Buster Olney, ESPN, says voting rules must change for MLB Hall of Fame

Butler not a three point seven WEEI continue our conversation. Larry ESPN baseball guys here in this half hour. -- only who has been all over ESPN TV and ESPN radio last 2448 hours talking all fame. Set to join us -- buster on the AT&T hotline AT&T forgy LTE with speed that the ten times faster than three G. AT&T rethink possible -- posted. His ballot today as part of his column all start restart with him corruption buster. You voted for Clemens you voted for bonds how did you end up at that and did you ever feel like you wouldn't vote for those guys based in suspicions in baseball. Now. And I voted the same way. Really since Mark -- first at the ballot. My feeling though he's been it's about context. It's about understanding that the institution of baseball and I say that probably meaning the union. The union leaders to clean players dirty players Major League Baseball. Teams in the media that support job covering the issue the institution of baseball. Failed to address the issue properly in a vacuum. And incredible culture drug use came popped up that include thousands of players. When you include the minor leagues and the Major League and let's face it you know that. Who the Major League hit major leaguer to compete against they get to the big leagues were minor league players. And it and I have a real. -- and so my standard is. Not knowing exactly who did what any real understanding that it was it was very widespread. I simply vote for the best players and I have a very hard time and always have. We'd retroactive morality where you have voters. And even people you know former players and sports thing. Well you know I'm not gonna that not gonna vote for any cheaters I am like mine and everyone knew this who's going on the first I heard about it. With the first year recover professional baseball 1989. In Nashville sounds an affiliate of the red and hearing about some of the players in that organization who were doing it. You know Jose Canseco was that the question about PD that steroid use. On the broadcast for game one of the 1980 World Series and was almost twenty years later before baseball ever -- here is that the drug testing. And that's what sport was and whether we like it or not. Either of these guys do the best players in the sport and that I've always voted I voted for McGwire every year he's been on the ballot voter for Clemens and bonds. You know let me ask these terrible collateral damage -- said the guys that -- and Biggio but I would think -- -- a bump. Right because nothing obviously with Jack Morrison. A thought he would of that actually benefited from the class that he of this year's class. Well I actually you know and and it's it's one of the things -- unintended consequences I think Jack Morrissey is and what I wrote about woods. It is ruled that the whole thing has that you can only go -- ten players in the ballot. That really hurting the different year candidate in this whole conversation. You know at these employees combined ballot you know I voted for Tim -- in the -- But I'm trying to find a way I had to try to finally dale Murphy and the ballot so it to Tim -- off IE I don't think that Jack -- it is good to halt in qualifications and Schilling. But I let her off and it course it broke my heart to do it. And I think he's a hall of Famer but I had at least somebody off. And it in order to get checked more sign and I mentioned the next year because no one got in this year dale Murphy comes off the ballot in these fifteen years erupt. But you have five more potential first ballot hall of famers in great fanatics. And Tom Glavine and Mike Messina and Jeff -- and Frank Thomas. And so now old Vietnam looking at a company in there about seventeen hall of fame caliber. Top players but I can only vote -- hand. Along going to be leaving off. Schilling in all likelihood and now I'm probably gonna drop McGwire up my ballot for the first time -- the way I'm gonna do this to basically say you're the ten best players. Really -- best players what they're willing to object Morse or run in his last year in the ballot is that thing other guy's gonna Philippine ballot differently than mine. And it and it and I think that that hurt Jack Morris yesterday. And I think going forward it's gonna hurt guys like shell. And that's why I think the whole thing needs to open it up and say to vote for the heat. Player he considered his most worthy for the whole plane -- -- right now I cannot are gonna get left off the ballot under the current rules. Not because of voters don't think they're worthy of the hall of fame. But because they have to try to squeeze. You know these candidate on the ballot now. If not all voters have that the issue because some guys are not voting for anybody. Affiliated with PD. But you know the 304050%. Who were opened the putting those guys on that's where they're gonna have -- 1010 player quandary. You must act in in the more you talk about the hall of fame I just. Some tells me just almost I think as an elite group of hall of famers that are in the hall of rain compared to others and I wonder frigates watered down he mentioned. The dramatics to me I can't put Mike Messina in with medics and therefore I just. I wonder if these guys are getting in because people they they matched numbers from previous ones who maybe shouldn't be there in the first place that. Greg Maddux is a different level that a guy like Mike Messina. I totally great -- and it's interesting when you look at the halting at the outset. He took -- in my Q3 ballots to get into the hall of fame. And they'll be out that he would Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb an immortal like that right well let's face it over time. And I'm not and I really don't like knocking players by by mentioning them in this way. But overtime to get candidates like bill that -- rusty and -- resumed though and Ron Santo and that is this standard comes down. And that's how I -- my ballot you might think -- Murphy is even close to the level of Willie Mays now. But -- hall of fame through the years those players have been made hall of famers. So your standards change over time I absolutely hear you. And that's why when I feel my ballot. I'm literally almost ranking the players as I see them in terms of their greatness where you know upon the clemens' dramatic to be in the top three. And some like -- Jeff Kent would be near the bottom of that. -- see you say the rule should be changed