IconMark McGwire probably used steroids.
 
That is the only reason anyone with a 2007 Hall of Fame ballot can provide for not voting Mark McGwire into Cooperstown. 
 
And it is absurd.
 
If the baseball writers of America want to take a stand against steroids, they missed their opportunity 10 years ago.  These writers are the same ones who have continually criticized managers, owners and the league for allowing the "Steroids Era" to happen.  These same writers likely spent every day in locker rooms with these players, met some of their families, ate meals with them, and quite frankly, had to have known about steroids being used.  By exposing the steroid problem at the time, they could have kept McGwire out of the Hall of Fame.  To take a stand now is simply hypocritical.
 
The hypocrisy of the baseball writers aside, even if fans were voting, McGwire should be in the Hall of Fame.  The way I see it, either McGwire is in the Hall, or no player from the "Steroids Era" is in the Hall.  This would include Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn (yes, I believe even Tony could have used steroids, despite his body type). 
 
 
You cannot base your vote on speculation and rumor.  There were probably hundreds of players who used steroids in their Major League careers.  There are probably dozens of players in the Hall right now who used steroids.  The Cooperstown website even lists a handful of Mark McGwire items as being currently on display.  Without any definitive proof and without any way to differentiate between those who did and those who did not, it is unreasonable to bar McGwire from admittance. 
 
 
Furthermore, this man played during a time when certain actions were accepted — even by the writers.  Should America cut ties with all our revolutionary heroes who had slaves?  Sure, it's an extreme social comparison - but some congressmen want to make McGwire and steroids a social crisis as well.  Ty Cobb was by all accounts a less savory role model than McGwire, and he still gets to keep his plaque.  If voters can't conscientiously vote someone into the Hall who they think took steroids, how can they conscientiously worship men from the past who have admittedly cheated the game, abused others and embarrassed the league?
 
All this being said, the writers still probably won't admit McGwire into Cooperstown as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.  In yet another illogical effort simply to make a point, they will vote him in on his third or fourth try.  That would sure teach us all a lesson.  The same fate likely faces Sammy Sosa, despite even less evidence against him.  And spare me the corked bat comments; I rank that up there with Kenny Rogers' brown hand for the most irrelevant cheating ever attempted in sports.  Barry Bonds will be an interesting story as well, but unless he is found guilty in a courtroom, he also belongs in Cooperstown.
 
Go ahead, noble baseball writers of America.  Make your righteous stand against McGwire, steroids, and all those who plotted to corrupt America's pastime.  Feel free to pat yourselves on the back for stopping to change the hot girl's flat tire after you drove right on by those six stranded old ladies ten miles ago.  Someone will eventually pick up those old ladies, and someone will eventually vote in McGwire.  It would just be nice if they didn't have to stand in the cold for four extra hours because you are all a bunch of hypocrites.
 
I guess I shouldn't be that surprised by the lunacy of the Hall of Fame voters; after all, these are the same writers who wouldn't write-in Pete Rose on the ballot because the man bet on a team he coached to win a baseball game.  Nothing worse than having your coach believe you will win that day. 
 
Hell, Ken Caminiti might even get more votes than McGwire this go-around.