by Dave Barclay
There few more enraging things in baseball than the Hall of Fame. Going to the Hall of Fame is a lot of fun, but arguing about who should be in the Hall of Fame is not. Starting with Shoeless Joe Jackson, then Pete Rose, and now Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, and Jeff Bagwell (soon to be joined by Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens), you could start a brand new Hall of Fame filled with baseball legends that are barred from the real Hall of Fame for moral reasons. This creates feelings of confusion, embarrassment and tummy upset for everyone associated with baseball, and I think it should change.
In what way, you ask? Well, the solution's all there in the name of the place. Why don't we put people in the Hall of Fame who are famous?
Don't misunderstand me, I don't mean players like Nelson Liriano should be in the Hall of Fame just because I know who he is because he played baseball. The BBWAA should use the same process they do now, where there has to be at least 75% agreement before a player is admitted, but instead of using moral or statistical criteria, make it 100% subjective. Is a player, manager or 'builder' more famous than his peers? Into the hall they go. Easy.
