The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

A tape has just surfaced of Oklahoma senator and man voted most likely to throw a snowball in a January blizzard to disprove global warming, Jim Inhofe, making a speech on November 17th of last year, his birthday, directed toward ESPN, baseball writers and commentators in particular. The tape, leaked and introduced by ESPN's own Chris Berman, went like this: "'Hi, I'm Chris Berman of ESPN, former host of NFL Primetime , bringing you a video of Republican Senator Jim 'Jack Me' Inhofe telling the world what he thinks about the juiced-ball theory in major league baseball. Let's have a listen...' 'Has anyone heard about this juiced-ball theory in baseball we've got going on? Some people are saying, because of all the home runs that were hit this season, the ball must be juiced, whatever that means. What a bunch of hogwash! It's been what, two, three weeks since the season ended? Have you heard about any home runs recently? No? Me neither! I ...

Former Atlanta Braves outfielder, Andruw Jones, is typically looked at by baseball analysts as a potential Hall-of-Famer, but likely on the outside looking in when all is said and done. For his career, Jones has compiled the following stats: 1,184 runs scored, 1,899 hits, 377 doubles, 36 triples, 424 home runs, 1,263 RBI's, 152 stolen bases, a .256 batting average, .338 OBP, .488 slugging percentage and .826 OPS. Those numbers in and of themselves I don't think warrant him an induction. However, he's also won 10 Gold Gloves while playing centerfield. Only three other players have compiled 400+ home runs and 10+ Gold Gloves. Those players? Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Schmidt. That's a pretty special group right there. Mays was inducted in 1979. Schmidt was inducted in 1995. Griffey will surely be inducted when he becomes eligible. So if and when all three of those great players are inducted into the Hall of Fame, why should Andruw be left out? Former St. Loui...