The solution was to appeal to the group whose opinions the Hall clearly doesn’t respect. This year, the Baseball Writers Association of America asked the Hall to publicly release every ballot with the name of the writer who cast it. Transparency matters, and the BBWAA voted in favor of public accountability. The Hall rejected that overture, just as it had the BBWAA’s request for the ballot to be expanded beyond a maximum of 10 votes per year to address the glut steroid users’ muddled candidacies caused.
Which is what makes the opening paragraph of the letter so distasteful. In the very first sentence, Morgan proclaims, as if called to action, that he must “speak out about the possibility of steroid users entering the Hall of Fame.” One of two things is happening here. Either Joe Morgan doesn’t realize steroid users already have entered the Hall of Fame and is thus fundamentally disqualified from writing a letter like this because it would be positively embarrassing to let someone so ignorant speak on behalf of such a cause, or he is lying and obfuscating. The latter is likelier.
Source: Jeff Passan, Yahoo!Sports
Joe Morgan was a great, great player. His post-playing career is a disgrace. Passan is making an incredible principled stand here, one I’m certain I couldn’t do. Kudos to him.
This is Jeff Passan Trumping Sanctimony with Sanctimony. His letter and His Vote would have served a greater purpose than giving up his vote.
This is pure bullshit and self inflation on both sides… Jeff writes a great column, then he childishly takes his ballot and goes home.
“Sorry Edgar Martinez”???? F You Jeff Passan!!!!!