I meant to post something last week about the recent Baseball Hall of Fame election. Congratulations to a deserving, in my opinion, player in Rich "Goose" Gossage. He was one of those pioneers of relief pitching. Had a great career, which included stops at both the Chicago White Sox (where his career began) and the Cubs (which was near the end).

It's too bad that a couple of other deserving players didn't get in. I believe Andre Dawson and Jim Rice both belong in the Hall, especially after going through all the steroid nonsense. I also believe that Jack Morris and Bert Blyeleven both probably belong there. When you are watching them in the midst of their careers, you don't realize how great they are, and it colors your perception. Do they belong in the same place as Bob Feller, Christy Matthewson, Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Whitey Ford, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Fergie Jenkins, and pitchers of that level? I don't know, but they dominated the league, and for a long time, for their teams. Statistically they all look pretty darned good.

And I'm hoping that my favorite player of all time, RON SANTO, gets in the next time the veterans' committee meets. He and Gil Hodges both deserve to be in, I think. I'm basing my feeling about Hodges on what others have written about him, but I'm basing my feelings about Santo on actually seeing him play, and dominate, in the late 60's and early 70's. He was the best 3rd baseman in the National League for a significant number of years, while battling diabetes the entire time. Bill James, the statistical guru of baseball, says he is the best player out there currently not in the Hall.

Here's hoping that next year Dawson, Rice, and others get into the Hall. Especially since it seems that a bunch of these steroid-era guys are not going to be elected.