expanded out do you think that you think it's realistic at buster Howell -- you think the Baseball Hall of Fame. And the president Jeff vitals and would be to expand and to say. -- or wherever you want no more limit on -- I think that they will do that and NATO -- yesterday. I you know who's done some shows and he said he was open to idea changed like the writers doing it. But the point that I made that candidates are now being of value -- not on there were readiness for the hall of fame but I and how they. Can be squeezed onto a ballot -- all these other great candidate I think that present a quandary. And I think it would have been the year where normally if you look at Jack -- polling at 6766. Point 7% last year. In this year only goes up 1% which is much lower they have to realize. That Morse may have lost that number of votes. Because of this ten player quandary now that they have -- this logjam at PD guys. Yeah I think the hall fame voting has become more subjective and it ever has I want it obscures your thoughts of when you see. Five blank ballots to have a problem with that or do you just think these guys don't think anyone's horn. Well up my and I really believe this I think it Derek Q really there Q logical and fair standards and that is. And I think that's you know having develop my own stance I think -- be able to the best players the primary vote for anybody. But this idea picking and choosing and guessing. It's silly to me because I mean let's face it a lot of the guys during the speedy conversations are in there because they had the unfortunate. Bad walked a beat came in Jose Canseco -- they get named Jose Canseco book they get called the congress. And then Dayton were put in the forefront and Lou you know the name is better than I do where as well as I do. A lot of guys who were halting caliber players and we haven't even been brought into this conversation within the industry. People say that -- almost certainly with the steroid user. And and that that just seems silly to me the and that's why do you think that. The candidacies. -- bat well and might. Because it's clear there -- a lot of voters and I voted for all these guys but there are clearly a lot of voters. Look at the candidacies of Bagwell and PI and don't vote haven't voted for them because they say they believe. That there's no hard evidence. That they were uses a performance enhancing drugs given that dynamic. It. You know one -- both those guys to put the hall of fame -- in the -- in the right mind of those voters who have that can't. Could you have a might be out in the hall of fame and not vote for Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds. Jimmie talked a lot of guys are a Major League Baseball I'm curious of the tax and the -- buster who beat the beat Texas. -- and the calls buster but you've got the last less than 24 hours since -- spoke out from guys Carly in the game right now with their response has been. Well I mean it's all over the it's all over the map. Really you know -- there a lot of especially in the near small famers who were unhappy. You know they're like keep those guys out of my response to -- Come on you know the hall of fame they baseball museum is not it's not the Vatican. -- talking about perpich perfect people in the hall of fame there are segregationist. -- G users in amphetamine guys and our kind of people the whole thing is that baseball museum. I get some response from two former players and saying you know it's not right to vote for -- -- and I played it with all due respect to you know those guys and. About players like Hulu from that era where are the guys. -- -- -- All through the ninety. Why wasn't the you know -- why weren't -- voices. Louder. In that time when clearly the union had the most power in this issue the -- -- that I would pose this question people about. -- Tom Glavine who I will vote for next year first ballot hall of Famer -- game winner ever minute snippet PD guys. But if you were evaluated in this way. Who had the most to do with a rise of steroids in baseball in the ninety's. Roger Clemens Barry Bonds to Tom Glavine did not even close. It's Tom Glavine began viewed as it basically one of the union leaders who any kind becomes a publicly. And takes a very strong stance that he could have had a voice of change baseball you know what he didn't know it. -- Rick Rick -- tried 1998 and we are just a reference to a story back I think it was 2009 it. -- she wrote it's an aid during those winter meetings America until the union of a problem that. Mesa based by -- brought a couple of doctors. And deliver a presentation to executives of physicians about the benefits. Of using testosterone the feeling was well on the union side well you know he ownership really have experts -- give them some David asked for yet so everybody wants. Absolutely. The institution. You know and practical power in the hands of the union -- that time. You know Don Fehr and Jordan dealers. Any -- -- even open to discussing. Testing because they believed and the right to privacy and clearly you know it's sort of crime illuminating that that was an antiquated position because. A lot of clean players who -- put in the difficult position of having to make choices but here's my feeling on it you know. Nobody from that -- no change giving their money back OK. You know. -- made millions -- dollars up the back -- Mark McGwire had given him money back. Daddy Yankee team that I cover bad guys on the -- Edward users and given that money back. And Major League Baseball Bud Selig in his numbers in that area that built up performance enhancing drugs still. These activities money back and that's why such a difficult time work after the fact. You know after years adapter for example McGwire retired it. The host David -- tickets from Mark McGwire come on every one had an idea is going on. And no one did anything about it and I haven't really hard time with the players and -- after the fact after the check and cashed. Buster is always great stuff while talking throughout the season baseball couple months away enjoy it will talk to you soon. -- one of the best -- only ESPN AT&T hotline AT&T -- LTE speeds. Up to ten times faster than three GAT and T rethink possible not gonna hear a better. Half hour of the whole plane conversational which has got with encryption and buster only -- those guys for joining us IDs a Celtics there is that we come back. It went for the Celtics again last night the Celtics bench. Jared soldier this half hour as well -- going.