Sunday Debate: Should Steroid Users Be Allowed Into the Hall of Fame?

Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject argues one thing. Should MLB players who take steroids be allowed into the Hall of Fame?

So I will debate each point of view and then give you my opinion on the subject.

If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.

I made a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” portion. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the seventh Sunday Debate.
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Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, and Jason Giambi all have a few things in common with each other. Most notable: They are all big-name steroid users that were busted for juicing. What’s interesting though is that all of these guys may be first-ballot Hall of Famers WITHOUT steroids. Take the asterisk off their name, and they are among the best to play. The question is, are these guys in the HoF WITH ‘roids? Here are the best arguments for whatever you think on the subject.

YES- Steroid users should be allowed into the Hall of Fame. After all, which ever way you look at it, these guys changed the game. They shattered records, won multiple World Series, and are known as some of the best to ever play. Some look at Mark McGwire as a savior of the game in the late 90’s. Barry Bonds owns the all-time home run record; the most prestigious record in all of baseball. Like I said before, Roger Clemens would have been regarded as the one of the best pitchers ever. Some things steroids just cannot improve. Steroids or no, they had to have some serious skill to be this good. ‘Roids can’t improve your ability to see the ball, and hit the ball.

Also, we have to realize the fact that not all ‘roid users will be busted. I bet my house that there will be a ‘roider that sneaks into the HoF. With that said, why shouldn’t these guys get in? Unless you can get every steroid user to come forward, maybe we should consider letting these guys in.

There are some specifics we must remember too. For some of these sluggers, these PEDs were not illegal when they were playing. These players had a chance to make there selves better. If they had stuff like this at their demand, should we blame them from trying to win? Let’s not forget that HGH and other PEDs were NOT illegal, and not against MLB rules, when some of these players took them.

NO- Steroid users should not be allowed into the Hall of Fame. They cheated. There’s no sugar-coating it, no grey areas… they cheated. While other players worked and strived to be great, there were guys that were sitting in the locker room with a needle in their ass. It is not fair to the players who worked their entire lives to be good.

Does anybody remember the Pete Rose? One of the greatest hitters ever, and he doesn’t get in for gambling. I personally think Pete Rose should be in the Hall. People gamble every day. Somebody just bet on a baseball game. Can you sit here and tell me that injecting yourself with stuff to artificially make you better is not as bad as gambling? Come on.

Why would you put a cheater of the game into that company? Condoning - or especially rewarding - the use of any banned substance that may provide an advantage for one athlete over another is ethically wrong and has no place for enshrinement.

CASE BY CASE- Steroid users should be viewed at case by case when filling out the Hall of Fame ballot. You cannot, essentially, make a rule that is put into place for every player that is busted. That is like saying you have to hit at least 300 homeruns to be considered for the HoF. It just doesn’t make since.

For example, some say Bonds should get in for how many HRs he hit. He is the all-time homerun hitter and you leave him out of the Hall of Fame?

The manner of which you come clean also factors into it. Alex Rodriguez decided to let it all out after we found out just a couple months ago. Now compare that to Roger Clemons and Big Mac who keep denying it or just doesn’t say anything at all. Wouldn’t you say you have more respect for somebody who regretfully comes clean over somebody who denies it for years? I have a hard time respecting any of these guys, but I would say yes.


We are nearing the end of the tunnel in the Steroid Era. While baseball tries to clean this mess up, I think it is slowing going to end.

I love this game. It is my favorite sport. I would like to think I know quite a bit about sports, but I think my expertise lies in baseball. For me, I just cannot bring myself to say yes to somebody that put a huge dent into the game I love. Think about this… For somebody who destroyed the game we once had, how could we possibly put them alongside the games greatest. No way. End of discussion.

That’s it for this Sunday Debate. Have a good week.




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Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Should 'Roid Users Be Allowed in Cooperstown?

Down On the Farm: MLB's Future

With the way things are run now in the minors, college, high school, and little league, it seems as if up-and-coming talent is getting better and better.

Unlike the past, young pitchers are now being heavily restricted on their pitch count in every level of play. Little league and high school actually have rules on how many pitches a player can have per day, and per week.

For those who don’t pitch, and put their focus toward hitting, the ways have also changed. Do you think Ralph Kiner had all those contraptions that them kids have these days? NO. They just hit the baseball. These days, there are millions of shindigs you can buy to “improve your game.”

