Jim Rice again missing the 75 percent of ballots cutoff for enshrinement into the Baseball hall of Fame is disappointing.
The fact that Tuesday’s vote comes in the wake of the growing steroid/human growth hormone make’s Rice’s setback inexcusable.
The inflated statistical numbers of drug cheats like Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens make the legitimate numbers of players such as Rice look puny. However, in reality, they are far superior.
In 16 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Rice compiled some impressive numbers. He belted 382 with an impressive 1,451 RBIs.
His slugging percentage was .502 and helped keep rallies alive with a .352 on-base percentage.
He was the 1978 American League Most Valuable Player and was a seven-time All-Star.
Rice received 392 votes for the Hall of Fame (72.2 percent), up from 346 (63.5 percent) last year, but 16 short of the 75 percent needed.
“Today’s results are obviously a disappointment,” the gentleman slugger said in a statement.
“I believe my accomplishments speak for themselves, and a majority of the voters seem to agree. It is tough to come this close, but I remain hopeful for the 2009 results.”
Rice’s final year of eligibility before he would have to be considered by the Veterans Committee is 2009.
Rice’s career ended in 1986. Four years later, steroids had seriously invaded baseball.
What if Rice had been a bit younger and took the cheating route? He would have bounced back from injuries quicker and bolstered his numbers, that’s guaranteed.
Rice would have probably neared – or even cleared – the 500 home run mark and posted at least 1,700 RBIs.
Let’s take another example of a player that could easily reach the Hall of Fame, had he been involved in steroid use.
Fred McGriff played 19 seasons and was never linked to any kind of steroid use. His body never dramatically changed and his numbers went down as his age went up. His career began in 1986 – the year Rice’s ended – and came to a close in 2004.
McGriff finished with 493 home runs and 1,550.
This guy closes with 600 home runs and close to 2,000 RBI if he is on steroids or HGH for half of those 19 seasons.
But I truly believe he didn’t cheat. His reward is that he is a long shot to make the Hall of Fame instead of a sure shot.
Reliever Rich “Goose” Gossage was the only man elected to the Hall on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, deserving players such as Rice have to hang on. So do deserving managers such as Whitey Herzog.
As for Mark McGwire, he received just 128 votes. The good news is he didn’t lose votes, but he didn’t gain any. He received the same amount in 2008, but his percentage rose from 23.5 percent to 23.6 percent.
At that rate, McGwire would get into the Hall of Fame in about 520 years.
I think Clemens is through pitching in the Major Leagues. I think the same is true of Barry Bonds. This dynamic duo will come up for a Hall of Fame in 2012.
I hope Rice is in and has a vote, don’t you?
