The so-called character clause is at the heart of the debate over what to do with the Hall of Fame candidates who have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs.
The criterion sent to the voters annually (including this week):
Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the team(s) on which the player played.
It is apparent from the voting that a majority of the writers who have cast ballots for the Hall of Fame in recent years have applied that wording literally in determining what to do with Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and even Jeff Bagwell. Presumably, this is what they will do in assessing the candidacies of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and others this year.
Brad Horn, the Hall of Fame's senior director of communications, recently explored the origin of that wording. Later today, the Hall will post his written piece on its website:
Character, Sportsmanship, Integrity Long Included in Formal Rules for Election
From the first formalization of rules for Hall of Fame election proposed in 1944 and adopted in 1945, the National Baseball Hall of Fame has always called for "sportsmanship" and "character" as part of the necessary criteria needed to earn a spot in Cooperstown.
In August 1944, a Hall of Fame memo outlined the informal policy that had existed for Hall of Fame voting from its origins in 1936. Paul S. Kerr, then treasurer for the National Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame, stated that Alexander Cleland, instrumental in the voting process since the Hall's first election in 1936, listed general rules that "those worthy of Hall of Fame election should be selected from the ranks for ability, character and their general contribution to baseball in all respects."
While the necessary 75 percent of all ballots cast has been required for election from the beginning, so too appears the inclusion of character as a determinant for the Hall of Fame.
With the formal adoption of rules for 1945, as proposed in bylaws for the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee in December 1944, the Committee authorized the BBWAA to "hold elections for the purpose of electing members to the Baseball Hall of Fame." The rules, which at the time called for elections once ever three years starting in 1945 and then later amended to elections every year starting in 1946, outlined the qualifications eligible candidates needed to have for consideration, having completed their active careers as players, even if they were still connected with baseball.
"They shall be chosen on the basis of playing ability, sportsmanship, character, their contribution to the teams on which they played and to baseball in general."
Though slight modifications have transpired in the nearly 70 years since, the model for Hall of Fame election has always remained one defined by character and sportsmanship.
The 2013 ballot will be formally released at noon today, Ben Walker writes.
Marvin Miller's legacy
I'll just add one more voice to the din: It's incredible that Marvin Miller is not in baseball's Hall of Fame, because his impact on the sports landscape -- not just baseball -- is undeniable. In fact, if you were to draw up a list of the most influential figures in professional sports history in this country, he'd probably rank somewhere in the 6-to-10 range.
Grudges loomed large in the Hall of Fame voting for Miller, Richard Sandomir writes.
Murray Chass wonders if Miller can now get into the Hall of Fame. Tom Powers remembers detesting Miller.
Miller was baseball's rainmaker, Mark Whicker writes. He earned the respect of others, Fay Vincent writes. From Fay's piece:
Marvin Miller called me about six weeks ago to say goodbye. He told me he had terminal liver cancer and wanted his close friends to know. He did not want us to view the news as tragic. He was 95, he said, and the last two years had been difficult. That call was as remarkable as Marvin was.
Here's Miller's obituary, written by Dick Goldstein, from the New York Times.
Rumor mill
• One person involved in the Zack Greinke talks believes that in the end, the pitcher could get a deal larger than the seven-year, $161 million package that CC Sabathia got from the New York Yankees, which is the record for pitchers.
And remember this: If the Dodgers sign Greinke -- or even if they don't -- this deal will have a direct bearing on the forthcoming negotiations with left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who is clearly regarded as the better pitcher. Kershaw is in line to be eligible for free agency after the 2014 season, at age 27; if he actually hit the open market, the Yankees, Red Sox and other teams would be in position to make strong bids, if they wanted to.
But the Dodgers, in free-spending mode, will presumably work out a long-term deal with Kershaw before that happens. Following this order of business, however (not finishing a Kershaw extension before getting involved in the Greinke talks), will likely to cost the team a lot of money.
The Dodgers' new TV deal has the baseball world in an uproar. There are also a lot of folks who don't think the deal is worth in real present-day dollars what it has said to be worth.
• The New York Mets have a huge offer on the table to David Wright, and now it's up to him to decide whether to stay, John Harper writes. A new pact would be a win for the Mets and Wright, Ken Davidoff writes.
Really, the decision now comes down to this: Does Wright want to remain with the Mets?
Some rival evaluators believe that if the third baseman hits the market next fall after having a 2013 season similar to what he had in 2012, at age 30, he might be hard-pressed to get a massive nine-figure contract from another team because he's not an elite power hitter. Last season, he hit nine homers in 339 plate appearances on the road.
