Love Letters: Among bitter fans there's one Big Mac backer

Mark McGwire? The Hall of Fame vote? OK, it's your turn. ...

From: Rick L.

Re.: With the air finally clear, McGwire's legacy depends on history

The air is far from clear. A proper press conference with real questions is needed. McGwire's answers are self-serving. He needs to be asked why he did not hit the same number of home runs before he took steroids as he did after he hit steroids. Did he think there was any relationship between how much he made after he started taking steroids and before? Did he think all the muscle he gained after he took steroids helped him with his home run totals? Do you want to tell us about your use of Human Growth Hormone? This half-baked confession reflects very badly on McGwire and on baseball for letting him back in the game.

Generally speaking, I find half-baked only works well with cookie dough. You are hereby an honorary reporter, Rick L. I'll send you a badge. There are so many questions McGwire either needs to answer or hasn't answered well enough before he gets anything close to full absolution -- or even partial absolution.

From: Homer M.

You know the world's upside down when your son-in-law wants to know what's the big deal about steroids in baseball? I loved the game and saw Maris and Mantle in their record-breaking year. To let cheaters steal their records is un-American and wrong in every way. Now, the big question: Who's going to turn up the heat on Roger Clemens? He shouldn't be able to get off unscathed. Who's going to apply heat to the rocket, with a little r?

Right now, the government ... with a little g. If you're looking for a confession from him, the waterboarding option hasn't been tried yet.

From: David H.

Is it possible that McGwire decided to come clean because the five-year statute of limitations had run out on the feds charging him with perjury or making a false statement in connection with his lying before Congress on his non-use of steroids? Great article. Keep up the good reporting.

Anything is possible -- and probable -- when it comes to the Steroid Era.

From: Barb H.

Mark McGwire is a dirty piece of scum. Hasn't the scoundrel done enough damage already? He should go to prison and be banned from baseball for the rest of his life. He is a disgrace to all Americans, young and old. I spit on his dirty face and shoe.

But Barb, you're not done yet, are you? I think another e-mail just hit my inbox. ...

From: Barb H.

Mark McGwire is a liar, coward, scumbag & fraud. I hope he rots in hell. Even that would be too good for him!!!

It's always nice to hear from the Old Testament Fan Club.

From: Do It Right

I expected nothing less from a double-talking, hypocritical, east coast, puke reporter the likes of you!!

I'm printing this only so you can serve as an example to others as to how stupid a person can look when he/she fails to do the proper research. I live nowhere near the East Coast.

From: Nick R.

I believe that McGwire should be in the Hall of Fame because he was the best player of his era and back when he played it wasn't considered cheating.

OK, that's one "yes" vote.

From: John C.

Give him credit ... are you kidding???? Just for hyperbole's sake, let's say Hitler was still alive and was attempting to repair his image and admits that the Holocaust was real. He should have and could have come clean years ago. I thought you were a tougher critic, but it looks like you are drinking La Russa Kool-Aid. When I admit to my wife that I cheated on her, I'm going to tell her that I wish I wasn't born in the Era of Infidelity. How about asking McGwire to own up to his transgressions and not blame it On the Era. He couldn't have admitted this at a safer time, not with A-Rod's admission already out there. And now it will be self-serving writers like yourself who say, you know what they all did, so let's just accept it and their tainted records and put them in the Hall. Let me tell you three people who didn't take steroids: Cal Ripken, Hank Aaron, and Roger Maris. It was CHEATING, and for all of McGwire's physical strength, when it comes to ethics, he's a 98-pound weakling.

Wow, where do I start with you? OK, Hitler. You can't be serious in even THINKING of comparing McGwire and steroid use to genocide. Can you? I mean, really. I would like to think I remain a tough critic, and you're wrong in one area: I did not, and will not, cast a Hall of Fame vote for him -- or for any other steroid user. Cheating on your wife, that's your business. Your best point: That when it comes to ethics, McGwire is a 98-pound weakling. You should have started -- and ended -- with that.

From: John M.

Spare me the tears. If Mark McGwire was sincere and not self-serving, he would disavow all records obtained through the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. ... He insulted us for 10 years and now thinks a contrived and trite interview makes everything all right. Please.

Hear, hear!

From: Jason T.

Scott,

Compare Mark McGwire's stats with Dale Murphy's, a player who more than likely did not use PEDs. When all of this HOF talk comes up again, it might be a good discussion point.

