Gil Dobie
August 11th, 2005, 08:38 AM
I hope more people stand up to the steroid use.
"Jack Morris says he is working to gain votes to the Hall of Fame but wouldn't seek induction if a steroid user is elected."
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Jack Morris Story (http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/12344038.htm)
Make no mistake, Jack Morris wants to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has worked hard in recent years to change Hall voters' perception of him.
But the St. Paul native said a day could come when he no longer cares to be honored in Cooperstown. If even one Steroid Era-tarnished player is elected, Morris said you can erase his name from the ballot.
"I don't want to be in," said Morris, the most-winning pitcher of the 1980s. "That's a bold statement, and a lot of people are going to say, 'Well, how dare him even say that.' I don't care. It's my life. I can say what I feel, and I don't believe in cheating."
Morris is interested in seeing what will happen to sluggers who have faced steroid allegations — such as Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro — once they are eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot. ("They're all cheaters in my opinion," Morris said.) He is particularly interested to see what will happen to Palmeiro, who last week became the highest-profile player to be suspended for violating baseball's steroid policy.
Morris wonders how Palmeiro's alleged sins will compare to those attributed to him. He believes he has not been voted to the Hall of Fame, in part, because of his strained relationships with writers during his 18 big-league seasons with four teams, mostly with the Detroit Tigers. Hall of Fame voters are members of the Baseball Writers Association of America who have at least 10 years of membership.
Morris said Palmeiro, who denied using steroids during a congressional hearing in March and last week denied intentionally using steroids, is a "liar."
"I think he's lost all credibility, and one of the credentials for the Hall of Fame is integrity, credibility and character," Morris said. "You tell me what that says about Rafael. … I played the game with my heart. I focused on winning. That's all that I cared about. I didn't care whether I got you a good story or not."
Morris, 50, regrets being surly with writers. He has made peace in recent years with most members of the Detroit chapter of the BBWAA. Never one to seek attention, Morris was in the national spotlight this summer because of an All-Star Game promotion he did for Ameriquest Mortgage Co. A fan won a contest to sit with Morris and Cal Ripken Jr. during the game. Morris believes he was asked to be part of the promotion because the game was at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Morris traveled to a half-dozen cities to promote the contest, and he did hundreds of interviews, mostly on radio. He said he did not take on the project to promote himself for the Hall of Fame.
"I don't care if I ever made it," said Morris, adding he does not intend to be in the national spotlight again any time soon. "I would never do that."
Morris has been subtler in going about rebuilding broken relationships. He said he has matured, and attributes some of the change to having a 7-month-old son, Miles.
"I think I've pretty much mended all of the broken bridges between the writers in Detroit," said Morris, who spent 14 seasons with the Tigers. "I've talked to almost every one of them. I've tried to explain that I recognize that I did some things wrong. I would hate to think I'm not in the Hall of Fame because of something I said to a writer 15 or 20 years ago. I don't think that's really the case, although there are a few writers in Detroit who told me that is the case."
Gene Guidi of the Detroit Free Press is one reporter with whom Morris has made amends. Guidi, who began covering the Tigers in 1984, said his relationship with Morris was so strained that he thought Morris was going to punch him in 1990. Morris was irate that Guidi reported Morris' derogatory and insensitive comments toward a Free Press female reporter, although Guidi wasn't the only one to report them.
Morris, who signed as a free agent with the Twins in 1991, patched up his relationship with Guidi during spring training a few years ago. Morris just started talking to Guidi behind the batting cage one day. Their relationship has become stronger ever since.
Guidi perhaps debunks the belief that Morris hasn't been voted into the Hall of Fame because he was cranky to the writers. Guidi said he has voted for Morris all six years he has been on the ballot.
"If somebody was going to have an ax to grind, it would be me," Guidi said. "And I voted for Jack before we mended fences. Jack was the best pitcher of his era, and you've got to reward a guy for that."
Danny Knobler, who has covered the Tigers since 1990 for Booth Newspapers and is on the BBWAA board of directors, says he never has heard any writer — from Detroit or elsewhere — say he or she hasn't voted for Morris because he was abrupt with the media.
"When I hear why he's not in the Hall of Fame, it's not because he's a bad guy," said Knobler, adding that he has voted for Morris every year.
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com doesn't believe there is a widespread grudge against Morris, either. Stark, who says Morris receives his vote every year, pointed out that Steve Carlton and Eddie Murray are in the Hall of Fame. Both as players were renowned for having disdain for writers.
Candidates must receive 75 percent of the votes to be elected to the Hall of Fame, and Morris received 33.3 percent (172 votes) on the 2005 ballot. It was his highest total since going on the ballot in 2000.
Morris said he has met only one writer who has told him he didn't vote for him — Tim Brown of the Los Angeles Times. And it has nothing to do with Morris' relationship with reporters during his career.
The argument as to why Morris is not in the Hall of Fame seems to be about his numbers, rather than his cantankerous demeanor. His 3.90 career earned-run average is higher than any Hall member's, and although he won 254 games and possibly had the greatest pitching performance in a World Series Game 7 (1991), he never won a Cy Young Award during an era that lacked a clear-cut dominant pitcher.
"I would not run down Morris for his career ERA — 3.90 is very good," Brown wrote in June after having a lunch meeting with Morris. "The man was durable, competitive, a four-time World Series winner and on the fringe of the Hall... . The last five starters to go to the Hall of Fame — Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver — won at least 57 more games than Morris and had ERAs of at least half a run better. And I wouldn't have voted for all of them."
