The “Bud Selig Era” is a controversial time period in the history of Major League Baseball, especially when it comes to the Hall of Fame. People have passionate opinions either way. For many years, it was easy to keep the players on “supplements”, “the juice”, etc. out of the Hall of Fame, but in 2017 Bud Selig was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In the eyes of many, his induction opens the door to players long deemed “unelectable”.
Following that logic, let’s take an objective look at 5 “Bud Selig Era” players that deserve induction into the Hall of Fame and 5 that don’t.
OUT – Robinson Cano, 2B – Yankees, Mariners, Mets, Padres, Braves
It is not an understatement to say that Robinson Cano was on a path to be considered the best offensive second baseman in the history of the game. He hit for average and had some pop to his bat. Cano’s weak defense and lazy baserunning were often overlooked for his offensive production. Over a 17-year career, he finished with a .301 average with 335 HRs and 1,306 RBIs, numbers that place him among the best second basemen ever. However, Cano dabbled a little too much with “supplements” not once, but twice. A mistake could be forgiven, but the second offense puts Robinson Cano on the “OUT” list.
IN – Barry Bonds, OF – Pirates, Giants
One of the main faces of the Selig Era, Barry Bonds seems to take the brunt of the fans’ abuse when it comes to the use of “supplements”. Yet Bonds is a case of two careers – “Pre” and “Post”, which is what makes him a different case than all but one other player on our list. Before he started down “supplement” road, Bonds was headed to Cooperstown. The left fielder could hit for power, average, and had speed. In fact, he was a 4x 30-30 man and one time reached the 40-40 mark on his way to winning 3 MVP Awards. Based on his performance during the “Before Times”, Barry Bonds slides into the Hall.
OUT – Alex Rodriguez, 3B-SS – Mariners, Rangers, Yankees
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Alex Rodriguez could’ve been a Hall of Fame player, but he went off the path early in his career. A-Rod admitted to taking “supplements” after signing with Texas in 2001 and he was suspended for using them while with the Yankees. Assuming that’s the case, you can never truly tell the truth with A-Rod, we can only judge his career by the first 7 years (5 full) of his career in Seattle. While with the Mariners he had a .309 average with 189 HR and 595 RBIs: nice but not Hall worthy. It would’ve been nice to see what he could’ve accomplished without supplemental help, but unfortunately, the vast majority of his achievements are justifiably questionable.
IN – Andy Pettitte, SP – Yankees, Astros
Putting “supplement” use aside, Andy Pettitte finished his 18-year career with a record of 256-153, 2448 strikeouts, and a 3.85 ERA, but was at his best in the postseason. En route to winning 5 World Series titles, he had 19 wins with 183 strikeouts, but it was his ability to raise his level of play in big games that stands out (ex. 1996 World Series Game 5). With the exception of Roger Clemens and Clayton Kershaw (still playing), Pettitte is the only pitcher with 100 more wins than losses not in the Hall of Fame. And now, the “supplement” issue. Shortly after the Mitchell Report, Pettitte admitted to taking one, for two days, in an attempt to recover from an injury. Taking him at his word, should this small mistake keep him from Cooperstown? No.
OUT – Sammy Sosa, OF – Rangers, White Sox, Cubs, Orioles
“The Great Home Run Chase of 1998” captured the nation’s attention and was a key reason for helping baseball fully recover from the 1994 strike. One of the two participants in that race was Sammy Sosa. Unfortunately, we now know that the participants were on “the juice”. Prior to 1998, Sosa only reached 40 HRs in a season once, yet in ‘98 he started a 5-year HR tear, hitting 66, 63, 50, 64, and 49 HRs a season. According to reports, he tested positive for “the juice” in 2003, and in his testimony to Congress he stated that he was tested, and clean, since 2004. Isn’t it convenient that those years align with the end of his HR tear? Clearly, Sammy Sosa had help, which means he’s OUT.
IN – Roger Clemens, SP – Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros
Roger Clemens spent the first 13 seasons of his career in Boston and finished his time there with a .634 win percentage, 2,590 Ks, 3 Cy Young Awards, and an MVP. It’s when, in 1997, as a 34-year-old, he moved on to Toronto for 2 years. “The Rocket” went a combined 41-13 with a 2.33 ERA and 2 more Cy Young Awards, before going on to further success in NY and Houston. In 9 seasons combined, he went 121-60 with 1,519 Ks, 2 more Cy Youngs, and 2 World Series titles. It should be noted that he spent the 1998 season in Canada with Jose Canseco, a noted user of “supplements”. That calls into question everything he accomplished with the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Astros, so the question is, could Roger Clemens get into the Hall of Fame based on his numbers in Boston? The answer is a resounding yes!
OUT – Manny Ramirez, OF – Cleveland, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox, Rays
In a world where the “Bud Selig Era” never happened, and if we were able to believe what we saw on the field was true, Manny Ramirez would be a Hall of Fame player. He finished his career with .312 BA, 555 HRs, and 2,574 hits, and helped lead the Red Sox to 2 World Series championships, including their historic 2004 title. In his prime, Ramirez was one of the most feared hitters in the game, but like many others, succumbed to the callings of “the juice”. He was suspended by MLB in 2009, and again in 2011, for his use of outside assistance. It’s fair to question when he started using and therefore, his numbers. For those reasons, Manny Ramirez is OUT.
IN – Jose Canseco, OF – A’s, Rangers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Devil Rays, Yankees, White Sox
Here’s the biggest surprise on our list. Jose Canseco burst onto the scene in 1986, hitting 33 HRs with 117 RBIs en route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award. Two years later he won the MVP with a .307 BA, 42 HRs, and 124 RBIs. The two major issues keeping Canseco out of the Hall of Fame are that his overall numbers just aren’t worthy of induction and his association with “the juice”. In fact, he wrote a book on it. His book told the unknown story of “supplements and juice” in MLB, and that’s the reason he belongs in the Hall of Fame. Regardless of his motivation for writing the book (money, revenge, notoriety, etc.), it blew the lid off baseball’s dark secret and helped change the game for the better. For that, Jose Canseco should get a spot in the Hall of Fame.
OUT – Mark McGwire, 1B – A’s, Cardinals
Mark McGwire was just as much of a product of the “Selig Era” as any other player. In fact, he may be the biggest. He won the Rookie of the Year in 1987 when he launched 47 home runs with 118 RBIs. It was a preview of what was to come. Two more 50 HR seasons came in 1996 and 1997 before McGwire blasted 70 during the “1998 Home Run Race”. He finished his 16-year career with 583 HRs, a number that puts him among the elite. However, McGwire admitted to the AP that he was on “the sauce” off and on over a decade of his career, including 1998. His confession leaves all of his legacy in doubt, and that includes keeping Mark McGwire out of the Hall of Fame.
IN – Gary Sheffield, OF – Brewers, Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Tigers, Mets
Gary Sheffield has the resume to join the elite players up in Cooperstown, NY. A 22-year-long career that included stops with 8 different organizations and included a .292 BA, 2,689 hits, 509 HR, 1,676 RBIs, 9 All-Star selections, 5 Silver Sluggers, and a World Series title. Sheffield is a Hall of Famer, but he has been kept out due to his association with “supplements”. According to the former outfielder, a trainer applied “cream” to his knee without his consent, but he was also named in the Mitchell Report and the BALCO case. Allegations without definitive proof (assuming the cream incident was truly unknowing) have not kept others out of the Hall of Fame, and it shouldn’t be the reason that Gary Sheffield is kept out. It’s time to put him in.
