 Conversations over the past week or so Jack giving us his ballot exclusively first release about a week ago We've talked about that with John Flaherty We're gonna talk about it now with Michael and get his take on it first Jack Let's start by taking a look once again at your ballot to remind our viewers who you voted for I Added Carlos Beltran on his first year the holdovers for me were Todd Helton Andrew Jones Jeff Kent Scott Rowland and Billy Wagner and then for the first time Bob And it's his ninth year on the ballot I added Gary Sheffield and my rationale for that was Last year in year 10 I gave bonds and Clemens a vote the reason I had been withholding a vote from Sheffield is because he was connected in The Balco situation with bonds and had admitted to using the cream But if I gave bonds and Clemens a vote why am I still punishing Sheffield who had almost? 2700 hits more than 500 home runs and Michael Said this on our last show, but he was mr. Exit velocity before we even graded what exit velocity was God forbid if you were a third base coach when Sheffield was up at the plate Yeah, that's a tough omission for me I mean I really labored over that one because I think he's a Hall of Fame caliber player But the clear stuff still bothers me. He said he didn't know it was a clear, but he did admit taking it It's I came so close to checking that box, but I didn't that's one of the ones we differ All right, let's take a look at your hypothetical Hall of Fame ballot and see who you do have on it Well, I did vote for Carlos Beltran Andrew Jones Jeff Kent Scott Rowland and And Billy Wagner Todd Helton came close. He was on Jack's ballot I did not vote for him But those are the five that I have and one of the things I want to stand up for with Beltran Because a lot of people are saying you know Beltran was in the middle of the Astros cheating scandal. He was So was Alex Cora. He managed the Red Sox to a World Series. So was AJ Hinch AJ Hinch manages the Tigers the only guy it seems like to me that got any kind of punishment for what the Astros did is Carlos Beltran, he lost a Met manager's job For some reason people are holding off their Hall of Fame vote Gaylord Perry wrote a book about cheating About loading up the baseball. He's in the Hall of Fame anybody who withholds their vote from Carlos Beltran I'm sorry. I just don't get it. That was a team-wide thing Team-wide thing and he is the only player that was named because he wasn't protected by the Union Because he was no longer a player, but the other players nothing happened to them I just I think Beltran's numbers tell me he's Hall of Famer. I feel like he's the first ballot Hall of Famer like Michael That's why I gave him the vote one of eight players with over 300 steals and 300 homers He's got the highest stolen base percentage success rate and history over 86 percent And I talked about this on our last show, but I echo what Michael just said. I think he's been punished already I think he's suffered enough. He may never get another managerial job and one other thing And I know you worked with him on games too, and I worked with him in the studio I also had some conversations with him about that entire sign stealing scandal and you interviewed him on center stage He admits his involvement, but there's also some other things that happened that I'm not privy to share right now But I felt very comfortable giving Beltran that vote. Yeah, for some reason he's taking the hit I just don't get it now. I personally like Carlos. I did work with him. We spent time together off-camera He's he's a delightful guy. He's loved by his ex-teammates love I'll give you an example of what Carlos Beltran is one day He walked into the booth and he had six seven or eight leather Satchels or bags that he picked up. He said I want to give this to you guys in the crew I said why he said your teammates. That's what teammates do out of his own pocket Nobody nobody expected him to do it He has been beloved by every teammate that he's ever had and he happens to be a great player You don't get into all the fame for being a nice guy Jack would be in but the bottom line is you got to be a great player and he's he was a great player who did his job and I just think he's being unfairly maligned by this I do want to ask you a follow-up question on that that whether it's you not voting But you talk about it on your radio show and you do vote and you look at things that are out there on social media Have you ever been more thoughtful or swayed a certain way by reading something? Maybe from one of your peers that you're like, okay I never looked through the prism of that before regarding a certain player Maybe now I will vote for him 100% emphatic answer is yes And I think that's how the voting has changed when I used to get this ballot when I first started voting You didn't have the ability to go on the internet and see what other people thought about those candidates I would try to talk to as many players who had played with that player I would talk to some writers, but now you look at Twitter and Michael you get a chance to see what Everybody is thinking and I think that's a good thing. I also think that has helped some players candidacies if you get a vocal Supportive member of the media behind you they can help drive your candidacy. I think we've seen that with Tim Reigns We saw that with Edgar Martinez. We've seen it with other players Larry Walker was another one I kind of think we're seeing it with Scott Rowland right now who is on the periphery of maybe being voted in now I will say this I didn't vote for him and I do work with him the best baseball player on that list is Alex Rodriguez not even close He's one of the best baseball players I've ever seen probably the best baseball player I've ever seen and I've had the honor of covering the Yankees for over 30 years He's the best But I I couldn't vote for him. He's been suspended for a year. Maddie Ramirez failed drug test I can't vote for him either I mean I would have a hard time if I was voting for bonds or Clemens because Clemens actually fought all the accusations and One in courts of law he keeps saying at the top of his lungs I never did anything but people are just saying well, we don't think you're telling the truth So he's kind of in an awkward situation bonds. It seems like bonds obviously did it and and his trainer kept his mouth shut But I couldn't vote for somebody that failed the test or was suspended. I just can't because you went against the rules I didn't vote for either of them either I Review it every year and I'll see where I end up you spent a lot of Sunday nights with Alex Rodriguez I've heard him say I may have cost myself the Hall of Fame. Have you ever talked to him about that talked to him about it It crushes him It's one of the great regrets of his life because he loves baseball and he appreciates the the game of baseball I'll tell you a quick story. He went up to the Hall of Fame this year He wanted to who's who's there big poppy big poppy and he wanted to be there for his friend And he was texting me so I'm walking around this hall And I can't believe that I'll never be here because of the stupidity that I did so he knows what he did and The only way the lucky thing for him. He's got nine more years So maybe that maybe the thought will change as the voting gets younger voters in there But again, he was suspended for years. It's gonna be really tough for him to get in