Technically I should not even talk to Rec Sox or Yankee fans as it is part of the Cleveland fandom charter that we must hate both from way back when they were all three in the same division.
View attachment 339552 Still, to keep peace I will make an exception here...
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As to the steroid era I have mixed feelings in relation to the HOF. If a player was never proven to break the substance rule I don't think it should be a factor. However, if steroids or other such drugs were proven, in my mind they are out. To me allowing a proven substance user in the HOF is an insult to such players as Jim Thome who is 8th all time as to home runs but did it totally clean. Thome was such a loved player by fans and opponents that if a pitcher threw at him the pitcher's team mated would have likely shunned him. Sure steroids do not improve eye/hand coordination but they DO increase strength which could easily turn a 30 homer player to a 40 player.
I DO agree that the HOF voting needs to be changed as there are players that are excluded just due to not being popular.
Now I totally disagree with allowing Pete Rose in the HOF but I am a bit biased against him as he was a dirty player. Even many players in the league disliked him as to his method play. Now, if it were today with so much legal betting I might let him slide as long as his bets were legally made. However, at the time, this was not just breaking league rules but also a criminal offense. As to my bias it involves a Cleveland catcher, Ray Fosse. Rose was clearly out at home plate yet he hit Fosse as hard as he could ending Fosse's career. If a regular season game or playoffs then yes, hit him but this was the 1970 all star game which has always been pretty much an exhibition game. There is no excuse for such behavior in such a game. Even if it was a 'real game' the hit was overly violent and malicious, no excuse is possible. Rose didn't slide or avoid. He hit Fosse like a linebacker in the NFL hitting a running back. For this alone he should be excluded from the HOF. It was a violent hit with obvious intent to harm.