Bagwell likely won’t get in on the first ballot due to suspicion of steroid use:

As per Dan Graziano, AOL Fanhouse’s Dan Graziano reports. “Graziano, a Hall of Fame voter, said he didn’t vote for Bagwell due to the suspicion because he would rather withhold the vote based on suspicion rather than vote him in and find out later that he used performance-enhancing drugs.”

Read more: http://www.kffl.com/gnews.php?id=689383-mlb-jeff-bagwell-steroids-suspicion-turning-voters#ixzz19ruwQ0va

This suspicion, whether warrented or not, has put a cloud over all players from the late 90′s- early 20th century era. Sooner or later, their will be proof that someone already in the Hall has taken steroids during his career; undoubtably, there are some already in who have used PED’s. Since they don’t kick out players from the Hall, what would be the rationale to keep out players whose stats deserve induction, but are known steroid users?

Please don’t underate the effects of steroiods. Outside of increasing power, it also increases eye-hand coordination. So that ballplayer who was unable to hit the slider may now be able to do so with PED’s. Jose Canseco states that he wouldn’t have made it to the major leagues without steroids.

BTW, I would give Eddie Murray a small edge over Bagwell. Although he never won an MVP, almost every season he put up numbers that were consistent with a contender for that award. I don’t know his career WAR stats, but I do know that he put up terrific numbers in a number of different ballparks.

Couldn’t agree more, I only played in college, but I knew some of the guys were juicing and such. It helped them with building muscle and speed, but sure as hell didn’t help them hit a slider. (granted it did help them hit the freaking piss out of the ball when they got it)

@big o: Pretty weighty? Are you saying my post was fat? Well, I never…

@cws05nuts: @johnson: I don’t know if he was a juicer. I don’t care anymore at this point. I figure enough hitters AND pitchers were using steroids that a high WAR or OPS+ in that period is still impressive.

@Mowses: Thanks. I already don’t have enough time to write posts on Razzball and KitchenSnark.com though!

@Eddy: Thanks!

Good to hear from ya!