The Hall Of Fame Voting Is Here, And Another Choice Quote From Roger Clemens

Today is the day that, if all is right in the world, Goose Gossage will roar into the Baseball Hall of Fame and Jim Ed Rice should also get the 75% of the votes needed for admission. IF ALL IS RIGHT IN THE BASEBALL WORLD. Gossage was a savage hurler who had many saves of more than one inning. And we all know about Jim Ed Rice, once one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. The conditions are better than they ever have been or will be for his induction. This is from the Hartford Courant's ace sportswriter, Jeff Jacobs. He is my favorite sports scribe....

"Gossage should roar into the Hall of Fame. Rice, a power hitter, should slide into the Hall of Fame barely under the tag of the naysayers.
Gossage won 124 games, saved 310 and struck out 1,502 batters in 1,809 innings. He had 52 saves of at least seven outs. Mariano Rivera has one. With a 100 mph fastball, he was a two-inning knockout artist.
Arguing Rice's qualifications has become as much a New England winter pastime as counting Patriots Super Bowl rings. I'm not going to bore you with all the talking points beyond saying Rice, who goes off the ballot after next year, deserves it in a close call."

52 saves of seven outs or more! Wow!! Well said, Jeff. I'm rooting for both of them, because they DESERVE to be there. If Jim Ed did not suffer from nearsightedness, which affected his hitting and outfield defense in his later years, he would have played two more seasons, at least. And with those kind of numbers, he would already be a member of baseball's elite club. The Goose is a lock for today's vote, much like Obama is in New Hampshire. And yes, Obama IS a lock. He will make Hillary cry yet again.

Speaking of the Hall, Roger Clemens, who will appear before a Congressional hearing next week, had this to say. Remember, he knows baseball's history and revels in it. For him to say this was unfathomable to me. Here you go...

"Do you think I played my career because I'm worried about the damn Hall of Fame?" Clemens said seconds before storming off the podium. "I don't give a rat's ass. If you have a vote and [are affected] because of this, you keep your vote. I don't need the Hall of Fame to justify that I put my butt on the line and I worked my tail off. I defy anybody to say I did it by cheating or taking any shortcuts."

Wow, Roger, why aren't you more forthcoming? Just kidding, but he might have done more harm to his Hall of Fame chances in those few sentences than anything I could imagine. Talk about speaking your mind! And remember, Roger is a student of the history of America's favorite sport...remember how he used to walk out to the monuments in Yankee Stadium's centerfield and touch Babe Ruth's forehead? So it DOES matter to him. IMMENSELY. Hey Roger, wait and tell it to Congress. DO NOT LIE. If they find any untruthful statements, you will go through the same broohaha that the very guilty Barry Bonds is going through right now. Do you want to share a lifeboat with HIM? I wouldn't.

Everyone, thanks again for stopping by, and I wish you a great Tuesday, January 8th. I linked the entire Jeff Jacobs piece...all you have to do is click on the title of this post. Take care and BE WELL. Forever.