Big Papi elected to HOF; Bonds, Clemens, Schilling left out

[George II]

Source: Associated Press

By JAKE SEINER 10 minutes ago

David Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first turn on the ballot, while steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry to Cooperstown in their final year under consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Ortiz, a clutch slugger and 10-time All-Star over 20 seasons mostly with the Boston Red Sox, was named on 77.9% of ballots unveiled Tuesday night, clearing the 75% threshold needed for enshrinement. He’s the fourth primary designated hitter voted into the Hall.

Big Papi was among baseball’s most recognizable faces through the 2000s and 2010s. His enormous grin endeared him to fans, but the Dominican’s hulking frame menaced pitchers, especially in the late innings. He had 23 game-ending hits, including three during the 2004 postseason while Boston ended an 86-year World Series drought.

Ortiz batted .286 with 541 home runs with Boston and Minnesota while making 88% of his plate appearances as a designated hitter, the most by anyone in the Hall. He passes Edgar Martinez, who was a DH for 71.7% of his plate appearances. Frank Thomas and Harold Baines are the only other Hall members to DH more than half the time.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-entertainment-barry-bonds-david-ortiz-9e28afd5c493197af78b12ea537c667a

[Auggie]

1. Didn't Ortiz test positive for steroids too?

[George II]

2. He tested positive once back in 2003, the year MLB began voluntary and random testing....

It was questionable if he was taking steroids, and speculation was that it may have been from a supplement he was taking, not steroids outright.

It was early in the testing program, and he never tested positive again.

[TheRickles]

3. Never confirmed. His name was on the (supposedly confidential) MLB list in 2003

of questionable results, but it's not known what his result actually was. That testing also included drugs that at the time were legal and available over the counter, so it's quite possible that he did nothing wrong. And then the bulk of his career, from 2004 to 2016, was during a time of regular drug testing throughout MLB, so he couldn't have been using anything then or it would have been detected. And that's when he racked up his incredible stats and clutch performances.

[BradAllison]

23. Yup

Then denied it later, stating he was going to "OJ" the investigation (find out who framed him). Never got an update on that.

The baseball writers are hypocrites.

[Tomconroy]

4. Thoroughly deserving!

The greatest clutch hitter I have ever seen!


"I am truly honored and blessed by my selection to the Hall of Fame -- the highest honor that any baseball player can reach in their lifetime," Ortiz said in a statement released by the Boston Red Sox. "I am grateful to the baseball writers who considered my career in its totality, not just on the statistics."

[George II]

5. He was a huge positive influence on the team, too, "not just on the statistics".

[BlueTsunami2018]

6. It really is quite absurd that Bonds is left out.

Clemens too to a lesser degree. But only lesser because Bonds was so far above everyone else.

[sarcasmo]

7. Roids no chance.

[BlueTsunami2018]

13. It's ridiculous.

Steroids or not, asshole or not, he’s the best player of his generation and one of the best to ever play in any.

The whole steroids thing keeping players out is dumb.

[sarcasmo]

17. Good luck changing the voters/writers mind.

[ripcord]

22. Why would they put somene in the HoF who cheated their way to their accomplishments? nt

[Wuddles440]

16. An incredibly gifted athlete....

and one of the game's greatest performers, but an absolute morally and ethically bankrupt individual - both processionally and in his personal life! His enshrinement would tarnish the hall forever and be an insult to those possessing the type of character traits that truly deserves such recognition.

[padah513]

20. Wow!!!

Mickey Mantle missed the end of the 1961 season because of an infection from an injection of steroids and amphetamines. Does he deserve to be in there? I pray nobody ever judges my life this harshly. Wow!!!

[Wuddles440]

21. Mantle..

had his demons but didn't have the extensive history of domestic violence like Bonds. Like I said, Bond's a morally and ethically POS.

[happybird]

8. Bet he had a biiiig lunch to celebrate

[Fiendish Thingy]

12. Mofongo! Nt

[happybird]

19. Y wasakaka con queso frito

of course!

[JT45242]

9. You can be a steroid cheat and get into the HoF if you are nice to writers and ESPN

Ortiz was not just leaked -- he and Manny Rairez went to the big baggy shirts to hide their steroid usage.

But -- he wasn't a jerk to the media. He smiled. He did commercials. So he gets into the hall of fame.

He was a mediocre player before he started juicing. But let him in. Piazza, Bagwell, etc. -- they were nice to the guys who vote so we let them in while keeping out Bonds who was one of the four best players to ever play the game before he touched a PED.

The utter hypocrisy of the voters on PEDs makes me sick.

Pete Rose and Barry Bonds don't go in -- but guys like Ortiz, Ivan Rodriquez, and Piazza get in.

[ificandream]

10. Agreed. And also ...

... because MLB basically condoned it for a long time. Bonds and Clemens should have been there. And I don't think it all had to do with steroids. In Bonds' case, he was despised by a lot of the writers who covered him because of the way he treated them, which he has since apologized for. Hopefully, he'll get in by the ERA Committee. He definitely should.

[Wuddles440]

18. Ah...

maybe his propensity for engaging in domestic violence and abuse on multiple occasions could also be a factor...a rather significant one...

[LudwigPastorius]

15. Pudge never failed a drug test.

...and Canseco's book isn't exactly brimming with facts. (He says on Page 65 that he hit a home run at Tiger Stadium in 1986, which he did not. He says on Page 232 that he pinch-hit in Game 6 of the 2000 World Series, which actually ended in five games.)

[BradAllison]

24. Neither did Piazza

That was just pure rumor.

[FakeNoose]

11. Don't worry, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemons will get there

I never saw Ortiz play, except on TV. However I was lucky to see Barry Bonds come to his prime in Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. He was quite an athlete in the early-to-mid 90's and he had an ego to match his ability. The steroids happened later, but Barry Bonds was something to see. His personality and his big mouth spouting off to the TV and newspaper reporters, well, let's just say he lost a lot of fans in Pittsburgh. But that's another story. The guy belongs in the HOF.

Congratulations to David Ortiz! It's a well-deserved tribute to an awesome baseball player!

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Sounds like the voters made the right choices

[turbinetree]

25. Twins from 1997 to 2000 and then they let him go, one of the biggest mistakes my Twins ever did

but....