"GLORY" A BIT CONTRIVED FOR McGRIFF...

As a "big Hall" advocate, we are on board with Fred McGriff's election into the Hall of Fame by the latest "clown car contrivance" of a "Vet Committee" selection process. Our own "system" (which one of these days we just might reveal to you...) suggests that he's comfortably more than qualified; the problem in terms of this particular ballot, however, is that Fred was the fifth best player on it. 

From our standpoint, "if Fred," then also Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and Rafael Palmeiro. But the voting results as announced point to the "poli-shticks" we noted previously.

It's patently absurd that Fred was elected unanimously by this body while the quartet of players listed above had a cumulative vote total lower than his. But we live in increasingly absurd times, and this voting result just adds another platypus to the barbie.

Clearly this voting group was subject to tampering, and delivered a result that produced the least controversial selection.

We now move on to the BBWAA phase, where we might see two players--Scott Rolen and Billy Wagner--cross the threshold. Even there, the better candidates--Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Jeff Kent--are certain to be on the outside looking in come January.