Maybe that is the reason for all the freakin’ prodigy ball players out there. Steroids maybe be the leading reason for stars in the MLB, but you can hardly say it is the reason for the freak players ranging from all levels, little leagues-minor leagues.

Let’s take a look at those “freaks” we have roaming the farm:
*These are players that play in the minors, not MLB rookies (i.e. no David Price)

Tim Beckham, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
Most know him as the No. 1 pick in the 2008 MLB draft, but few actually know his game. He is the part of the reason I think that the Rays will DOMINATE the next 10 years. There are tons of players like this in Tampa’s farm leagues. He is an amazing athlete with A+ speed, excellent defense, and a bat to go along.

Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles
He is arguably the top player in the minor leagues. He is virtually the complete package. He has Y. Molina defense to go along with McCann offense. He absolutely crushes the ball, and may be one of the best offensive catchers in the game already! Between A and AA ball – mostly AA - last year, he hit .355/27/95. He will likely play MLB ball in ’09, but not until the second half.

Aaron Hicks, CF, Minnesota Twins
He was the Twins’ top pick in this most decent draft, and he deserved it. He was one of the best five-tool players in the draft. He has speed, defense, and a bat. He can make an impact on every single part of the game. In rookie ball, he batted .317 and 12 steals.

Matt LaPorta, OF-1B, Cleveland Indians
Yes, Cleveland does have something to look forward to. Surprising, I know. He is regarded by most as the guy directly behind Wieters on this list, with a similar game. He has fantastic power, which is the bright spot in his overall game. He totaled 22 homers last year in AA.

Gordon Beckham, SS, Chicago White Sox
The other Beckham. He was another stud in the 2008 draft, and yes, it was an extremely good draft. He has some rare power for a great middle-infielder who plays baseball like Physco T plays basketball. He puts 115% of his heart into his game, and wouldn’t even think about giving in. He batted .312 in Class A last season.

Jordan Zimmerman, SP, Washington Nationals
He may be the best starting pitcher the Minors has to offer. He put together an incredible season last year when he gathered 10 wins and only 3 losses, 2.80 ERA, and averaged 9.3 SOs per nine innings. Most of that with the AA Nats’ team.

Colby Rasmus, CF, St. Louis Cardinals
Last year was thought to be his breakthrough year, but when injury struck, he spend all of 2008 in AAA. He is without a doubt the most experienced player on this list, and the only one that spend last year in the AAA. Most of last year’s prospects that hung out in AAA, are on the MLB team this season. But with a deep STL outfield, he has been kinda screwed. He is a five-tooler that will soon destroy the MLB.

Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants
This former Golden Spikes Award winner, is right up there with Wieters and LaPorta if you ask me. He is an athletic catcher with outstanding defense and possesses moderate power and ability to hit for average.

Kyle Blanks, 1B, San Diego Padres

There is only one word to describe. Mammoth. A prototypical firstbaseman, he stands 6’6” and weighs an impressive 280 lbs. He simply bashes the ball. He is the next 40 HR guy to enter the MLB, not a question. In AA last year, he hit .325/20/107 and got on base 42% of the time! Just not fair.


None of these guys will likely see the bigs until the second half of the season. But when they do, they will begin to dominate… and they will continue to dominate. The cool thing about it is, there are players on this list that won’t even see the MLB, but there are also a few players on this list that are future first ballot Hall of Famers!

2009 Fantasy Baseball- Breakouts/Sleepers/Busts

The first Spring Training game is exactly 8 days, 15 hours, and 47 minutes from now and the MLB season is going to be here super fast. With all of this steroids (A-Rod) crap that is going on, people are forgetting that there is actually a season to be played. There are fools out there that are saying the MLB is becoming harder and harder to enjoy. I then say… you are being Jewish and the only thing that’s as good as baseball is fantasy baseball. With that, I welcome you to my 2009 Fantasy Baseball don’t/do draft lists.

I will run you through MY sleeper picks, MY busts, as well as MY breakout players. Anybody can take a look at a top-200 list and study what everyone at your draft will know. I feel that the key to dominating your fantasy league is scoring the unknown players that will shine, and avoiding the players that people want but will destroy a team – i.e. BREAKOUTS, BUSTS, and SLEEPERS. Hopefully the guys I play with don’t get a hold of this.


