Mussina elected to Orioles Hall of Fame! (Also Dauer and Youse) w/Mussina reaction

[Frobby]

if he came back' date=' explained his "betrayal" in front of a

Camden crowd AND promised to go the real Hall wearing an O's cap.....I'd forgive him. That's a tall order but I'm hoping for something along those lines.[/quote']

That will never happen in a million years. I don't have any doubt at all that Mussina would like to go into the Hall of Fame wearing a Yankees cap. The Yankees treated him very well over the years and by the end of his career he had a great relationship with the Yankees' fans.

To me, the election to the Orioles Hall of Fame is simply about one thing -- was he one of the greatest players ever to wear an Orioles uniform, or not? He unquestionably was, and so he should be in. It shouldn't matter how you feel about him leaving the team.

[NCRaven]

I can actually see both sides of this argument. Clearly, Mussina was the second best right-handed pitcher in club history and that justifies his inclusion. But, his decision, as Tony said, to take the easy way and settle for being just another guy for the Yankees instead of "the Man" for the Orioles, who ultimately met his asking price, disqualified me from ever cheering for Mussina again. He seemed to, if not have disdain for, then not really care about the fans and also seemed to have few friends among his teammates. After all, he was better than us, and he knew it, and he didn't seem to mind letting us know he knew it. Just my perception, anyway.

I'm not a better person for feeling good that he never won a World Series and regretting that he finally had a 20-win season. But, that's how I feel.

[ConnO'sFan]

That will never happen in a million years. I don't have any doubt at all that Mussina would like to go into the Hall of Fame wearing a Yankees cap. The Yankees treated him very well over the years and by the end of his career he had a great relationship with the Yankees' fans.

To me, the election to the Orioles Hall of Fame is simply about one thing -- was he one of the greatest players ever to wear an Orioles uniform, or not? He unquestionably was, and so he should be in. It shouldn't matter how you feel about him leaving the team.

It shouldn't, but for most of us it does.

[Dipper9]

Moose played for two organizations in his very long Major League Career. Us, and the Yankees. He's not some mercenary jumping around from team to team looking for the highest bid. He wanted to stay with the Orioles. He deserved to stay with the Orioles. The Orioles' owner felt otherwise, and Moose eventually had enough. Yes, it hurt that he went to the Yankees, but he did, and then stayed there for nearly a decade. He was by no means a mercenary, and if anyone wants to be angry, it should be directed at the Orioles, not Moose.

[Sports Guy]

Good to see the best Orioles pitcher ever get in to the O's HOF.

Big fan of Mussina's and always will be.

[Tony-OH]

See, I have no trouble with the fact that Mussina will never be immortalized with the 6 people who have their numbers on Eutaw Street and will have statues unveiled this summer. In that case, his decision to leave the team disqualifies him, even if he gets elected to Cooperstown in a few years and even if Cooperstown puts him in an Orioles hat. But the idea of an Orioles Hall of Fame that includes the likes of (just to pick one) Chris Hoiles and doesn't include Mussina is just preposterous to me.

By the way, Tony, I was studying the Orioles Hall of Fame list, and it includes Bobby Grich. Was he not a player developed by the Orioles who became an all-star and then left via free agency? In fact, he got out of Baltimore as soon as he was eligible, unlike Mussina, who re-upped with the Orioles in a team-friendly deal for three years when he could have made more money elsewhere. And unlike Mussina, Grich left a team that was actually good. So I guess for you it comes down to the fact that Mussina went to the Yankees, not the Angels?

My comment was he was the only one that fit that description that went to the Yankees. Had Mu$$ina left and went to the Royals or Pirates or whatever, I would have been less distraught. But at the end of the day, no matter how poorly Angelos ran the negotiations (trust me, I'm no Angelos support on this) at the end, Angelos offered him exactly what Mu$$ina wanted but Mu$$ina decided to go to New York anyways.

Also, Grich had only played five full seasons with the team and I was six years old when he left. Mu$$ina had a chance to become the Orioles all-time best pitcher. He was on pace to beat many of Jim Palmer's records. He was our true ace, something we've never had since he left. Besides Cal, he was the Orioles most iconic player at the time with respect to Brady Anderson. His leaving was the true meaning of sticking to not only the owner, but the fans of the Baltimore Orioles. He did this just a few season removed from pitching in the Championship game with the Orioles.

