Hot Topics in Professional Sports: Field of Dreams

Where does the Baseball Hall of Fame leave America's game in the future?

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Today in the Baseball world, many fans, players, and analysts are at odds. For the first time since 1996, no one was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2013. This years class includes players like Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, and Mike Piazza.

Lets take a quick look at these candidates.

Craig Biggio had the highest percentage of votes (68.2% of votes, needs 75%). One of few players on this list who was not linked to steroid use.

Barry Bonds on the other hand is linked to taking performance-enhancing drugs only received 36.2% of the votes. Despite that, Bonds is still considered one of the greatest hitters of baseball.

Lastly, Mike Piazza, considered one of the best hitter catchers of all time, I think faired well in this years class with 57.8% of the votes despite his uncertainty with taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Whether or not these athletes took steroids should not be in question. The real question should examine the purpose and meaning of being an inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ok, so lets take a look.

What is the Baseball Hall of Fame? According to sportingcharts.com, they define it to be "A building located in Cooperstown, New York that functions as both a baseball museum and a venue displaying the accomplishments of, and honoring the memory of baseball's greatest players. Also defined as the collection of players, managers, coaches, and other individuals associated with the history of baseball who have been honored as cherished and valuable contributors to the game."

Based on that definition, I am not surprised that fans, athletes, analysts, and voters are at odds when the game has become more complicated thanks to the usage of performance-enhancing drugs. How can those who have used substances receive such a prestigious award and forever be remembered? How can some of the best players of the game not be included?

These questions have been debated time and time again. Looking back at the definition, the Hall of Fame "honors the memory of baseball's greatest players...individuals who have been honored as cherished and valuable contributors to the game" can everyone who values the HOF look at those players already in the Hall of Fame and players on the 2013 list and assess the talent.

Is the significance of the Hall of Fame only to recognize talent or does it represent the man on and off the field who has the best talent? These questions reveal two different answers and viewpoints on the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Baseball Hall of Fame to kids is a dream that is untouchable. To be considered in the HOF with legends like Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, and Babe Ruth is like living in a dream with faces that defined baseball. These athletes played the game because it was a passion and just for a moment these players were raised to immortal status for a few hours during every game.

Today, analysts and players talk about being inducted into the HOF like these players have already received his plaque. Here is an example: Derek Jeter is an outstanding shortstop for the Yankees organization and along the way he has been a great hitter, leader, and fielder. Each of those qualities put Jeter on a different level than most great athletes. Derek Jeter, although his career may be ending soon, has already been discussed a sure inductee when he is eligible. That is a tremendous honor and exciting for Jeter; however, during the past few seasons the focus has been on his achievements and not of the Yankees success.

Why is it that analysts write the ending of each great player before the player has a say? Taking Jeter for instance, he probably will be inductee into the Hall of Fame as soon as his name is on the ballot, but some athletes will not have his path into the HOF.

In a media driven society, is a player not defined by his actions off the field as much as on the field? The candidates for the 2013 HOF class is not just dealing with stereotype of the 'steroid era', but they are fighting with media and how they are portrayed. Athletes need to understand that in today's society, they have to be extra careful with his actions and how it can taint the future. Barry Bonds is considered by some to be one of the top 10 players in baseball history for his impeccable hitting qualities, but his actions to be linked to steroids have hindered his successes. Unlike Bonds, Mike Piazza was not found nor did he reveal if he used performance-enhancing drugs (although people have their speculation that he did), he is considered one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. The unique aspect about Piazza is his hitting statistics are considered HOF worthy, however, his defense, leadership, and running abilities were subpar. I know many may try to despite that, but throughout baseball its rare to find a catcher who hits for power, accuracy, great defender, great rapport with the pitchers, and a solid runner = ultimate catcher. I do not think statistically Piazza falls under that category, but as a hitter absolutely. With that being said, is Piazza's fame due to mediocre catchers during the 90's? What should be assessed for these HOF candidates is the team's overall success while they were playing. A man is never bigger than the game in this era especially in a sport like baseball when you can do everything by the book and fail and succeed by luck and that is why the 'steroid era' is in question.

America's game... America's game anymore?

Despite the controversy over this years ballot, there are a few players who may have lost the chance to be inducted into the HOF because of performance-enhancing drugs. Craig Biggio is not linked to drugs and his legacy is hitting 3,000 hits and being one of the top second basemen in baseball. His only downfall was ending his career subpar, which most analysts believe it is one of the reasons for Biggio to not get the nod in this years HOF.

How do we fix this debacle? Simple: Re-define what it means to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This has to included characteristics off the field is just as important as on the field, drug usage etc, or keep the old definition and let the voters have their say and the rest is up to the Baseball gods.

The game is changing, but it doesn't mean we change our past, we just have to remind ourselves to look back to the roots of the game to help pave the way for the future.

"I always thought that record would stand until it was broken."-Yogi Berra