He had some very good post season and some really bad ones. His overall post season numbers are ok, nothing that would make you think twice about it though. But he did pitch that awesome Game 7 in the 1991 WS that everyone remembers and that's what helps give him the rep of being a big game pitcher. I agree it's punishment after the fact when there were no previous rules against it. And it's a slippery slope just letting in 1 or 2 guys because "they were HOFers before they started using" because how do we know when they started or stopped? Plus and let's be honest there are probably HOFers that have used PEDs in already and there will be future HOFers in that have used (that the public doesn't know about). Starting a witch hunt to keep guys out because of it is dangerous (which has hurt Bagwell's chances because voters think he might have used). I'm with you, just let the Bonds, Clemens, ARods, Mannys of the world in. Acknowledge they used PEDs in their career and they played in the steroid era and move on.
Wait, so some used prior to no official rules against specific to PEDs....but what about MANNY, BRAUN who were punished/suspended after the rules were established. (well I presume Braun will be)....so they get in too using this logic?
Because Sosa's overall numbers (besides his HR totals) aren't all that impressive. Career .273/.344/.534/.878 hitter doesn't scream first ballot to me. I mean I personally think Gary Sheffield is a boarder line HOF and he has better overall numbers than Sosa (minus 100 HRs or so). Even Fred McGriff who I don't consider a HOFer at all has comparable numbers (again minus the HR total). Jeff Bagwell who I consider a HOF has much better numbers than Sosa does too. I think Sosa would probably get into the HOF because of his high HR total (and that would pretty much be the only reason) but no not at first ballot guy. If I was up to me and they were good enough to be in the HOF (as Manny clearly is), I'd still vote them in but put on their plaque they failed a PED test and was suspended for it. That is as long as they didn't get caught 3 times and thrown out of the game, which are the rules now- 1st time caught suspended 50 games, 2nd time I believe it's 100 (although it might be 50), 3rd time out of the game forever.
You can't discount the astronomical amount of HRs though. Also, minus any PED talk, I think Sheff is a lock. He had a great all around career and is extremely underrated by the mass. Again, minus any PED stuff...
I always ignore the PED stuff when deciding whether a player is a HOFer or not simply because PEDs don't interest me at all and I'm not about to go on a witch hunt for "suspected guys" when we have no clue which players used or didn't use and there are perhaps players in the HOF now that used. The whole thing is just silly. I'm not discounting his astronomical amount of HRs, I think he'll be in the HOF for that and that alone however being good at simply 1 thing doesn't mean the guy should be a 1st ballot HOFer. Besides from all the HRs he was a poor defender, poor at getting on base (.340 career OBP is pretty bad), poor overall hitter and for a guy that hit as many HRs as he did his SLG, OPS and OPS+ is pretty low. Again someone like Sheffield (who I think is boarder line in my opinion and I wouldn't be upset if he got in or didn't) has much better numbers than Sosa and even a guy like McGriff (who I don't think is a HOFer at all) has similiar to better numbers than Sosa did too. I think someone like Sosa is overrated because he hit over 600 HRs, he did little else besides that. At least Mark McGwire got on base and had a better overall stat line than Sosa. I admit, I was pretty surprised to look at Sosa's career numbers, they're not all that impressive.
Next year discussion and results are going to be so much fun.......I see a stance being taken by so many voters.....it will be interesting.
