole game was the home run, always had been.
Bonds stole 500 bases, always around .300 (after his first 5 years anyway), won gold gloves and drove in runs.
In McGwire's rookie year, he hit 49 home runs, but only drove in 118. It's a good #, but low for 49 homers.
I would say, you want in, let's hook you up to a polygraph, ask the question again and if you pass, you can be on the ballot.
I still put the blame of steroids squarely on my own shoulders, though, it's my fault, oh, and yours, and yours and him over in the corner.
It's the fault of fans in general because we are mystified by a 4 base hit, we call into radio shows about how we expect to win. GMs and managers think the best way to do that is by home runs, demand for home run hitters go up and so do salaries. When salaries go up, those on the outside of that band (ala Greg Vaughn) want a piece too, because they are greedy and then they do the steroids.
But make no mistake, it starts with us, the fans.
2007-07-18 02:08:29 · answer #2 · answered by brettj666 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Forget the possible drug issue and just look at his numbers. McGwire had a career batting average of .263. In 1991, playing for the A's, he hit .201 for the season and in 2001 he hit .187 for the season. In 2001 he hit 29 homeruns but only had 27 other hits all year long. He was fortunate enough to go to a lot of playoff games during his career and had a career playoff batting average of .217. He had no speed and was a liability defensively. While it is true he did hit 583 homeruns during his career, I don't believe that alone is enough to get him to the HOF. If it were me, I would not vote for him. If having respect for others that play the game gets you in than almost every MLB player would go to the HOF.
2007-07-18 02:24:33 · answer #3 · answered by Frizzer 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jburke is right .Mark McGwire is not a great player .Great players do great things in great situations. Mark McGwire and Reggie Jackson have very similar numbers* including about the same abysmal batting average. The reason that Reggie is in the HOF and Mac will never be,is that Reggie was absolutley great in situations that called for greatness and Mac was just another .262 ballplayer.
*not adjusted for steroids
2007-07-18 02:12:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you and I disagree in a way.
Do I think McGwire took steroids? Yeah, I do. I think him, Sosa, Bonds, Brady Anderson, Luis Gonzalez, maybe Shawn Green too and a lot of others also took steroids.
Was McGwire ever found guilty? No, he wasnt, you're correct, so I think he should go into the Hall of Fame.
2007-07-18 00:18:01 · answer #5 · answered by J-Far 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
McGuire was not a great player. His career batting average is .263. He hit .300 only in 3 seasons, 2 of which he played only 89 and 27 games those seasons. He was never MVP and was closest he was to ever receiving it was second to Sosa the year he set the new single season home run mark. He finished top 5 in MVP voting only 3 times in his career. Mark McGuire doesn't deserve to be in the Hall of Fame and it would be a sad day if he was ever inducted into it.
2007-07-18 01:33:17 · answer #6 · answered by jjburke 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
For the guy above me Griffey is approaching 600 homers. The hall of fame has held certain numbers to be sure fire locks to get in. 3000 hits, 300 wins, 500 home runs. So based on that yes Big Mac deserves it and I think eventually he will be voted in.
2007-07-18 08:18:06 · answer #7 · answered by azdano1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That testemony might lower his HOF voting for '08, but I think he will get in eventually. Theres a slight chance that Barry Bonds won't make it in. Anything that they did wrong to "taint" the game of baseball will go against them in teh HOF.
2007-07-18 01:07:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If Ken Griffey, Jr. can reach the 500 HR plateau, he should be a sure thing to be in the HOF.
2007-07-18 03:15:44 · answer #9 · answered by LA Sports Fan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was a great player. But I still do not see him going into the HOF for at least a few years or more.
2007-07-18 00:27:26 · answer #10 · answered by amethyst 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