Ex-Yankees In Limbo For Cooperstown Hall of Fame Call

Their names remain iconic in New York and throughout Major League Baseball, still, years after brilliantly performing on the playing field.  But, does Thurman Munson, Roger Clemens or Alex Rodriquez have a case for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown?

The debates have continued for years. Opinions are endless.  Should they or shouldn't they be enshrined, officially, as among the game of baseball's all-time greatest?  Baseball, more so than in the other three major sports - football, hockey, and basketball, has always been driven by statistics.  In recent years, MLB has been the leader in using analytics.  Perhaps, a case could be debated the use of analytics has gone overboard in defining player performances.

However, numbers don't lie.  Since most could remember, players have always searched for an edge in their preparation to battle elite counterparts.  Legal, and, unfortunately, illegal substances and training methods have made the difference in the distance a ball could be hit or how fast a pitcher could hurl a ball.

When reviewing Clemens' case for Cooperstown, on the surface, it should be a no-brainer for members of the BBWA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) to cast the proper amount of votes needed to elect him to the Hall of Fame. The dominance Clemens had from the mound for 24 MLB seasons with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros, at times, seemed almost superhuman.

In the history of pro ball, only 8 pitchers won more games than Clemens. Just eight.  His accolades are numbing - seven Cy Young Awards, 11-time all-star, 709 games pitched, registering a few innings shy of 5,000 appeared in, 4,672 strikeouts (third among career strikeout leaders), and a 354-184 win-loss record.

When he was "on", Clemens was near unhittable.  Twice in his career Clemens registered 20 strikeouts in a 9-inning game.  He is only one of four ever to collect 20 strikeouts in a game.

Throw in a couple World Series championships with New York, and two pennants, what's not to like about Clemens giving a speech in Cooperstown?

Clemens has been linked to using at some point in his career PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) that were illegal, according to MLB.  However, in recent years, one player who had their name on a list of using banned substances was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Like Clemens, Rodriquez, too, was linked later in his career to PEDs.  He served a suspension for doing so. There was no 2014 MLB season for A-Rod.  But, the offensive numbers put up by him shouldn't be ignored.

In 22 MLB seasons with Seattle, Texas,and the Yankees, Rodriquez played in in 2,784 games, collected 3,115 hits, slugged 696 home runs, drove in 2,086 runs, scored over 2,000 runs, was an all-star, Gold Glove winner, and gained a batting title. League rules were violated. No doubt. But, wasn't it talent and not liquid from a bottle that drove the ball for A-Rod?  Financially, Rodriquez paid the price for his misdeeds. He was on his way to a Hall of Fame career before having his name linked to PEDs.

The PED era will forever be a stain on the history of the game. It was also a time when a majority of the players apparently were engaged in using some substance to give them an edge.  Years back, before PEDs, amphetamines were rumored to be a favorite substitute for energy.

The late New York Yankees star captain Thurman Munson is still waiting for his plaque to be cast in Cooperstown.

Munson, who died August 2, 1979 while practicing landing his plane at Akron-Canton Airport, was the face of the club in the 1970s.  Before leading the Yankees to three consecutive World Series appearances (1976-78), Munson came up in the organization in 1969, at a time when they were among the worst in the American League.  Forgettable names as Tom Shopay and Frank Tepedino were supposed to lead the club to greatness.

It was Munson's gritty play, his leadership on the field and in the clubhouse that made him popular with the fans. He, and Cincinnati Reds Johnny Bench were the premiere catchers in baseball.  In the post-season play, Munson batted .357.  Awards collected were many - the American League MVP in 1976, Rookie of the Year, three Gold Gloves, and seven-times an all-star.  For a decade, Munson was in the conversation as the best at what he did.

Could the 1,558 hits and 113 home runs collected by Munson be what hasn't impressed BBWAA writers enough to get him the 75 percent votes needed for election to the Hall?

Numbers make a good argument  when discussing Hall of Fame worthiness.  Actions on the field should tell the player's ultimate story.  MLB cleaned itself up from the PED mess that was allowed to fester in the 1990s and beyond.  It's a sad part of a great game's history.  It's time to heal all wounds, and give genuine superstars of different eras the same respect for their superstar contributions.

Don Laible is a freelance sportswriter from the Mohawk Valley, now living in Florida. He has reported on professional baseball and hockey for print, radio, and on the web since the 1980's. His columns are featured weekly at WIBX950.com. Don can be contacted via email at Don@icechipsdiamonddust.com.