Why MLB and the Baseball Hall of Fame Should Vacate Players and Statistics
by Brian Scala
July 23, 2012 
(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Today, the NCAA announced their sanctions against Penn State University. One of those penalties is the loss of the school’s college football victories dating back to 1998. This knocks Joe Paterno back down to a career win total of 298. Thus, he is no longer the winningest coach in Division I history.
This is not another editorial about the horrific events that have occurred at Penn State. This is not another opinion piece about whether the NCAA's sanctions were too harsh, too lenient or misguided in any way. I will say this though. I have come to appreciate how the NCAA is not shy about wiping out wins, records and championships.
I respect the fact that the powers-that-be in college football are ready and willing to erase various achievements that are either tainted or were gained by breaking NCAA rules.
College football’s proactive stance on eliminating statistics makes me wish that other sports leagues were just as aggressive in that vein, specifically Major League Baseball. Simply put, if the NCAA can eliminate various stats for various reasons, why can’t baseball delete the records of those players caught using performance-enhancing drugs?
MLB has long insisted that removing such hallowed records as Barry Bonds’ 762 career home runs or his single-season record of 73 HR’s would open up a “Pandora’s Box” of sorts. That is not necessarily the case, and even if it were, it’s still worth opening up that box.
Baseball has reasonable cause to believe that those caught cheating don’t deserve the statistics that they’ve achieved.
At this point, is there anyone who truly believes that Rafael Palmeiro and Manny Ramirez legitimately garnered all those hits and homers? Even those within the sport have questioned what admitted PED users would have achieved had they not cheated.
Reggie Jackson only said what most people were already thinking with regards to Alex Rodriguez. Had he worked for any team other than the Yankees, he would not have been in hot water over his remarks.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
For those who maintain that there’s no tangible way to determine what players would have done without drugs, I say it doesn’t matter. The NCAA has already set a precedent by eliminating stats for breaking the rules. Reggie Bush never won the Heisman Trophy at USC. Pete Carroll never won a National Championship in 2004. The Alabama Crimson Tide’s official 2005 record is 0-2.
No one should shed a tear over the loss of Palmeiro’s hits or A-Rod’s final home run tally, whatever it may be.
In some cases, there IS a reasonable cutoff point. Most people in the know agree that Bonds started using PEDs after the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa RoidFest of 1998.
Some would argue that Bonds was never actually suspended from MLB, and therefore should not be punished. However, he was indicted for perjury, and convicted for obstruction of justice. That alone is reasonable cause for MLB to take action. Ask Jim Tressel what the NCAA penalty is for obstructing justice.
MLB should not be shy about forcing a team to vacate a World Series Championship, a la the Trojans. There’s already a precedent within the sport. We don’t have a 1994 champion because of a players strike that forced the cancellation of the World Series.
The lineage is already broken and the sanctity already compromised. What difference does it make if, say, the 2000 New York Yankees, with 10 of its players listed in the Mitchell Report, have to vacate their title?
No, the runner-up Mets should not become the 2000 champs either. They also have ties to the Mitchell Report, namely former clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. In fact, no award runner-up should retroactively claim ownership.
For argument’s sake, if we strip the late Ken Caminiti of his 1996 NL MVP Award and give it to Mike Piazza, what happens if Piazza admits to taking PEDs some 20 years down the road? By then, he’d already be a decorated Hall of Famer, and speaking of the Hall of Fame….
As a last resort, even if players obtain a court order to keep their MLB statistics intact, the National Baseball Hall of Fame should step in and deny their alleged greatness. They legally reserve the right to omit players from the ballot.
Baseball writers have gotten it right thus far by not electing Palmeiro or Mark McGwire. When Bonds becomes eligible, however, that’s a different story.
Most writers believe that his pre-steroid statistics are enough to gain him entry into Cooperstown. This is where the Hall needs to override the Baseball Writers Association of America.
If someone like Bonds decides to sue the Hall of Fame, he should lose. They are an independent, privately-funded organization, not owned by Major League Baseball. In essence, they are a private club that reserves the right to refuse anyone entry or membership.
In fact, Article 9 of the BBWAA Election Rules states that “The Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. reserves the right to revoke, alter or amend these rules at any time.” With Bonds and Roger Clemens becoming eligible this year, now is as good a time as any to revoke, alter or amend their process.
Plus, if a current or future Hall of Famer later admits to taking PEDs during his career, the Hall can use that same Article 9 to legally revoke his membership.
The NCAA does a lot of things wrong, but this is one aspect that I agree with wholeheartedly. It’s time for MLB and the Hall of Fame to step up and start rewriting their history. I literally do not know of one person who thinks that Bonds or Clemens (despite winning in a court of law) didn’t cheat.
Baseball has always been about the fans. In many fans’ minds, the Home Run King is still Hank Aaron. The single-season HR King is still Roger Maris. We need to recognize the ones who did right and punish the ones who did wrong. Baseball already got it right years ago with Pete Rose.
