Happy Belated New Year and Hall of Fame rant!!!

Hey Guys!

Sorry for not checking in recently on http://www.milbradio.com but just wanted to pass along Happy New Year greetings to everybody or anybody who might read this. Plus, I have got a few things to say about the baseball Hall of Fame.

First, let me give my congratulations to Jim Rice and Rickey Henderson. I knew as well as everybody else that Henderson was a first-ballot HOFer. He was the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of the game (no offense to the Ty Cobb fans out there.) Rice, on the other hand, had a much harder time getting into the shrine.

Personally, I don't why it took 15 years to get Rice into the Hall of Fame. He (along with fellow HOFers Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, and Johnny Bench) was one of the top power hitters of the 1970s and early '80s. If sportswriters hold a grudge against somebody like Rice who doesn't always say what they want to hear... then I say... GET OVER IT !! Rice did everything on the field all natural unlike the known recent cheaters in the game who have taken steroids until their biceps look like tires and their testicles are (probably) the size of chick peas!!!

Now, for my really good rant... who should be in and out of the Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is a hallowed shrine devoted to only the best in the game. I think there are several great players who should be in... and a few who should be out. Let me show you...

WHO SHOULD BE IN: Bert Blyleven, "Indian" Bob Johnson, Tony Oliva, Allie Reynolds, Bill Freehan, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Rocky Colavito, Roger Maris, and Gil Hodges.

WHO SHOULD BE OUT: Ray Schalk, Chief Bender, Hughie Jennings, Jesse Haines, Waite Hoyt, Addie Joss, Eppa Rixey, and Rabbit Maranville.

Some names are obvious ins and outs... but most are not. Look up their records at http://www.baseball-reference.com/ and see if you agree with me. Be sure to keep abreast of the latest baseball news (particularly the minors) at MILBradio.com and remember... baseball spring training is less than a month away!!!! --- Todd Newville (http://www.baseballtoddsdugout.com)