As anyone that follows RN can tell you, I REALLY enjoy John Erardi’s writing. He published an article this week sharing his view on the PED issue and the Hall of Fame. Here’s how it starts out:
I keep hearing that some of the higher profile voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America want some help in determining how to handle the upcoming Halll of Fame candidates who used, or are suspected of using, performance-enhancing drugs.
Two words for you guys and gals, if there are any of out there with a vote: Dream on.
It’s not going to happen — although I’d welcome it if it did.
As one of the many 600 or so voting baseball writers who are not totally comfortable with where to draw the line between suspected, admitted, and obvious PED users for future ballots, I’d very much appreciate it if some Abraham Lincoln-esque figure with a way for words and a gift for brevity would step forward.
I am not submitting myself as the Solomon-like genius who can figure all this out.
But as somebody with considerable regard for the game (and a Hall of Fame vote), I’m willing to take a stab at it.
Consider it a starting point.