Hall of Shame?

Not to suggest that the Baseball Hall of Fame is in any way responsible for the outcome of yesterday's vote tally and subsequent announcement, but electing but one candidate in a pool of fine choices is a travesty.

Ring Lardner perhaps put it best on his induction in 1963, "Nothing on Earth is more depressing than an old baseball writer."

Not unlike the perennial debate around college football's BCS system, the ongoing neglect of deserving candidates plays havoc with fans, writers, broadcasters and players both active and former... Point of fact, players who should receive their props, often don't, and those elected to the hall often wait way too long.

Arguments abound as to why the Baseball Writers can't seem to get their collective act together, as to why is it a canidate may become more attractive on his 13th year of eligibility (see Bruce Souter) than when he was first in the running. And equally contentious is the notion that voting is limited to baseball writers having plied their trade for over 10 years. What about the broadcasters? Why do HOF members vote on just the veterans committee -- and why not EVERY year? AND... how is it the voting membership allows BBWAA members to no-show, sending in blank ballots or no votes at all?

Rather than refine the quality of HOF membership, the mayhem that visits us each year following weeks of the "talking sport's" jawing about who's who leading up to the announcement is the equivalent of watching the Hindeburg go down -- again and again and again. We watch, we marvel at its grandiose design, and we reel in horror as it falls to the ground in flames.

I'm sick of the show. Pro football revised its voting process a few years back, and now it's baseball's turn. Open it up to qualified broadcasters, include alum players in a prorata vote, and ban those writers (the gang of 12 for 2006) who jimmy the system with their blank ballots or complete no-shows.

We've been listening intently on baseball's newest star, XM Radio, and reading on their online boards, but many more opinions are available out there. To see all the latest updates and news on this hot topic, click here.