NCAA has set the standard in that regard. Now it’s time for MLB and the Hall of Fame to follow suit.
This is not another editorial about the horrific events that have occurred at Penn State. This is not another opinion piece about whether the NCAA's sanctions were too harsh, too lenient or misguided in any way. I will say this though. I have come to appreciate how the NCAA is not shy about wiping out wins, records and championships.
I respect the fact that the powers-that-be in college football are ready and willing to erase various achievements that are either tainted or were gained by breaking NCAA rules.
College football’s proactive stance on eliminating statistics makes me wish that other sports leagues were just as aggressive in that vein, specifically Major League Baseball. Simply put, if the NCAA can eliminate various stats for various reasons, why can’t baseball delete the records of those players caught using performance-enhancing drugs?
MLB has long insisted that removing such hallowed records as Barry Bonds’ 762 career home runs or his single-season record of 73 HR’s would open up a “Pandora’s Box” of sorts. That is not necessarily the case, and even if it were, it’s still worth opening up that box.
Baseball has reasonable cause to believe that those caught cheating don’t deserve the statistics that they’ve achieved.
At this point, is there anyone who truly believes that Rafael Palmeiro and Manny Ramirez legitimately garnered all those hits and homers? Even those within the sport have questioned what admitted PED users would have achieved had they not cheated.
Reggie Jackson only said what most people were already thinking with regards to Alex Rodriguez. Had he worked for any team other than the Yankees, he would not have been in hot water over his remarks.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
For those who maintain that there’s no tangible way to determine what players would have done without drugs, I say it doesn’t matter. The NCAA has already set a precedent by eliminating stats for breaking the rules. Reggie Bush never won the Heisman Trophy at USC. Pete Carroll never won a National Championship in 2004. The Alabama Crimson Tide’s official 2005 record is 0-2.
No one should shed a tear over the loss of Palmeiro’s hits or A-Rod’s final home run tally, whatever it may be.
In some cases, there IS a reasonable cutoff point. Most people in the know agree that Bonds started using PEDs after the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa RoidFest of 1998.
Some would argue that Bonds was never actually suspended from MLB, and therefore should not be punished. However, he was indicted for perjury, and convicted for obstruction of justice. That alone is reasonable cause for MLB to take action. Ask Jim Tressel what the NCAA penalty is for obstructing justice.
MLB should not be shy about forcing a team to vacate a World Series Championship, a la the Trojans. There’s already a precedent within the sport. We don’t have a 1994 champion because of a players strike that forced the cancellation of the World Series.
The lineage is already broken and the sanctity already compromised. What difference does it make if, say, the 2000 New York Yankees, with 10 of its players listed in the Mitchell Report, have to vacate their title?
No, the runner-up Mets should not become the 2000 champs either. They also have ties to the Mitchell Report, namely former clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. In fact, no award runner-up should retroactively claim ownership.
For argument’s sake, if we strip the late Ken Caminiti of his 1996 NL MVP Award and give it to Mike Piazza, what happens if Piazza admits to taking PEDs some 20 years down the road? By then, he’d already be a decorated Hall of Famer, and speaking of the Hall of Fame….
As a last resort, even if players obtain a court order to keep their MLB statistics intact, the National Baseball Hall of Fame should step in and deny their alleged greatness. They legally reserve the right to omit players from the ballot.
Baseball writers have gotten it right thus far by not electing Palmeiro or Mark McGwire. When Bonds becomes eligible, however, that’s a different story.
Most writers believe that his pre-steroid statistics are enough to gain him entry into Cooperstown. This is where the Hall needs to override the Baseball Writers Association of America.
If someone like Bonds decides to sue the Hall of Fame, he should lose. They are an independent, privately-funded organization, not owned by Major League Baseball. In essence, they are a private club that reserves the right to refuse anyone entry or membership.
In fact, Article 9 of the BBWAA Election Rules states that “The Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. reserves the right to revoke, alter or amend these rules at any time.” With Bonds and Roger Clemens becoming eligible this year, now is as good a time as any to revoke, alter or amend their process.
Plus, if a current or future Hall of Famer later admits to taking PEDs during his career, the Hall can use that same Article 9 to legally revoke his membership.
The NCAA does a lot of things wrong, but this is one aspect that I agree with wholeheartedly. It’s time for MLB and the Hall of Fame to step up and start rewriting their history. I literally do not know of one person who thinks that Bonds or Clemens (despite winning in a court of law) didn’t cheat.
Baseball has always been about the fans. In many fans’ minds, the Home Run King is still Hank Aaron. The single-season HR King is still Roger Maris. We need to recognize the ones who did right and punish the ones who did wrong. Baseball already got it right years ago with Pete Rose.
NCAA has set the standard in that regard. Now it’s time for MLB and the Hall of Fame to follow suit.
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