“Why?”: A Question for Baseball Fans Everywhere.

The lights go out on the stadium. The roar of the final curtain call still haunts the empty seats. The locker of a legend it’s now an empty box,   soon to be occupied by an upcoming rookie. As the news of an official retirement starts spreading like wild fire on twitter feeds, facebook status and articles on the blogosphere, newspapers allover then Nation print images of “the good old days” and showcase list upon list of numbers that would make an IRS official dizzy. The verdict that sums every article is unquestionable: “This guy was special. He's Hall of Fame caliber.”

The player satisfied with a career of accomplishments moves on with his life outside the diamond. Some remain attached to the game, others look to enjoy what they couldn’t for so many years. But 5 years into their retirement we pull them out into the spot light and bombard them with interviews, forums discussions and speculations. We thread out every single aspect of their lives, baseball related or not, just to satisfy our gory need to dissect their humanity and prove they were from this planet. And after months of tossing their names, stats and lives towards every single wall looking for something that sticks, we leave their fates to a panel of unnamed judges who feel all mighty because they get to decide who goes to heaven among those who once were revered as gods. Wave after wave of Baseball’s greatest wait anxiously every January for their phone to ring. For some that phone call comes right away. Others have to gather patience and wait, wait, wait. Some die waiting. So the biggest question that pops to my mind after every election is, WHY? Why do we have to make our heroes suffer the ego of a bunch of “experts” that most have never grabbed a bat in their lives? Why do we make them feel the agony of having a handful of professional ranters, hold their final recognition just out of reach going “Nah-ah, not this year.”

Andre Dawson finally is given his rightful place in Baseball’s Olympus this year and I’m glad for it. Yet, I can’t but feel disgusted for the injustice committed not only to greats like Raines, Alomar, Blyleven and Martinez, but to Dawson itself. After nine years of waiting for that phone to ring, the story is not that the Hawk soared to immortality, rather how bad the vote system is to leave others behind. Even on the day the writers bestow him of his deserved glory, they steal the attention from the honored with their incompetence. It’s like a bunch of bride’s maids out dressing the bride.

Here’s one for you baseball writers, why? Why did Andre Dawson deserve to enter the Hall of Fame in 2010 but he didn’t 9 nine years ago. What stat changed in all those years for you to have a change of heart? The answer is simple. The Hawk belonged in the Hall of Fame from his very first year, but your ego ordered for you to drag his election. Why does Roberto Alomar have to feel good about his chances for 2011. What will make him more suited in one year? Nothing. He’ll be the same Roberto Alomar you denied entry this year. The only reason why you deny votes is because you feel protected by the secrecy of voting system that allows you to hide your incompetence or apathy towards the great responsibility that has been entrusted to you. A system that if opened would truly identify who deserves to be called an expert. Just remember, if it weren’t for the greatness of the players you judge, you wouldn’t had anything to write about in the first place.

Baseball lover’s we need to unite and ask WHY? Five ballots were returned blank this year. FIVE! That is a disgrace for the Baseball Writers Association of America, a low blow for the players and a insult to the Hall of Fame and to the game. It’s time to demand that every voter displays their card and explains every “yes” and every “no”.   They are writers right? Let’s make them write. Writers who fail to recognize the obvious (like the small % that didn’t vote for Cal Ripken Jr. or Tony Gwynn) should be stripped away from their vote and handed to more capable hands. We need more baseball people in the process. Let’s give some votes to the managers, scouts, umpires or living legends of the Hall of Fame. And finally maybe we should even consider making the fans part of the process. I’m not talking about giving them a vote, but definitely the chance to be part of it.

Another thing we need to change is allowing a player to be eligible for up to 15 years. Each year you should only vote for that year's class. If 10 guys are worthy, then vote 10 in. If just 1 guy is worthy, then vote 1 in. It's just stupid to drag an election just because some pencil pusher didn't feel like voting one year or hold a grudge against a certain player. Those 15 years are not there to give a player a chance. They are there to give some really bad decision-making judges get their votes right.

The Hall of Fame is the ultimate honor for a player who made us enjoy the game we love. Why is it so hard for us to give some of that love back to them?

Why?