We posed this question to four of our regular columnists, two of whom -- Tony DeMarco and Mike Celizic -- will actually cast votes for the honor.
Here's what they had to say.";
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spt_0808_nbcsportcom_on_palmeiro[i-1].body = "
This is a tough one, because it’s so hard to disqualify one man from the hall because he got caught doing what scores of his peers were also doing. But, as a 10-year member of the Baseball Writers Association of America, I vote for the Hall, and I had already given Palmiero some thought before this story broke.
I felt he wasn’t one of the greats of his time to begin with, but a compiler of numbers. I knew I wasn’t going to vote for him on the first ballot when he became eligible, and wasn’t sure I ever would. This makes it easier, not because he probably took steroids years ago, but because he took them after baseball banned them. That shows a lack of character and respect for the game, and those criteria are in play when voting.
When he retires and his name shows up on the list, I’m not voting for him.
Vote: No";
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spt_0808_nbcsportcom_on_palmeiro[i-1].body = "
Less than a month ago, as Rafael Palmeiro neared the 3,000-hit mark, I wrote on this site that he was a no-doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer. If I had known then what I know now (and what he knew then), I would have withheld that opinion.
The numbers still scream induction, of course. But with the luxury of time on my side -- at least six years before that vote will have to be cast -- I will wait. And in that time, I hope to find out answers to many vital questions, namely how long did his usage go on, and maybe even get some medical insight into just how much of a positive affect steroid use could have on a hitters' numbers.
Will those answers come? Probably not. And if not, since Major League Baseball didn't think it was important enough to clean up its sport during the last 15 or so years of the 20th century and first few years of this one, I reluctantly won't hold it against a player's Hall of Fame candidacy for doing what he and many other players apparently did in the era. But I sure hope I have more information to go by the time that day comes.
Vote: Reluctant yes";
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spt_0808_nbcsportcom_on_palmeiro[i-1].body = "
I've liked Rafael Palmeiro, if indeed that is his real name, since his early days with the Cubs. I was a naive high school junior, and his sweet swing and humble demeanor made him an easy guy to root for. Nearly two decades later, I'm a little bitter. Not only has Palmeiro ruined his reputation, but he -- along with Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire -- is absolutely killing the value of my baseball card collection!
Vote: No";
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spt_0808_nbcsportcom_on_palmeiro[i-1].body = "
Before Rafael Palmeiro's dirty cup, he was poised to have the least-shiny bust in Cooperstown. His eventual election was already a begrudged conclusion simply because he had the no-brainier qualifications -- 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. But the Palmeiro to the Hall bandwagon was running on fumes. He was heading to immortality on an obligation to statistical guidelines. However, Palmeiro gave leery voters an out. They'll gladly take advantage. Palmeiro stays home and it's all his fault.
Vote: No"; spt_0808_nbcsportcom_on_palmeiro[i++] = new Array("spt_0801_palmeiro_hall","What do you think?","","","","", "lv", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data