ORTIZ IN, AROD OUT

 

Source: NY Post

What else can I say? Alex Rodriguez was not a popular vote among baseball writers, only gleaning 34.3 percent of the votes. Interesting and ironic, because the guy that was popular wore #34 for many years. And that guy is a Hall of Fame inductee for 2022—David Ortiz. What does this mean for Arod's chances for the future? Let's unpack it.

Source: Associated Press

The New York Post writes, "Rodriguez was always going to suffer on the first ballot, which many writers view differently than others. However, starting off this low, combined with the fact that the writers declined to elect fellow PED suspects Bonds and Clemens, makes it a longshot they will ever vote Rodriguez in." Yet, his numbers speak volumes, and honestly, performance-enhancing methodologies (let's not just call them drugs) were utilized by many athletes in MLB and beyond. It was all part of the time. But unfortunately for Arod, it is also a part of his legacy.

Source: Sports Illustrated

"Rodriguez finished his career with 696 home runs, a 117.5 WAR, and a .930 OPS — all gargantuan numbers. He was also an excellent fielder and the catalyst in the Yankees’ 2009 World Series run," reported the Post. And when he was healthy, he was lethal. The PEDs were part of the package, but is Ortiz absolved of dabbling in performance-enhancing tactics?

Source: WGN-TV

According to CNN, "Ortiz also was the subject of steroid speculation after he reportedly tested positive in anonymous survey testing in 2003. MLB's official testing program went in effect the next year and Ortiz never failed." Everyone knows that PEDs were utilized by all of the top performers during this time period. So, absolving Ortiz and not Arod is just ridiculous. Perhaps Ortiz was able to sell it better?

Others overlooked by the HOF committee included Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds who were linked to steroids in the Mitchell Report. Interestingly enough, "if the vote were on statistics only, Bonds, Clemens, and Rodriguez would have been shoo-ins," reported CNN. Bonds and Clemens claimed only about 65% of the vote, so many years later. 

Source: The Boston Globe

So does it come down to Public Relations? Yes. Exactly. And the fact that Arod played for the New York Yankees who are under a different kind of scrutiny that only New Yorkers and their fans understand. Will Arod ever make it to the HOF? I don't know. Unfortunately for him, it comes down to timing. PEDs legislation across the league was not clearly enforced and not clearly communicated. It was confusing. Much like the CDC and its Covid recommendations. You get it. 

Am I a proponent of PEDs? No. Do I think Ortiz was innocent of using PEDs. No. Do I think Arod deserves a fair vote and opportunity to make the Hall? Yes. Will he get his day? I think so, I hope so. But not now. Ortiz got in and Arod did not. That's all I have. Arod was just so much more of a player than Ortiz. Not because I am a Yankee fan, but because all around, he was a better player. And for that, I hope he gets his day. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof