Baseball Writers Fierce Stand Against Steroids Doesn T Extend To Their Own Ranks

• Paul Hagen

The baseball writers just put their foot down. This year they didn’t vote anyone into the Hall of Fame.

Retired players whose magnificent careers are stained by performance-enhancing drugs didn’t come close to getting in. And players with lesser numbers but sturdier reputations for playing the game the right way didn’t make it either.

As MLB.com’s Had Bodley, a voter, puts it: ““I think a strong message was sent about those players who have been connected somewhat to steroids,and I think the players that we thought were going to get elected probably got caught in the undertow of all that. I mean I think there was a very very strong message sent about this. . . . A strong message was sent that the baseball writers are very very cognizant of the game and the passion for the game and the credibility of the game.”