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Kurkjian on Raffy

Dagger420

By Dagger420
in Orioles Talk

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Moose Milligan Hangout Grand Counsel

Moose Milligan

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His defense of "Why would I do that in a year when I went in front of Congress and I testified that I told the truth? Why would I do this in a season when I was going to get to 3,000 hits? It makes no sense. I would not put my career on the line. I would not put my reputation on the line and everything that I've accomplished throughout my career. … I'm not a crazy person. I'm not stupid. This is something that's an unfortunate thing. It was an accident. I'm paying the price.''

...makes some sense. Then again, he wouldn't be the first athlete to be incredibly boneheaded and do something that stupid. I want to believe him but it's kinda hard.

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sangar All-Star

sangar

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His defense of "Why would I do that in a year when I went in front of Congress and I testified that I told the truth? Why would I do this in a season when I was going to get to 3,000 hits? It makes no sense. I would not put my career on the line. I would not put my reputation on the line and everything that I've accomplished throughout my career. … I'm not a crazy person. I'm not stupid. This is something that's an unfortunate thing. It was an accident. I'm paying the price.''

...makes some sense. Then again, he wouldn't be the first athlete to be incredibly boneheaded and do something that stupid. I want to believe him but it's kinda hard.

I often wondered about this seemingly unsound behavior. What I get stuck on is in his final season he didn't just get off to a bad start but it was starting to look like he lost it. Then, suddenly, he returned to knocking the snot out of the ball. Of course it could have just been a prolonged slump and a break out but I have trouble getting past it. I remember at the time not being surprised when he tested positive.
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JTrea81 Hangout Grand Counsel

JTrea81

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Raffy should be in the HOF no question.

Players have "cheated" all throughout baseball, whether it be doctoring the baseball or taking PEDs. It has never been a clean game and those who would like to think otherwise are just kidding themselves.

If you don't let Raffy in, then some HOFers should leave as well for what they did to cheat like Gaylord Perry.

To not let Raffy in is just making a judgement call on what kind of "cheating" is acceptable and that isn't right IMO.

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El Gordo Hangout Grand Counsel

El Gordo

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I often wondered about this seemingly unsound behavior. What I get stuck on is in his final season he didn't just get off to a bad start but it was starting to look like he lost it. Then, suddenly, he returned to knocking the snot out of the ball. Of course it could have just been a prolonged slump and a break out but I have trouble getting past it. I remember at the time not being surprised when he tested positive.
Raffy was tested again in May and came up clean. He didn't really start hitting again until after that. I tend to believe him. He isn't an idiot. We know Tejada had issues with PED's, and its common for B12 purchased in the DR to be contaminated with Winstrol, the Steroid Raffy tested positive for. Also Raffy did not test positive prior to that season when the MLB did the infamous test, I believe in 2002?, that produced the notorious list. Raffy wasn't on that list. ARoid was. Congress could find no evidence that Raffy used PED's prior to his testing positive that year. He wasn't held liable for perjury.
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sangar All-Star

sangar

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Raffy should be in the HOF no question.

Players have "cheated" all throughout baseball, whether it be doctoring the baseball or taking PEDs. It has never been a clean game and those who would like to think otherwise are just kidding themselves.

If you don't let Raffy in, then some HOFers should leave as well for what they did to cheat like Gaylord Perry.

To not let Raffy in is just making a judgement call on what kind of "cheating" is acceptable and that isn't right IMO.

All sports (and games in general) have legal and illegal cheating and baseball has drawn it's line in the sand. Comparing Perry's spitter to using a needle is simply not comprehending the complexity.

That said, I agree he should get in. Steroids were not against the rules in the majority of his era and were widely accepted and encouraged. Perhaps it's not right for his stats to be compared to those of other eras but he was among the very best of his era and so deserves the vote.

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24fps Hangout Grand Counsel

24fps

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Raffy should be in the HOF no question.

Players have "cheated" all throughout baseball, whether it be doctoring the baseball or taking PEDs. It has never been a clean game and those who would like to think otherwise are just kidding themselves.

If you don't let Raffy in, then some HOFers should leave as well for what they did to cheat like Gaylord Perry.

To not let Raffy in is just making a judgement call on what kind of "cheating" is acceptable and that isn't right IMO.

Great idea. Let's get rid of all standards that aren't 100% guaranteed infallible in the face of a determined cheater. After all, it's not their fault that the safeguards are so weak right? And while we're at it let's erase any notion of degree, because...well because it's just so darn difficult to evaluate those pesky nuances isn't it?

I don't know about you, but it makes my head hurt just to think about how we might be doing a disservice to Rafael Palmiero. Oh, the agony...

:rolleyes:

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boog26 AAA

boog26

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I love Raffy but now he can never go in the Hall of fame.

The hall of fame has to err on the side of protecting the game and Raffy is damaged goods. In my opinion Arod,Bonds Raffy,Mcgwire,Clemens and anyone on steroids are out.

:clap3:

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isestrex Hangout Grand Counsel

isestrex

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Let me start by saying that I believe all steroid users (including Bonds, McGwire etc) should not be penalized by the Hall. The stories of their infamous legend will be printed in black in white on their plaques. Let history tell the tale and let the players who did great things into the mecca of baseball.

That being said, I have no emotion towards Raffy anymore. Up until 2005, he was by far my favorite player in baseball. I adored his swing, I copied it along with his 1B techniques in highschool and beer league softball, I always wore #25 if I had a choice. I even wore a Rangers hat on occasion in the early part of the decade.

All that came crashing down in August of 05. I want to believe he didn't do anything, but it's too painful to try and invest any emotion into defending him. He's dead to me now.

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Osfan13 Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Osfan13

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I love Raffy but now he can never go in the Hall of fame.

The hall of fame has to err on the side of protecting the game and Raffy is damaged goods. In my opinion Arod,Bonds Raffy,Mcgwire,Clemens and anyone on steroids are out.

Selig Baseball is all about sacrificial lambs. Raffy won't get in because he was the first big name to be exposed (or whatever other version of the truth you believe).

A-Rod on the other hand will probably get in. Writers love Yankees and, after all, they are the gate keepers to the hall of fame.

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