"Jack Morris says he is working to gain votes to the Hall of Fame but wouldn't seek induction if a steroid user is elected."
Free Registration
Jack Morris Story (http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/12344038.htm)
Make no mistake, Jack Morris wants to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has worked hard in recent years to change Hall voters' perception of him.
But the St. Paul native said a day could come when he no longer cares to be honored in Cooperstown. If even one Steroid Era-tarnished player is elected, Morris said you can erase his name from the ballot.
"I don't want to be in," said Morris, the most-winning pitcher of the 1980s. "That's a bold statement, and a lot of people are going to say, 'Well, how dare him even say that.' I don't care. It's my life. I can say what I feel, and I don't believe in cheating."
Morris is interested in seeing what will happen to sluggers who have faced steroid allegations — such as Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro — once they are eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot. ("They're all cheaters in my opinion," Morris said.) He is particularly interested to see what will happen to Palmeiro, who last week became the highest-profile player to be suspended for violating baseball's steroid policy.
Morris wonders how Palmeiro's alleged sins will compare to those attributed to him. He believes he has not been voted to the Hall of Fame, in part, because of his strained relationships with writers during his 18 big-league seasons with four teams, mostly with the Detroit Tigers. Hall of Fame voters are members of the Baseball Writers Association of America who have at least 10 years of membership.
Morris said Palmeiro, who denied using steroids during a congressional hearing in March and last week denied intentionally using steroids, is a "liar."
"I think he's lost all credibility, and one of the credentials for the Hall of Fame is integrity, credibility and character," Morris said. "You tell me what that says about Rafael. … I played the game with my heart. I focused on winning. That's all that I cared about. I didn't care whether I got you a good story or not."
Morris, 50, regrets being surly with writers. He has made peace in recent years with most members of the Detroit chapter of the BBWAA. Never one to seek attention, Morris was in the national spotlight this summer because of an All-Star Game promotion he did for Ameriquest Mortgage Co. A fan won a contest to sit with Morris and Cal Ripken Jr. during the game. Morris believes he was asked to be part of the promotion because the game was at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Morris traveled to a half-dozen cities to promote the contest, and he did hundreds of interviews, mostly on radio. He said he did not take on the project to promote himself for the Hall of Fame.
"I don't care if I ever made it," said Morris, adding he does not intend to be in the national spotlight again any time soon. "I would never do that."
Morris has been subtler in going about rebuilding broken relationships. He said he has matured, and attributes some of the change to having a 7-month-old son, Miles.
"I think I've pretty much mended all of the broken bridges between the writers in Detroit," said Morris, who spent 14 seasons with the Tigers. "I've talked to almost every one of them. I've tried to explain that I recognize that I did some things wrong. I would hate to think I'm not in the Hall of Fame because of something I said to a writer 15 or 20 years ago. I don't think that's really the case, although there are a few writers in Detroit who told me that is the case."
Gene Guidi of the Detroit Free Press is one reporter with whom Morris has made amends. Guidi, who began covering the Tigers in 1984, said his relationship with Morris was so strained that he thought Morris was going to punch him in 1990. Morris was irate that Guidi reported Morris' derogatory and insensitive comments toward a Free Press female reporter, although Guidi wasn't the only one to report them.
Morris, who signed as a free agent with the Twins in 1991, patched up his relationship with Guidi during spring training a few years ago. Morris just started talking to Guidi behind the batting cage one day. Their relationship has become stronger ever since.
Guidi perhaps debunks the belief that Morris hasn't been voted into the Hall of Fame because he was cranky to the writers. Guidi said he has voted for Morris all six years he has been on the ballot.
"If somebody was going to have an ax to grind, it would be me," Guidi said. "And I voted for Jack before we mended fences. Jack was the best pitcher of his era, and you've got to reward a guy for that."
Danny Knobler, who has covered the Tigers since 1990 for Booth Newspapers and is on the BBWAA board of directors, says he never has heard any writer — from Detroit or elsewhere — say he or she hasn't voted for Morris because he was abrupt with the media.
"When I hear why he's not in the Hall of Fame, it's not because he's a bad guy," said Knobler, adding that he has voted for Morris every year.
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com doesn't believe there is a widespread grudge against Morris, either. Stark, who says Morris receives his vote every year, pointed out that Steve Carlton and Eddie Murray are in the Hall of Fame. Both as players were renowned for having disdain for writers.
Candidates must receive 75 percent of the votes to be elected to the Hall of Fame, and Morris received 33.3 percent (172 votes) on the 2005 ballot. It was his highest total since going on the ballot in 2000.
Morris said he has met only one writer who has told him he didn't vote for him — Tim Brown of the Los Angeles Times. And it has nothing to do with Morris' relationship with reporters during his career.
The argument as to why Morris is not in the Hall of Fame seems to be about his numbers, rather than his cantankerous demeanor. His 3.90 career earned-run average is higher than any Hall member's, and although he won 254 games and possibly had the greatest pitching performance in a World Series Game 7 (1991), he never won a Cy Young Award during an era that lacked a clear-cut dominant pitcher.
"I would not run down Morris for his career ERA — 3.90 is very good," Brown wrote in June after having a lunch meeting with Morris. "The man was durable, competitive, a four-time World Series winner and on the fringe of the Hall... . The last five starters to go to the Hall of Fame — Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver — won at least 57 more games than Morris and had ERAs of at least half a run better. And I wouldn't have voted for all of them."