The Big Ladewski
I'm relieved that the new year has brought us a new staunch defender of all that is good and decent in this world. Paul Ladewski, columnist for something called The Daily Southtown in Chicago, and, apparently a member in good standing of the Baseball Reporters Association of America, sent in a blank Hall of Fame ballot. His reasoning? "The steroid era (considered by noted medical expert Paul Ladsewski to be 1993-2004) is not worthy of my vote. Anyone who played in that era makes me reluctant to jump on bandwagons."
This should be the last ballot Paul Ladewski is ever allowed to submit to the BBWAA. This is akin to my going to the polling place last November, going into the booth, filling in none of the boxes, and turning in an empty ballot, on the grounds that no one who was a member of the 109th Congress in worthy of my vote.
Ladewski offers this pearl of wisdom: "I refuse to vote for any veteran who played in that period, even if he was not a suspected user. In my opinion, any such player had an obligation to blow the whistle in the best interests of the game, even if he did it anonymously."
I couldn't find Ladewski's bio, but I'm pretty sure that he was working as a sportswriter during at least part of that era. Didn't he have an obligation to blow the whistle in the best interests of the game (and in the highest standards of journalism)? Didn't all of his colleagues? Maybe we should go with Ladewski's thinking here, and strip all BBWAA members who were covering baseball during the 1993-2004 era of their votes. After all, as Ladewski himself said, "I understand this is an unusually hard-line approach, but I believe it's my responsibility to uphold the Hall of Fame standards in whatever way necessary."
Couldn't agree more, Paul. A good start would be to have a group of voters who aren't self-serving, holier-than-thou boneheads whose only qualifications are that they pay dues to the BBWAA and have stood in a circle around sweaty athletes. Let's start by revoking your membership. It's a hard-line approach, but it's our responsibility to uphold journalistic standards in whatever way necessary.
This should be the last ballot Paul Ladewski is ever allowed to submit to the BBWAA. This is akin to my going to the polling place last November, going into the booth, filling in none of the boxes, and turning in an empty ballot, on the grounds that no one who was a member of the 109th Congress in worthy of my vote.
Ladewski offers this pearl of wisdom: "I refuse to vote for any veteran who played in that period, even if he was not a suspected user. In my opinion, any such player had an obligation to blow the whistle in the best interests of the game, even if he did it anonymously."
I couldn't find Ladewski's bio, but I'm pretty sure that he was working as a sportswriter during at least part of that era. Didn't he have an obligation to blow the whistle in the best interests of the game (and in the highest standards of journalism)? Didn't all of his colleagues? Maybe we should go with Ladewski's thinking here, and strip all BBWAA members who were covering baseball during the 1993-2004 era of their votes. After all, as Ladewski himself said, "I understand this is an unusually hard-line approach, but I believe it's my responsibility to uphold the Hall of Fame standards in whatever way necessary."
Couldn't agree more, Paul. A good start would be to have a group of voters who aren't self-serving, holier-than-thou boneheads whose only qualifications are that they pay dues to the BBWAA and have stood in a circle around sweaty athletes. Let's start by revoking your membership. It's a hard-line approach, but it's our responsibility to uphold journalistic standards in whatever way necessary.
posted by Jim at
9:40 PM
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