[simple simon]

this is what i am waiting for in MLB (as i know you are all dying to know)

i want someone to be voted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame then be accused of/admit to longterm steroid use

then all the writers that say they will never vote for a steroid user ... what do they do ?

[EmpireWF]

That would be interesting. Although who in recent memory would be aligned with any accusations of steroids/gh? Certainly not Ripken or Gwynn.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

Certainly not Ripken or Gwynn.

im not so sure .... i honestly have no idea about anyone anymore ..... but i will concede your point

how about if Mac gets in this year then it comes out (i know he my not be the greatest example as he may have little chance of getting in) ..... does anyone have a list of this years HOF ballot so we can pick apart

[EmpireWF]

This year's HOF ballot is a joke (when you're talking about steroids). Brady friggin Anderson is on the list for godsake. lol

New to the ballot this year were David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch (both named in the report), then you have guys like McGwire, Rice, Mattingly, Gossage, Dawson, Parker, etc. remaining on the ballot.

[LSC9901]

The BBWAA is again authorized to elect players active in 1988 or later, but not after 2002; the ballot, announced on November 26, 2007, includes candidates from the 2007 ballot who received at least 5% of the vote but were not elected, along with selected players, chosen by a screening committee, whose last appearance was in 2002. All 10-year members of the BBWAA are eligible to vote.
Voters are instructed to cast votes for up to 10 candidates; any candidate who receives votes on at least 75% of the ballots will be honored with induction to the Hall. Results of the 2008 election by the BBWAA will be announced on January 8. The ballot consists of 25 players, and over 575 ballots will be distributed; they must be returned by December 31, and votes will be tabulated by BBWAA official Jack O'Connell along with Michael DiLecce, a partner in the Ernst & Young accounting firm.[3] Those candidates who receive less than 5% of the vote will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee.
Candidates who are eligible for the first time are indicated here with a †. There are 14 candidates returning from the 2007 ballot; Dave Concepción is on the ballot for the 15th and final time:

• †Brady Anderson
• Harold Baines
• †Rod Beck
• Bert Blyleven
• Dave Concepción
• Andre Dawson
• †Shawon Dunston
• †Chuck Finley
• †Travis Fryman
• Rich "Goose" Gossage
• Tommy John
• †David Justice
• †Chuck Knoblauch
• Don Mattingly
• Mark McGwire
• Jack Morris
• Dale Murphy
• †Robb Nen
• Dave Parker
• †Tim Raines
• Jim Rice
• José Rijo
• Lee Smith
• †Todd Stottlemyre
• Alan Trammell

The newly-eligible candidates included 17 All-Stars, eight of whom were not included on the ballot, with only one (Tim Raines) who was selected more than five times. In contrast to the remarkably deep field of candidates in 2007, when those newly eligible had been named to the All-Star team a combined total of 103 times, the 2008 field of new candidates were selected a total of only 43 times. José Rijo, who appeared on the 2001 ballot before returning to the major leagues in 2001-2002, again became eligible. Darryl Kile, who died during the 2002 season, was included on the 2003 ballot under a standard provision for players who die before the five-year waiting period has elapsed; this same provision allowed Rod Beck (who played his last game in 2004 but died in 2007) to appear on the 2008 ballot.
Players eligible for the first time who were not included on the ballot were: Luis Alicea, Alex Arias, Andy Benes, Mike Benjamin, Dennis Cook, Delino DeShields, Darrin Fletcher, Rich Garcés, Chris Haney, Dave Hollins, Bobby J. Jones, Tom Lampkin, Darren Lewis, Mike Magnante, Dave Mlicki, Mike Morgan, Hipólito Pichardo, Armando Reynoso, Henry Rodríguez, Lee Stevens, Greg Swindell, Mike Trombley, John Valentin, Randy Velarde, Ed Vosberg, and Mark Wohlers.

[azrael492]

This could be a great year to correct some mistakes. Not a sure lock in the bunch. I hope Concepcion gets in on his final ballot...although he will still have a few more years of eligibility with the veterens committee I think.

[EmpireWF]

This is definitely a year where guys like Gossage, Rice, Mattingly, Concepcion, and Dawson will have their best shot to get in.