Breakout Players
Players that are underrated and will dominate the 2009 season.

Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
The sky is the limit for this guy, and we may see greatness in ’09 from Kemp. He is approaching the prime of his career and I expect an enormous year. He is 24 years of age, and unless Manny is resigned, he will be the core of the Dodger’s lineup. He now has one full year under his belt, he will soon have one all star year under his belt.
Jay’s Prediction: .295 AVG, 24 HRs, 94 RBIs, 37 SBs

Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
He is coming into his 3rd year of his major league career and is starting to look like another big left-handed first baseman I know. Ever since he starting bashing the ball in the minors, he caught everybody’s eye as a major power threat. He will fulfill his potential this year with the beginning of a fantastic career.
Jay’s Prediction: .310 AVG, 32 HRs, 101 RBIs, 5 SBs

Chris Perez, CP, St. Louis Cardinals
As a Cardinal die hard, I know quite a bit about this guy. I’ve been monitoring him since he started in the Cards’ farm leagues. He shared the closer role last year and proved that he was definitely the closer of the future for STL, and for the MLB. When he is on his best stuff, he looks like Mr. Rivera. Chris has one of the best fastballs in the league – often touching 100 mph -, and pinpoints it. In his 2008 big-league stent, he struck out almost two batters per inning. As a huge St. Louis fan, I am here to tell you that he will dominate as a closer throughout the next several years.
Jay’s Prediction: 3.02 ERA, 2-4 record, 1.25 WHIP, 74 Ks, 36 SVs


Bust players
Players that will not live up to all the hype.

Carlos Delgado, 1B, New York Mets
After a rock solid season last year, this aging first baseman might have seen his last good year. He is getting, umm, very old. At 37, he is considered dirt in the major sports world. He has numerous injuries every single year. My advice to you, do not draft this guy. Take young guns such as Conor Jackson, Joey Votto, etc that will be available at that time in the draft.

Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Seattle Mariners
I hate watching the Mariners, I don’t know about you but it is awful. His age is finally getting to him and I think this will be the year it really shows. He had is worst season in 2008 and has been declining since his first couple great years. He has never been a fantasy god; the only great stat is his average. This has also been on a downhill slump.
Jay’s Prediction: .290 AVG, 6 HRs, 38 RBIs, 32 SBs

Bengie Molina, C, San Francisco Giants
Molina #6 of 435, I’m sorry but you did not convince me of anything last year. He was a borderline free agent last year, but this year will be different. He is in a very difficult lineup to hit in, that and his age has me wondering when he will give in. He is a catcher, so the age will hit him sooner than others. I expect him to start out ok, but the second half will be rough.
Jay’s Prediction: .273 AVG, 11 HRs, 75 RBIs, Molina’s do not steal bases.


Sleeper players
Some unknowns who will make a mark on the 2009 season.

Nate Schierholtz, OF, San Francisco Giants
I didn’t even know who this guy was until I did some research yesterday for this post. He is the dude who barreled over the Chinese catcher in the Beijing Olympics. He batter over .300 for the Giants last year in just over 100 Abs. With Molina on the bust-list, do not be surprised if Nate gets more playing time than we all may think.
Jay’s Prediction: .289 AVG, 5 HRs, 51 RBIs, 15 SBs

Nelson Cruz, OF, Texas Rangers
He didn't even sniff the show until finally being called up August 25. He went 3-for-5 with a home run that night and hasn't stopped hitting since. In the 28 games he's played, he has six home runs, 23 RBI, 16 runs, three steals and has hit at a .320 clip. He hadn't hit better than .235 in each of his first two years with the Rangers and Brewers. He now looks to be the starting right fielder for Texas next year and will factor heavily into an absolutely stacked lineup.

Jay's Prediction: .296 AVG, 24 HRs, 83 RBIs, 13 SBs

David Purcey, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
This guys is a strikeout machine (more SOs than innings in his 10 big league starts), and Toronto looks to have some kind of replacement for Burnett. He will be in the starting rotation for Toronto this upcoming season. Most people do not know this guy at all, but he may soon be a household name.
Jay’s Prediction: 9-10 W/L, 4.05 ERA, 168 SO

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

FANdemoniumsports.blogspot.com