Santo for Hall » Chicago Cubs

Sandberg: Sosa doesn’t belong in Hall

Scott Lewis — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:48:29 +0000

Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg said his former teammate Sammy Sosa does not belong in the Hall because of integrity issues associated with the steroids era.

The New York Times reported that Sosa was one of the 104 players in 2003 who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Appearing on the "Waddle & Silvy" show on ESPN 1000, Sandberg said "I don't think so," when asked if Sosa belongs in the Hall of Fame.

"They use the word 'integrity' in describing a Hall of Famer in the logo of the Hall of Fame, and I think there are gonna be quite a few players that are not going to get in," Sandberg said. "It's been evident with the sportswriters who vote them in, with what they've done with Mark McGwire getting in the 20 percent range.

"We have some other players coming up like [Rafael] Palmeiro coming up soon, and it'll be up to the sportswriters to speak loud and clear about that. I don't see any of those guys getting in."

Sandberg and Sosa were Cubs teammates from 1992 to '94 and from '96 to '97.

"I was around Sammy for about five years before I retired, and there wasn't anything going on then," Sandberg said. "I did admire the hard work he put in. He was one of the first guys down to the batting cage, hitting extra. I figured he was working out hard in the offseason to get bigger. It was just happening throughout the game, that even myself was blinded by what was really happening, maybe starting in the '98 season.

"I think it's very unfortunate. I think suspicions were there as they are with some other players. Those players are now put in a category of being tainted players with tainted stats. I think it's obviously something that was going on in the game. Players participated in it and as the names have come out I think that they will be punished for that."

Sandberg said that punishment should include being banned from Cooperstown.

"It's something that's against the law and against society," Sandberg said. "It was cheating in the sport.

"I think it has to be spoken very loud and clear on the stance, and baseball needs to stand as they have. I'm very, very satisfied with the testing program they have in place now. For a guy who's tested positive today under what happens now like Manny Ramirez, it almost takes an idiot to participate in that. For the society, for the up-and-coming players and youth out there, I don't think those guys should be recognized at all."

Pt. 3. Why Aren’t There Any Good Baseball Announcers?

Scott Lewis — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:36:51 +0000

I'm using apostrophe 's' for 'is' and 'was' for convenience. Yeah, some of these people are dead, but they were bad anyway.
Jon Miller. He's bad. Harry Kalas. He's bad. Duane Kiper. He's bad. Ron Santo. Bad. Don Sutton. Bad. Dave Niehaus. He's bad. Al Albert. Bad. Steve Busby. Bad. Kirby Puckett. Not to speak ill of the recently departed, but -- Bad. Tom Paciorek. Bad. Pat O'Brien. Bad. Ed Farmer. Bad. Ray Knight. Bad. Al Kaline. Bad. Marv Albert. Butt-biting bad. Richie Ashburn. Bad. Jim Durham. Bad.Greg Gumbel. Bad. Ray Fosse. Bad. Dave Winfield. Bad. Joe Tait. Bad. Al Trautwig. Bad. Suzyn Waldman. Shouldn't even be on the list. Bad bad bad. Ernie Harwell. Bad. Waite Hoyt. Bad. Luis Gonzalez. Real bad. Thom Brennaman. Ew. Bad. Joe Carter. Bad. Mickey Mantle. Great swing. Bad. Joe Magrane. Bad. Bert Blyleven. Hall of Fame bound. As a pitcher. Bad. Greg Brown. Bad. Ed Coleman. Bad. Jim Donovan. Bad. Ken Wilson. Bad. Ray Scott. Bad. Steve Sax. Bad. Juan Pedro Villamin. Bad. Bert Wilson

What Are Your Most Committed Baseball Opinions?

