Hall of Famer Frank Thomas was at a White Sox fan event over the weekend and the subject of the Hall of Fame and performance enhancing drugs came up. While The Big Hurt did not mention anyone by name, he quite clearly took aim at the two men who were recently elected to the Hall of Fame: Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez. Thomas:

“They’ve let a few people in already we all know . . . It’s uncomfortable at this point. I’m sure this year’s going to be uncomfortable because we’ve got two great players going in, but they know. It’s no secret. If they didn’t do it, they would be stomping and kicking and in interviews saying, ‘I didn’t do it.'”

Bagwell and Rodriguez have both been suspected of using PEDs in their career. Bagwell with no public evidence or reporting, Rodriguez via speculation based on his reduced physique in the second part of his career and by Jose Canseco accusing him in his book “Juiced” of using PEDs. Bagwell has denied using drugs. He did not “kick and scream” as he did so, even if his accusers often have had immature meltdowns about it. Rodriguez has denied use as well.

Thomas went on to suggest that he and his Hall of Fame brethren are not happy about the election of Bagwell and Rodriguez or of Mike Piazza last year, who was often accused, without evidence, of taking PEDs:

“Trust me, there’s a lot of internal talk going on. A lot of guys that I respect that are real, true Hall of Famers, all they have is their legacy. They didn’t make this kind of money . . . They’re not happy about this at all.”

It strikes me that if Thomas is prepared to identify some players as “real, true Hall of Famers,” while throwing accusations at others without evidence, that he should come up with a label for them as well. “Phony Hall of Famers?” Something like that? What is it Frank?

In other news, a lot of “real, true Hall of Famers” had strong opinions about the men who came after them as well, thinking less of them for all manner of reasons big and small. Not least of which includes their status as designated hitters. One wonders what they thought when Thomas was inducted.

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