Edgar and the Hall of Fame

In the last posting, I alluded to the interesting conversation had at Fan Fest between the fans and Mariners legend Edgar Martinez. I said that I wanted to go a little more in-depth into what transpired in that q&a and my feelings about the whole issue.

It is important to start with a backstory about this situation before going in to what happened. For those who don't know, Edgar Martinez was the most famous and successful Designated Hitter in the history of the game. He defined the position and established the strategical advantage of having the DH. He finished his career with almost 3,000 hits, 309 home runs, 1,261 rbis, and a career batting average of .312. Edgar spent all 18 years of his career as a member of the Seattle Mariners.

Recently, his name has come up in the midst of the ongoing struggle baseball is having with performance enhancing drugs. Not necessarily as an alleged user, but rather when it comes to the Hall of Fame voting. Edgar has been on the Hall of Fame ballot three separate times since 2010, but has failed to meet the required threshold of votes for induction. In this most recent ballot, he finished behind infamous players Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in the voting. Some critics say that PED users such as Clemens and Bonds should not be on the ballot and are, thus, diluting the vote for players that have never cheated, such as Craig Biggio or Edgar Martinez. On the other hand, some voters assert that they support players such as Bonds and Clemens for what they did BEFORE they used and that their performances were just better when compared to Biggio or Martinez.

I can understand arguments on both sides, and I'll go into my own personal views on this matter in just a minute. However, let's get back to Fan Fest and what Martinez said.

During the q&a, a fan asked Edgar what he felt of the steroid era and how he felt it affected the Hall of Fame vote. I taped his answer on my phone and copied it below. Watch it before we continue...

In my opinion, Edgar dodged the question. He seems really conflicted about what to say, and, honestly, I think he has some resentment to the individuals that have made this a controversy. You could tell he was conflicted and struggling for the right words to say without sounding vindictive.

I wasn't satisfied with his answer, so I decided to ask one of my own:

"Edgar, I think I can speak for everyone here in saying that you are a Hall of Famer in our book. *applause* That being said, if there is one thing you would say to the Baseball Writers Association [the members of whom vote for the Hall of Fame], what would it be"

Oddly, Edgar made the argument all about his position on the field as a DH. He stated how the DH shouldn't be discriminated against when it comes to the Hall. Furthermore, he stated to the BBWA that they should keep an open mind on this topic of positioning. He was really nice and answered my question, but I really wanted him to go more in-depth with steroids and PEDs.

We all knew this day was going to come. We all knew that the individuals who used those PEDs would be eligible for the Hall of Fame and that the decision would have to be made on how we remember their legacy. What disappoints me, however, is that in all of this controversy players like Edgar Martinez are being lost in the shuffle. And, as a result, they are now embroiled in the controversy and having to answer questions like these.

Here is my personal opinion when it comes to the Hall of Fame voting. I think that the voting structure needs to change to include the votes of surviving Hall of Fame members, the BBWA, and a fan component. That way the threshold can be more representative of who people feel best represent the legacy of the game. Let's face it, the odds of players like Bonds and Clemens making it into the Hall, under this system, would be slim as long as they are alive and people actively remember what they did to help and hurt the game. You would get the true vote and players like Edgar, who had Hall of Fame-worthy careers, would rightfully gain a place in Cooperstown.

I'm sure some of you will disagree with me on this, and that is perfectly ok. However, I think this whole conversation underscores just how awesome Fan Fest really was. You know that an experience had a profound effect on you when you can come back three days later and talk about it, debate the merits of statements, and come to conclusions. I think that it was certainly worth the ten dollars spent!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)