THE Hall of Fame this year and next:

[AGuinness]

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

I respect the voters’ decision to make these guys wait. Most were never suspended and went unpunished for their actions. Keeping them out, at least temporarily, is their punishment for knocking other Hall of Farmers down in the record books. Bravo voters.

That's an interesting point and I was thinking earlier today about the future waves of players who have taken steroids and received suspensions, like Robinson Cano. Do you think the voters are likely to consider these offenders and having "done their time" for taking PEDs and therefore cast a vote (or not) without considering it again? Or will they continue the practice of prolonging the voting process as additional punishment... or not consider them at all?

[Tyruscobb]

Originally Posted by AGuinness

That's an interesting point and I was thinking earlier today about the future waves of players who have taken steroids and received suspensions, like Robinson Cano. Do you think the voters are likely to consider these offenders and having "done their time" for taking PEDs and therefore cast a vote (or not) without considering it again? Or will they continue the practice of prolonging the voting process as additional punishment... or not consider them at all?

I think all these guys will eventually get in, and their numbers obviously support it. However, I personally like making them wait. How long? That’s up to the voters. Will be interesting to see how the Veterans’ Committee treats them.

I think the younger guys that were caught early in their careers, did their time, apologized and repented, and had solid careers afterwards will be fine. I think the voters will be more forgiving of them, as opposed to the guys that refuse to admit or accept responsibility. Just my two cents. I could be way off base here.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

I think all these guys will eventually get in, and their numbers obviously support it. However, I personally like making them wait. How long? That’s up to the voters. Will be interesting to see how the Veterans’ Committee treats them.

I think the younger guys that were caught early in their careers, did their time, apologized and repented, and had solid careers afterwards will be fine. I think the voters will be more forgiving of them, as opposed to the guys that refuse to admit or accept responsibility. Just my two cents. I could be way off base here.

I have read numerous voters saying that they are willing to vote for players like Bonds, Clemens and Sosa because they never failed a test and were playing before baseball had specific rules on the books. However, they won't vote for people that were caught (like ARod and Manny) once testing was implemented. If Bonds and Clemens don't make it in, I find it hard to believe the ones that actually got caught by testing ever will. Their only real chance is that as new voters are added to the BBWAA and older ones stop voting, there may be different feelings about the PED era since they didn't live through it and weren't covering it when it was happening.