Oh, I have a feeling it will all come up again next December -- as soon as the 2011 Hall of Fame ballots reach voters.

From:Chris B.

Re.: Dawson? Yes, but Alomar's omission is a shocker

It's only a shocker to you because you have typical jockstrap class. Alomar's spitting on the umpire was a true indication of HIS class. Now, you should reflect on that.

I have. And I reflected on how he apologized and umpire John Hirschbeck not only forgave him but phoned Alomar before the Hall voting was announced to wish him luck.

From: Chris B.

Utterly, preposterously poor, your opinion about Roberto Alomar's HOF omission. Alomar disgraced himself with a negative-class, cave-man display when he spit at the umpire on national TV, in front of his peers, and the thousands of fans who paid admission that day. He deserves NOTHING! If Pete Rose is out, Alomar, who was NOT as good as Rose, by far is out.

Why am I picturing Planet of the Apes right about now?

From: Paul T.

Alomar is indeed worthy as is Bert Blyleven. If you really want to know why they didn't make it, look no further than the idiots that voted for Mark Steroids McGwire. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, baseball has been legendary in rewarding those who cheat with the exception of the Black Sox. See Gaylord Perry.

If Perry played today, he would be making millions in Vaseline endorsements.

From: Lucas T.

Here is my opinion on Alomar and why I would not have voted for him on this ballot: It's pretty simple, if Ryne Sandberg doesn't make it on the first ballot, then Roberto Alomar doesn't make it on the first ballot. That's it. I think that Alomar is a Hall of Famer, but Sandberg to me is one of the top five second basemen of all time and if you can't put him in on the first ballot then you can't put Alomar in on the first ballot.

I don't agree, but I like your thinking. You're thinking like a Hall of Fame voter now, my friend.

From: Mike

Andre Dawson deserves his enshrinement. He was one of those baseball players who got every ounce of baseball there was out his body. He had a kind of baseball nobility. The Gold Gloves count for something, too. In fact, they tip the scales, because Dawson really had only a couple of giant years offensively, the kind that were routine for other HOF candidates not yet elected or not yet eligible.

Great description, that Dawson had a kind of baseball nobility. Love it.

From: Jim K.

Re.: It's Christmas time, so who's been naughty and nice?

Scott,

I enjoyed your article on Santa's Naughty List. I know I've written feedback in the past where I've vehemently disagreed with what you've written but your latest work was fun to read through. Thank you.

You've got class, Jim. Lots of folks only write when it comes to the disagreeing part.

From: Kurt

It's Christmas time, so who's been naughty and nice? Fantastic article! Best of the year. Thanks!

It's my pleasure to work with editors who allow me to have some fun while writing. Because let me tell you, writing only rumors gets boring in the winter. Fast.

From: Nathan

Re.: While pondering Larkin's Hall future, Trammell stays in mind

As a Reds fan, I enjoyed your article. I do think that Larkin is a Hall of Famer. I'm just curious what your take is on Concepcion.

You hit a sensitive spot there, Nathan. I didn't begin voting until Concepcion's final couple of years on the ballot. I did not vote for him. But it bothers me to this day. I have a gnawing feeling that his defense should have gotten him in.

From: Brad

After conducting the research, your gut now tells you to vote for Larkin. Do it. He is unquestionably a Hall of Famer, as you said. So don't play games -- vote for the guy!

I did, I did! I hope you read part two of the column, the one in which I wrote about my Hall ballot. If you missed it, you can read it here.

From: Andrew G.

I'm biased because Trammell and Larkin are my two favorite players of all time, but your stock will go way up in my book if you mark both their names on your ballot. Their stats alone warrant them being considered, but what stood out for me about both of them was their character and leadership.

See above.

From: Dean W.

Scott,

You might also have mentioned that Trammell's the only shortstop to hit over .300 in FIVE seasons who's not in the Hall. Biggest miscarriage ever, and tarnishes the Hall. One of the things somebody who's got a vote, and thus a stake in the BBWAA interests, ought to do is a piece on how the most experienced baseball writers in America are forbidden by their newspapers from casting a vote. So we get the Hall votes cast by people who cover baseball for a string of shoppers in suburban Chicago, for example. Trammell was eligible the same year Ozzie Smith was. I don't claim that Ozzie doesn't belong there, but close your eyes and see if you can't see the endless loop of videotape and that damned somersault. We're dominated by the tube, and Ozzie performed for it.

Amen, brother, amen.