No One Elected into Baseball HOF (You Can Do That?)

If only we could do this with politicians.

The baseball writers who decide who goes into the Hall of Fame effectively concluded that no one gets in this year. They failed to elect anyone into the HOF for a 2nd time in 4 decades. Notables failing to get in include Barry Bonds (36.3%), Roger Clemens (37.6%), and Sammy Sosa (12.5%), all of which mentioned were on the ballot for the first time. There was also Mike Piazza (57.8%), Curt Schilling (38.8% ironically) and Mark McGwire (16.9%). Craig Biggio with 68.2% of the votes was the closest to get in that didn't. You need 75% of the vote to get in.

On initial tries, the steroid and PED users aren't getting in. Sure, many of them will have plenty of other chances at it but it just seems really bad when some others where there have only been rumors about PED use like Mike Piazza aren't allowed to get in. Eventually, the best of the Steroid Era should be allowed into the HOF. Even in an era of drug use, there were the best of the best. It's way too early to tell if any of them will be enshrined but it would be a real shame if no one gets in two years in a row.

P.S. Let's open the PED Users Hall of Fame. Viagra users need not apply.

Chipper Jones: Forever a Brave

With a throwing error and an infield single, Third Baseman Chipper Jones' career comes to end in a 6-3 loss to the Cardinals. The Atlanta crowd cheered him one last time for a great career when he went up for what would be his final AB in the bottom of the 9th. He got the Infield Single, went to third on the next hit and that was it over as Uggla grounded out to end the game. His time as a 3B with the Braves and in the Majors, over.

It was a Hall of Fame career indeed for Chipper Jones. He made his debut in September of 1993 and then in what would prove to be his rookie year because of a strike, he won the World Series as part of the Atlanta Braves just two years later in 1995. Despite it being his only World Title, he still had a career to remember. He still played a bit more on the big stage as the Braves were runner ups in the World Series in 1996 and 1999. He was an 8 time All Star and even made the team this year. He was the Silver Slugger in 1999 and 2000 and was even named MVP in that 1999 season. Even in his late 30's, he still impressed batting a .364 in 2008 to win his only batting title. He was a star and well respected across the league.

His career numbers are impressive. Chipper had a career batting of .303 with 2726 hits. He also proved to be a big hitter with 468 Home Runs. He was a scoring machine with 1619 career runs scored and 1623 RBI's. Though injuries may have nicked him from time to time, he still managed to play over a hundred game in each of his full season in the Bigs except for 2010 (95 games played).

What makes his career even greater is the fact he played his entire 18 year career with the Atlanta Braves. Not many great athletes nowadays can say that they have played in just one place in their career. When it happens, there is a special kind of bond that is developed between the fans and the player. He's not known for being "Chipper Jones, The Hall of Fame Third Baseman." That title is a given. He is known and will forever be known as "Chipper Jones, Third Baseman for the Atlanta Braves."

Roger Clemens' Independent League Comeback

Jamie Moyer is old and managed to come back (sort of). Why not a PED using Roger Clemens?

Jut when you thought that Roger Clemens was done with baseball for life, he makes a career comeback that Brett Favre and Michael Jordon would envy. The last time that Clemens pitched was in 2007 for the Yankees. He then went off on a "I didn't take drugs" tangent and we haven't seen him since. Now, however, Roger has decided to come back and to prove that he is still worth something to a Major League Team, he signed an independent league contract with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Clemens pitched for them earlier today with Major League Scouts looking on and did pretty well going against players that weren't good enough to be on a minor league team. He pitched 3 1/3 innings striking out 2 and allowing one hit.

So why is Roger Clemens hoping to make a Major League comeback? Does he miss the game? Does he miss the spotlight? Does he like pitching for the Astros? (No, that can't be it) Or does he simply want to push back his eligibility voting for the Hall of Fame? Definitely the last one. With the way the Hall of Fame voting is going for the known PED users, Clemens has a better chance of getting in by delaying his eligibility by playing for a small while and pushing the clock back another 5 years. A smart move for a guy who said about getting in or not "It's not going to change my life either way." I must say that this seems to be a pretty big career move.

So will someone give Roger Clemens a chance in the Majors again? The Astros might. They have nothing to offer Houston so a 50 year old attraction might bring in the crowds. They are one of the worst teams in attendance that getting a feces throwing monkey would drive interest. The monkey seems to be busy though so Clemens is their best option available.