Former MLB star Billy Wagner believes Alex Rodriguez does not deserve to be in the Hall of Fame
Former Houston Astros pitcher Billy Wagner firmly believes Alex Rodriguez doesn’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame discussion and that there’s no place in Cooperstown for him.
During an interview with Mike Puma of the New York Post, he said that anybody remotely involved with performance-enhancing drugs should be ineligible to even appear on a Hall of Fame ballot.
He particularly stressed Yankee great Alex Rodriguez, who was involved in the famous biogenesis scandal and was suspended for 211 games.
“If you are caught and proven without a doubt and you are suspended, I don’t know why you are on the ballot. I understand that A-Rod was one of the greatest players I ever played against, and when all that stuff changes, you just have a hard time. You go, ‘Why? You were already great” Wagner told The Post.
Reflecting on the steroid era, Wagner drew a clear line between legends like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Alex Rodriguez. None of the three were elected into the HOF.
He stressed that there was a clear difference between those who earned it with hard work and others who were caught breaking rules implemented by MLB.
Not electing Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens into Baseball Hall of Fame sets quite a precedent usatoday.com/story/sports/m…
"Not electing Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens into Baseball Hall of Fame sets quite a precedent" - Bob Nightengale
Wagner also proudly claimed that pitchers of the 1990s & 2000s, including him, should be humbled by the reckless use of PEDs in the game.
“I feel like it’s a compliment to me that somebody had to go and do this, they had to go and get supplements to be able to compete with somebody like me,” Wagner said. “I do feel that is a credit to what I brought, and to play in that era they had to do that because they weren’t having much success against me.”
Alex Rodriguez calls Warren Buffet his mentor and friend
Alex Rodriguez has often referred to Warren Buffett as integral to his knowledge of investment, a mentor of sorts, and also a great friend.
In a video posted a year ago on his YouTube channel, he gave his fans a sneak-peak into a day with Warren Buffett.
Buffett said some words that really stuck with the baseball star:
“One of the things he always talked to me about is concentrated bets, concentrated focus. Those are the attributes that really served me well in my career since I was three years old to the time I retired even to now the one thing I’ve been focussing on is the two b’s – baseball and business.”
Rodriguez and Buffett first met when the latter covered a portion of his 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers, and the two have been friends ever since.