And if Wright -- an incredibly competitive person and a natural leader -- decides he wants to play elsewhere, you really couldn't blame him. The Mets have been a disaster in recent years, and it's unclear when they'll have a chance to be an elite team again -- if ever, during his playing days.
• The Detroit Tigers have let other teams know they're willing to talk about trade proposals for Rick Porcello, and similarly, rival clubs have gotten the sense that the Boston Red Sox would be very ready to move Andrew Bailey for the right offer. But given that Bailey is coming off an injury-plagued season, his trade value is relatively low, and so the odds of Boston dealing him -- and accepting that scant return -- are also very low.
• Friends of Cody Ross believe that the Red Sox are in the lead for his services -- for a three-year deal -- but there wasn't talk over the weekend.
• Tony Paul doesn't think the Tigers should spend on Rafael Soriano. I'd respectfully disagree. Mike Ilitch, owner of the Tigers, has never run his team as a model of financial efficiency, spending his own money freely in an effort to win a championship. If he's still working in that mode -- and there's no reason to think he isn't -- then Soriano makes sense. The Tigers have a lot of great parts, from Justin Verlander to Miguel Cabrera to Prince Fielder to Doug Fister, but have a massive, glaring hole in their bullpen, and this was exposed in the World Series.
Soriano is the best closer available and has been a good reliever for years, and it makes more sense to sign him -- so long as he doesn't stick to the demands of four years and $60 million -- than to go into next season thinking that the unproven Bruce Rondon will be able to fill this role. The Tigers have a championship-caliber engine and frame, but still need that valuable piece at the back end of their bullpen to run smoothly.
• One very interesting possibility for the Red Sox that may develop later this week: Brian Wilson. The New Hampshire native will likely be non-tendered by the Giants, and he could land with the team he followed as a kid. Unlike a lot of candidates, there wouldn't be any doubt about whether he could handle the market, and presumably he'd be looking for a short-term deal as he re-establishes his value.
Chooch's error
• Carlos Ruiz will miss the first 25 games of the 2013 season, after testing positive for Adderall. He issued a statement:
"I am sincerely regretful for my mistake in taking a prohibited stimulant. I apologize to my teammates, the Phillies organization, and the Philadelphia fans. I will serve the imposed 25-game suspension to begin the season and I look forward to returning to the field and working toward bringing a championship back to Philadelphia in 2013."
Given the rules in place, this was at least the second positive test for Ruiz (an initial positive test for amphetamines does not trigger a suspension). Really, it'd be nice if busted players would dispense with the empty apologies; it'd be more genuine if they just issued these words in a press release: What can I say? I gambled that I could beat the testing and got caught.
Adderall has become the athletes' drug of choice, Larry Stone writes.
Moves, deals and decisions
1. The Minnesota Twins are talking about bringing back Francisco Liriano. Hey, why not -- he knows them, they know him, and the Twins are desperate for pitching.
2. The Milwaukee Brewers announced some promotions.
3. The Chicago White Sox rounded out their coaching staff.
4. The Chicago Cubs signed Scott Feldman to a one-year deal.
5. In a sense, Aroldis Chapman is a tremendous acquisition for the Reds, John Erardi writes.
6. It's unlikely that the Detroit Tigers will make a blockbuster deal, Lynn Henning writes.
7. The time is now for the Kansas City Royals' David Glass to increase the team's payroll, Sam Mellinger writes.
8. The St. Louis Cardinals have made a shift with their farm system, Derrick Goold writes.
9. Justin Upton should play where he's wanted, Nick Piecoro writes.
10. The San Francisco Giants' negotiations with Marco Scutaro and Angel Pagan are slow-moving at this point, Henry Schulman writes .
11. The Los Angeles Angels worked out their agreement with Ryan Madson.
12. The Texas Rangers are set to meet with Mike Napoli.
13. The Houston Astros' VP of marketing stepped down.
14. Ron Borges thinks the Red Sox should trade Jon Lester now.
Other stuff
• Casey Janssen needed surgery.
• John Lackey is selling his California house.
• Cautionary tales helped Evan Longoria decide to sign long-term with the Rays, Marc Topkin writes. David Price's future with the team is more uncertain.
• Some anti-Marlins backlash may have hurt one player's charity effort, writes Joe Capozzi.
• Greg Cote asks, with a poll, how the Marlins' fans should respond to what happened with the team.
• Mark Teahen and his wife work to fight domestic violence.
And today will be better than yesterday.