Who’s not on first base?

Without a name given, a glance at a group of Major League Baseball statistics reading, 3,020 hits, 585 doubles, 569 home runs and 1,835 RBIs, will more times than not, trigger a reactionary muttering of three words: “Hall of Fame.”

Assign Rafael Palmeiro’s name to the front of that list and you may hear a much different three words: “Big F-ing Cheater.”
For those of you under a rock for the last two months, the Baltimore Orioles’ first baseman was suspended from baseball for steroid use on Aug. 1. The suspension came less than five months removed from his finger-pointing escapade in front of the House Government Reform Committee, emphatically claiming he had never used performance-enhancing drugs.

Palmeiro told MLB, Thursday, that the positive test for stanozolol might have been triggered by a B-12 shot given to him by teammate Miguel Tejada. As predicted, the shortstop denied the claims of steroid use and once again, Palmeiro plays the part of baseball’s bozo.

What seems retroactive to the Palmeiro statement, the Orioles’ executive president Jim Beattie announced that the first baseman will not be suiting up to take the field again the season, saying, “We felt it wouldn’t be appropriate for the organization.”

Those could be the last words to the final chapter of what was otherwise an historic career for one of baseball’s best all-around hitters, steroids or no steroids.

Since the early 1990s, I have been watching Palmeiro closely, labeling him one of baseball’s most underrated players.

In 1991, with the Texas Rangers, he hit then career-highs .322 and 26 home runs along with current highs in hits (203) and doubles (49).  That was when No. 25 began his Hall of Fame run.

Throughout time, his average dropped, with the exception of 1999 when he hit .324, but his power numbers continued to climb. He began a record of nine consecutive seasons with at least 38 home runs from 1995 to 2003.  Of the eight men ahead of him on the all-time home run list, no one has hit at least 38 bombs more than seven times (Babe Ruth, 1926-32). Sammy Sosa’s streak of six ended last year after he hit 35 in an injury-plagued and cork-filled season in Chicago. Mark McGwire (1995-99) and Barry Bonds – assuming the left fielder doesn’t hammer 33 home runs in the closing days – collected five during the so-called “Steroid age.”

Only 13 players in history have driven in more runs than Palmeiro, who passed Dave Winfield, Al Simmons and Frank Robinson with his 60 RBIs this season. In 20 seasons, including his first two where he only played a total of 106 games, the four-time All-Star averaged 91.75 RBIs. Only six players in history with at least 17 years of service have averaged more RBIs than Palmeiro (Lou Gherig, 117.35; Ruth, 100.59; Hank Aaron, 99.86; Ted Williams, 96.79; Jimmie Foxx, 96.1 and Bonds, 92.65).

Undoubtedly, the fourth man in the 3,000-hit, 500 home runs club – along with Aaron, Mays and Eddie Murray – will retire as one of baseball’s immortal hitters. Unfortunately, for Palmeiro, he may join the likes of Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson as one of baseball’s greatest hitters not to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Unlike his possible future brethren, who are banned from baseball, Palmeiro may simply be blacklisted from the sport.

If he is not enshrined into the museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. than it will be by virtue of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). In order for Palmeiro to be elected to the Hall, the BBWAA must check his name on at least 75 percent of their ballots. Assuming Palmeiro retires at the end of this season, which he should do, he will be eligible for the Hall in 2010.
According to Section 5 of the Rules for Election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by Members of the BBWAA, voting shall be based upon the player’s statistics (check), playing ability (check) and the contributions to the teams in which he has played (check). Well, he is a guarantee for a spot, right?

But wait, there’s more. The voting will also be based upon the players’ integrity (rat), sportsmanship (cheater) and character (liar). Well, he was a guarantee until August.

The BBWAA has 15 years to bring him to the podium to make his speech. In the off chance that he is not voted in, the Veterans Committee – members of the player’s Hall of Fame – is assigned the task. This would be the worst-case scenario for the Orioles’ first baseman.

According to statements from Hall of Fame players Ryne Sandberg and Frank Robinson, both voting members, the Cuban born Palmeiro may have a better shot at running for president of the United States of America than being awarded a spot in the Hall.

Robinson wants all of Palmeiro’s stats “wiped” from the record books and Sandberg addressed the steroid matter – not Palmeiro’s situation – at his induction speech regarding former teammate Andre Dawson, saying, “He did it the right way, the natural way.” That statement would soon be pointing the emphatic finger at Palmeiro, casting him out of Hall contention.

If his future were in my hands, I would place Palmeiro’s plaque in the Hall. In my opinion, no one can amass 3,020 hits and crank 569 homers relying solely on the juice. The dude had a tremendous amount of talent. His consistency alone would warrant him as many votes as Jim Rice receives annually (55.11 percent over the last six years). All he needs is another 19.88 percent or, in voting terms, a Steve Garvey (20.5 percent).

Prior to the `roids incident, the knock on Palmeiro had been that he has never been to the World Series. In Football, a great quarterback can carry his team to the promise land (Boomer Esiason, Bengals, `89). A dominant center can take his team to the NBA finals (Ewing, Knicks, `93-’94). However without the right pieces to the championship puzzle, the team won’t win.

In baseball, no player can carry his respective team through a 162-game season without any help.  Palmeiro has never been on a squad with both a potent offense and a solid staff. He spent 10 years with Texas, who hasn’t sent to the mound a more feared 1-2 punch since Kevin Brown and Nolan Ryan in 1991. Brown was an up-and-coming, injury-free star and Ryan was 44, two seasons shy of retirement. The only quality starter Palmeiro played with in his seven seasons with Baltimore was Mike Mussina. Oh yeah, he spent his first three years with the Chicago Cubs, need I go on?

The point is, regardless of post-season success, for 20 years, Palmeiro was a player that just about any manager or baseball executive would sell their soul to build a team around.

There are only two requirements to play first base in the majors: catch whatever is thrown your way and hit for power on a consistent basis. That is exactly what Palmeiro did for his career. Steroids or not, Palmeiro belongs in the Hall of Fame.