He was going to get paid and his family was going to be set for his entire life with the money Angelos offered him. On top of it, he was going to have a chance to leave a legacy. He choose otherwise and as a fan of the team, I will not forgive him for that.

[Tony-OH]

Moose played for two organizations in his very long Major League Career. Us, and the Yankees. He's not some mercenary jumping around from team to team looking for the highest bid. He wanted to stay with the Orioles. He deserved to stay with the Orioles. The Orioles' owner felt otherwise, and Moose eventually had enough. Yes, it hurt that he went to the Yankees, but he did, and then stayed there for nearly a decade. He was by no means a mercenary, and if anyone wants to be angry, it should be directed at the Orioles, not Moose.

That's your opinion. Stop acting like others aren't valid because you are really going to piss me off worse then I am!

[Nigel Tufnel]

It shouldn't' date=' but for most of us it does.[/quote']

I'm not sure this is true, considering the poll is currently running 26 to 6 in favor of Mussina's election.

[Miller192]

Ultimately, Moose belongs in the Orioles hall of fame.

I wouldn't feel so embarassed for the Orioles if they won a lot more over the last 14 years. If we had something to show for the last decade, I wouldn't mind welcoming back an old friend despite his play for a division rival.

To me, we are electing a Yankee to the OHOF. A team whose fans invade the yard and have helped make a mockery of the ballclub.

But whatever, good for him I guess. Maybe MASN is going to hire him too.

[Tony-OH]

This is like the United States deciding to bring the bones of Benedict Arnold back to America and burying him with honors at Arlington. It sucks. And it is stupid.

Sure Benedict Arnold won a couple of major battles for us. Sure he was a hero. But he also tried to sell West Point to the damn British.

Exactly. I understand what he did for the Orioles and I was huge Mussina fan before he became Mu$$ina. I'm not going to suddenly forget his defection to our chief rival at the time and I'm going to blame Angleos when Angelos ended up offering him exactly what Mu$$ina originally wanted. Angelos met his demands. Mu$$ina was going to be set for life and have a chance at leaving a legacy to his carer. Instead, he not only left, but went to the enemy.

I don't support turncoats, never will.

[Dipper9]

That's your opinion. Stop acting like others aren't valid because you are really going to piss me off worse then I am!

Not trying to piss you or anyone else off Tony, and as I said in my first post, my wife believes 100% the way you do. I just strongly believe in my opinion on Moose, just as you strongly believe in yours. I'm not trying to tell anyone how THEY should feel.

[Tony-OH]

I don't give a crap if I'm the only one that feels this way. Mu$$ina is a turncoat bum. I hope he wears his Yankees hat and the Orioles hold the ceremony during a Yankees games so his fans that invade the yard can cheer him on. Mu$$ina choose to be a Yankee. That's how he should be remember, not as an Orioles HoFer.

[Miller192]

I am curious to see the split of opinion here. Note that I did not ask if Mussina "deserves" to be in the Orioles Hall of Fame. To me, it is very obvious that he deserves to be. But even so, I am not surprised that some people are unhappy about it. I'm just wondering if those people are in the majority.

Isn't that exactly what you are asking with the explanation to the yes answer?

I do think he deserves to be in but I'm not happy about it.

[Dipper9]

Exactly. I understand what he did for the Orioles and I was huge Mussina fan before he became Mu$$ina. I'm not going to suddenly forget his defection to our chief rival at the time and I'm going to blame Angleos when Angelos ended up offering him exactly what Mu$$ina originally wanted. Angelos met his demands. Mu$$ina was going to be set for life and have a chance at leaving a legacy to his carer. Instead, he not only left, but went to the enemy.

I don't support turncoats, never will.

You left out the part where it took Angelos the better part of a year to finally give Moose what he wanted, and by that time he was probably done with the Orioles in his mind.

These professional athletes have a great deal of pride, and in Moose's mind, he was not appreciated by Angelos. He had accepted a VERY fan friendly deal earlier to stay with the team, and this time around he wanted his fair value. Angelos didn't give in until it was too late.

I was and am just as pissed as everyone that he left us for the Yankees, but looking back, and seeing where this team has gone in the 12 years since he left, its pretty obvious he knew something that we have all figured out...this organization was on a downward spiral.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I am fine with Mussina being elected to the O's HOF and would be disappointed in the organization if he hadn't been.