Mark McGwire, who was hired this week to be the new hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, appeared on The Dan Patrick Show this morning (you can listen to the entire interview here). In an interview that was far more candid than we typically hear from fallen stars, Dan Patrick asked McGwire if he would vote for himself for the Hall of Fame.
After a short pause, McGwire says "No, not by the guidelines they have now." He went on to say he "totally respects" the Hall of Fame and that he won't fight it, again citing their "rules" and "guidelines."
But what is most interesting about that is it is not clear what rules and guidelines he is referring to. Voters are free to vote for McGwire if they so choose. In fact, in 2009, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) voted down a measure to introduce guidelines for players from the steroid era.
The only guideline voters are given is that they must judge players based on their "record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions." And even that doesn't say a player can't be voted in if he fails in one or more of the criteria.
Here's the video (via NBC Sports Network)...
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