Gossage Smossage

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In the years since he retired, Gossage has shamelessly campaigned for a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Carew never begged, Seaver never begged, Ripken, Gwynn or Reggie never begged, but like Reggie once told me, "there is a difference between first ballot guys and the others." Gossage got 33 percent of the vote the first time around. I don't know how many games Gossage has saved since he retired, but somehow in the years since, he has jumped over more deserving players such as Lee Smith, Bert Blyleven, Jim Katt, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva , Tommy John and Jack Morris to whine his way into the Hall of Fame.

The night before his election, Gossage said, "I got out of situations God couldn't get out of." The day of his election he blasted Roger Clemens. I don't know which comment was less appropriate for the time or place, but I couldn't conceive of Sandy Koufax acting in such a boorish manner.

I have been to several Hall of Fame inductions in the past 15 years. It's one of my guilty pleasures. Still, I think I'll spend the last weekend of July 2008 in Pebble Beach where the air is clean and clear of the stench of Goose Gossage.

Keep the faith Pete.