Hall of Fame Vote For Sale

MLB hall of fame president Jeff Idelson( Don McPeak-USA Today Sports)

I wish this was a joke. I really do. In fact I still wish that it comes out that this was all a hoax and Deadspin has fooled us all. However, that does not appear to be the case.

To be honest, I am surprised that this has not caused more of an outrage. It is disgusting, deplorable, and in my opinion just flat out wrong. Say what you want about the Hall of Fame and the process, but it is still something that should be honored and recognized as the special institution that it is.

Sure there are flaws with the process. And that is without even getting into the steroid issue. On some level, Cooperstown and the Hall of Fame is still a mythical place, and it is deserving of respect.

Granted, the voting process is still extremely subjective, but it works. And Deadspin, along with one member of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America, is making it into an absolute mockery.

"Well, with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America having released its official ballot today, we can happily announce that we have a vote. A member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America thought our plan sounded like a pretty damn good idea and sold us his/her vote, making a stand against the idea that a somewhat random subsection of the baseball press should maintain the power to confer what is, regrettably, the game’s most prestigious honor. For obvious reasons, the voter will remain anonymous for now, but he/she will be filling out his/her ballot on behalf of Deadspin readers, who will be polled in binding elections. The voter will announce his/her name and motivations once his/her vote has been officially cast."

To say that this logic is flawed, would be an understatement. This is not to say that fans are uneducated or do not know what they are talking about, having a Hall of Fame vote is an honor. It is something that should be respected. And I am saying this as a baseball fan, not just because this is a critical election for Astros’ legends Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.

In an attempt to further make my point, I will turn towards respected baseball writer, Hall of Fame member, and Hall of Fame voter Bill Madden. Madden appeared on radio, and was not shy about letting his displeasure be known.

"Madden started out by saying that whoever sold his or her vote would be “dead in the baseball writers …” which he later clarified to mean drummed out, saying “this person will be forever banished from the Baseball Writers’ Association.” He added that this is “one of the most despicable things I can ever think of.”"