Scott Lewis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:38:08 +0000

Mine are...
1. Had Oscar Charleston played in pro baseball, he'd be considered better than Willie Mays.
2. Mickey Mantle was the single, most talented ballplayer to ever play on the field.
3. Babe Ruth was the best player to play in pro baseball, period.
4. Honus Wagner is the best defensive shortstop, closely followed by Ozzie Smith. However, Honus Wagner is by far the greatest shortstop in the history of baseball. Nobody even compares.
5. Walter Johnson is the greatest pitcher to ever live.
6. Bill James is the greatest statistician today, but a horrible writer. I like his blog-type approach, but authors and proffesors would consider it a sin.
7. Rickey Henderson is the greatest base stealer and leadoff hitter in history.
8. Christy Mathewson, Bob Gibson, and Nolan Ryan are not in the top five pitchers of all-time. Mathewson, who I have eighth, is the only one that is in the top ten.
9. Ron Santo is the greatest player turned down from the Hall of Fame, with Tim Raines closely following him, although there's a good chance he'll make it soon.
10. Sadaharu Oh would not be one of the top five players had he played in the MLB.

Sports Topic. Help! (:?

Scott Lewis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:38:59 +0000

heya everyone.
i am super bored and i need something to write about.
i havent really written anything about sports so can yall please give me a topic.
something interesting though please..
i have already written one about Ron Santo needing to be elected into baseball hall of fame.. [now thats interesting!]
so can you please help. thanks (:

Who Do You Think Are The Best Baseball Players To Ever Play The Game?

Scott Lewis — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:43:53 +0000

Please, Please, Please, Please, Please, Please argue with me. Maybe you'll learn something, maybe I'll learn something.
Here are mine:
1. Babe Ruth
2. Ty Cobb
3. Willie Mays
4. Walter Johnson
5. Ted Williams
6. Lou Gehrig
7. Barry Bonds
8. Stan Musial
9. Hank Aaron
10. Lefty Grove
11. Roger Clemens
12. Rogers Hornsby
13. Honus Wagner
14. Mickey Mantle
15. Christy Mathewson
16. Joe DiMaggio
17. Tris Speaker
18. Grover Alexander
19. Satchel Paige
20. Rickey Henderson
** Note: I post my lists in a lot of other questions. If you find one I posted and it doesn't match it, don't wonder why. It's just that sometimes I look at a stat of a player and get impressed. When I type of lists out of memory like this, that player might move up a spot or two.
Also, if you feel like answering:
Best Relief Pitchers of All-time:
1. Mariano Rivera
2. Dennis Eckersly
3. Rich Gossage
4. Billy Wagner
5. Trevor Hoffman
BQ: Do all the steroid users nowadays (Bonds, Sosa, Rodriguez, Piazza, I. Rodriguez, Giambi, Canseco, etc.) sort of make you wish that Joe Jackson and Pete Rose were in the Hall of Fame? Or that guys like Ron Santo and Gil Hodges should be in Cooperstown?

Is Jim Edmonds A Hall Of Famer?

Scott Lewis — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:38:16 +0000

If edmonds plays next season and reaches 400 homers, then he would become the 5th outfielder in the history to 400 homers and 8 gold gloves, joining ken griffey jr., barry bonds, willie mays, and somebody else that i can't recall as of this moment. Would that be enough to get him into the hall of fame? In my opinion, I think he will fall into the ron santo category, like never putting up utterly dominant numbers, but always great in the field and solid with the bat. Which means i think he will fall a little short each and every year of hall of fame candidacy.

If It Is Alex Rodriguez’s Fault That The Yankees Haven’t Won With Him, What About Ted Williams?

Scott Lewis — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:38:12 +0000

What about Ernie Banks and Ron Santo? What about the multitude of Hall of Famers NOT on a World Series winning team? Isn't it PITCHING that has been the bane of the Yankees' post season? Or is Ted Williams undeserving of his MVP and his Hall of Fame selection? What gives?

If It Is Alex Rodriguez’s Fault That The Yankees Haven’t Won With Him, What About Ted Williams?

Scott Lewis — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:38:12 +0000

If It Is Alex Rodriguez’s Fault That The Yankees Haven’t Won With Him, What About Ted Williams?

Scott Lewis — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:38:12 +0000

If It Is Alex Rodriguez’s Fault That The Yankees Haven’t Won With Him, What About Ted Williams?

Scott Lewis — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:38:12 +0000