PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Dave Parker (39) of the Pittsburgh Pirates swings during a 1980 season game.
Getty Images
If he had a ballot, Dave Parker would think twice before putting Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire into the Hall of Fame.
But Parker would not hesitate to vote for himself.
"I was probably the best player in baseball from 1975 until '80," Parker said. "I won just about every award you could win -- batting title, league MVP, MVP of the All-Star Game. Usually, people who have done all the things that I've done are in the Hall of Fame."
Yet, Parker, a canon-armed right fielder who ranks among the mightiest sluggers in Pirates history, is not enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y.
This year, there are no easy picks on the ballot -- strong cases can be made for and against guys like Jim Rice, Bert Blyleven and Andre Dawson -- and Parker likely will be denied again. Results of voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America will be announced Tuesday.
Parker received just 11.4 percent of the vote last year, and peaked at 24.5 percent in 1998. A player must be selected on 75 percent of the ballots for induction.
A seven-time All-Star, Parker won the National League batting title in 1977 and '78. Parker was the league MVP in 1978, when he batted .334 with 30 home runs, 117 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
Parker's batting stats compare favorably to Hall of Famers Tony Perez and Billy Williams. However, most voters, perhaps recalling Parker's admitted cocaine use and involvement in the Pittsburgh drug trials in 1985, have not been swayed.
"I don't even know what the criteria are for the Hall of Fame anymore," Parker said. "It couldn't be numbers, because I've got those. It couldn't be anything that caused problems outside of baseball, because (Dennis) Eckersley and (Paul) Molitor and some other guys who had off-the-field problems are in there."
Eckersley battled alcoholism and fathered a child out of wedlock. Molitor has admitted to abusing drugs early in his career. Both entered the Hall of Fame in 2004.
In the wake of last month's release of the Mitchell Report, detailing alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs by more than 80 players, the voters have a new set criteria to consider. Parker said any player proven to have used steroids should be banned from the Hall of Fame.
"If you take something to enhance your strength, that's cheating," Parker said. "My involvement with cocaine affected me, but it affected me solely. I didn't do anything to enhance my performance on the field. Everything I produced was done naturally."
This is Parker's 12th year on the ballot, leaving him three more tries to get into the Hall. After that, Parker's name will be dropped from the ballot and his fate will be up to the Veterans' Committee.
Parker's production tailed off in the early 1980s. His last great season was 1985, when he batted .312 with 34 homers for the Cincinnati Reds. He spent the last three years of his career with four different American League clubs.
His final days in Pittsburgh were not easy. Parker hit .279 with just a dozen homers in 1983, and was often booed -- or worse -- by fans at Three Rivers Stadium. However, Parker was received warmly at PNC Park last season and recently asked the Pirates for a job.
Parker wants to coach and sent his resume to new manager John Russell, but said he never got a response. Parker also spoke with former owner Kevin McClatchy.
"I'm waiting to hear something back on that, too," Parker said.
General manager Neal Huntington said he was unaware of Parker's request. The Pirates do employ former players, such as Bill Mazeroski and Manny Sanguillen, as special instructors during spring training, but it is unlikely Parker will fill that role this year.
"We will certainly give (Parker's) interest proper consideration," Huntington said. "But I will say that in my experience, too many guest instructors dilute the impact of those in camp."
It seems the Pirates, like the Hall of Fame, have put Parker on hold.
"I really don't think about (the Hall of Fame)," Parker said. "If they decide to put me in, fine."
But just in case he ever is elected, Parker has already chosen former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner to give his presentation speech.
"I'd be proud to do that," Tanner said. "Parker had the best tools of anybody in the National League. He could run, field, throw and he had power. He was something special."
Rob Biertempfel can be reached at rbiertempfel@tribweb.com or 412-320-7811.
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