How do we know Murphy didn't use steroids? I don't think he did, but it's ridiculous for any writer to make this claim about any player in a way that insinuates steroid use is A) rampant in todays game and B) that it is responsible for the increase in hitting power.

And I do think Murphy deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Who's Missing from the HOF?

Come on, the point is that Murphy looks pedestrian compared to some of the power hitters we've come to regard as Hall of Famish today, many of whom were probably helped by roids - McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Palmeiro, Giambi.

No, I didn't read the link.

That's a good list, JCB.

Murphy's great. I've been doing interviews with those in the Business of Baseball for a few years now, but I've also interviewed more than a couple of players, with the Murph being one of them.

For those interested:

Dale Murphy interview with sidebar comments on the HOF from Armour, Claire, Eggers, and Jaynes

How do we know Murphy didn't use steroids?

Because most of us are rational creatures. We know that Murphy would buy teammates dinners, but refused to drink alcohol. We have evidence of the devoteness he had in his faith, which would prohibit the use of steroids. And we have no evidence that would suggest the use of steroids. Therefore the strongest inference is that he did not use steroids.

We also don't know with 100% degree of certainty that Murphy didn't kill and drink the blood of infants? However, that is also a strong inference.

And those two inferences are probably pretty close in strength.

it's ridiculous for any writer to make this claim about any player in a way that insinuates steroid use is A) rampant in todays game and B) that it is responsible for the increase in hitting power.

Its not ridiculous at all to suggest its present in todays game and that it is responsible for power outputs. You have strong evidence that its use has been at least 5%; and you have weak evidence that presents a strong upper bound to 50%. You have strong evidence that some of the modern sluggers have used steroids. And you have strong evidence that steroids increase strength and strength is a component of power.

And you have strong evidence that steroids increase strength and strength is a component of power.


This is true, but doesn't require steroids. The evidence from last year (a very minor decrease in HR rate after testing began) suggests that vast majority of the HR increases come from weight-training (which Dale doesn't appear to have done seriously) and smaller parks. I'd put the steroid effect at the 5% mark.

Other than the obvious problem of dropping off a cliff at age 32 statistically, I think his other big problem is he only appeared in one post season series, lasting all of 3 games.

Had the Braves been a better team during the 80's, and made the playoffs a few more times, I think he would be held in much higher regard by the HOF voters. It's stupid, but thats the way it usually goes.

How the hell does a guy's vote drop from 23 percent to 8 percent. Who are these people who voted for him year one and then abandoned him? I hope some of them wrote columns about why they did that so we would know for sure what morons they are.

I can hear it now. I thought Dale was a HoFer but then I saw that he only got 23 percent and I realized he wasn't. Jeez.

Baseball eliminated me at age 18.......wasn't good enough

Hall of Fame Tropism

*Sigh*- another thread focusing only on five or six years and ignoring the fact that Rice...er, Belle...I mean, Murphy was washed up in his early thirties. Being amongst the best in the game for half a decade isn't Hall worthy by itself unless those years were historically great(a la Koufax). Murph won two MVP's, but so did Maris and Juan Gone, and he had only two other years in the top ten. Only one of his top ten comps are enshrined (Snider). Also, Murphy and Rice were on the HOF ballot before the career numbers for Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, and Palmeiro reached historic proportions, so it's not like they're getting screwed by being compared to the roider generation. Murphy's homer total is only borderline even compared to his own era, and all his other stats- hits, runs, rbi, average- all fall well short. Even compared to his peers, Murphy's hitting doesn't scream HOFer very loudy; a 121 OPS+ for a corner outfielder (yes, he played center for some years but he played more in the corners)? Sorry, but no. I can't wait for the "five year peak is all that matters" crowd to start their campaigns for Mo Vaughn, Luis and Juan Gonzalez, and Jason Giambi in a few years.

How the hell does a guy's vote drop from 23 percent to 8 percent. Who are these people who voted for him year one and then abandoned him?

I assume it's the same people that joined the Sutter club or something. I realize everyone doesn't use the whole ballot, but the existence of people getting more support year over year certainly implies that someone is going to be getting less support.