Ripkin and Gwynn In, McGuire.... no

Not a big surprise to me Mark McGuire was denied the Hall of Fame on his first try.  Especially not a surprise next to the likes of living legends Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn - two class acts who in a sense, are in a class by themselves.  I don't put Mark McGuire in that class, steroids or no, and obviously, neither did those responsible for not voting him in. 

The sad reality is, no matter what Mark McGuire did in his career, the last vivid memory most people have of this guy is his ludicrous sobbing over "making sure kids stay away from steroids," just a cover to avoid answering tough questions he simply danced around before Congress.  If he wasn't there to 'talk about the past,' then he really had nothing to say, and should have not showed up to avoid making a fool of himself as he did so blatantly and pitifully.  Mark could have been a stand up guy and told the truth.  Giambi admitted he used them, and while he's not baseball's poster boy, at least he's had a bit of a career ressurrection.  Corny as it may sound, people are more forgiving of people who tell the truth. Because while the act is bad enough, it's the lying that is even worse, as Palmeiro did, and as McGuire danced around. 

One could say one's actions on the field should be judged for Hall of Fame consideration.  In that case, Pete Rose needs to be let in.  Steroids users can directly alter a game's outcome, and the playing field is unequal.  That defeats the entire purpose of why the game is played.  Pete Rose bet on baseball, and possibly could have changed the outcome of games as the Reds' manager, but are these steroid guys any less damaging to the game's integrity?