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Photo: AP/Gail Burton

by Robert Nunez

A milestone has been reached by one of baseball's most consistent position players in recent times.

To date, Rafael Palmeiro boasts three Gold Gloves, a .292 avg., 1600-plus RBI and 500 homers; better yet, his career is far from over. He's a positive figure in the dugout, has maintained a clean image throughout his career, and has kept his body in shape to remain relatively healthy through 18 long years in the Majors.

Sound like a Hall of Famer? Sure does to me.

When I first started to write this story, my intention was to argue that Palmeiro should not be allowed into baseball's sacred halls. But after reviewing his accomplishments, I found myself wondering why there is even a debate.

There are those who argue 500 HRs don't mean what they used to in our "juiced ball" era, that Palmeiro's HRs are inflated. There's another argument that he hasn't even been one of the top first basemen in the game. It's true that he's never been elected to an All-Star team, and it's also true that he's never been the top player on his team.

But Palmeiro's 500 HRs are overrated? Come again? It's this simple: in order to hit 500 HRs, you have to connect with the ball. Juiced ball or not, you still have to hit a miniature sphere flying at you around 90 mph. And have I mentioned that Palmeiro is approaching 3000 hits, and will most likely reach that plateau next season?

Look, just examine the current lineup of first baggers: Giambi, Bagwell, Delgado, Klesko, Thome, Helton and Sexton. Those are your elite first basemen in the game today. So where does someone hitting .273, 43 and 105 belong? Among the elite, that's where. Only Thome hit more HRs than Palmeiro last year; plus, Raffy's RBI total is better than three of theirs. Not bad for a guy who turns 39 this season. What about his average, you ask? True, he brought up the rear in that category among the elite first basemen, but let's not forget that out of all those elite first basemen, none has ever won a Gold Glove.

Photo: AFP

Rafael has never been the top player on his team -- that cannot be disputed. Then again, Lou Gehrig wasn't the best player on his team. Neither was Yogi Berra or Eddie Matthews. Should we throw those other wannabes out of Cooperstown? Ridiculous? You bet it is. Raffy's played with Sammy Sosa, Andre Dawson, Cal Ripken and Alex Rodriguez, all probable first-time balloters. But it is Palmeiro's presence as a homer threat that's improved all of those players.

It's also true that Palmeiro has never been elected to an All-Star team, but perhaps he should have hired the famed PR firm, Hill & Knowlton, since the All-Star game is usually nothing more than a popularity contest. Look, since 1995, Palmeiro's averaged 41 HRs and 121 RBIs. In other words, his numbers reflect a problem of popularity, not potency.

The real problem is that Palmeiro's never promoted himself. He's remained anonymous throughout his career until recently, and it wasn't his achievements on the field or his 500th HR that put his name in the minds of others.

It was Viagra.

Will this be his legacy? If so, then give Mr. Viagra a key to Cooperstown. Any man good enough to be a spokesman for a sexual enhancement program has earned it. As for baseball, it's simple: his numbers speak for themselves.

01 June 03

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