Slamming The Scooter

I know this will anger a lot of people in my hometown of New York, but here goes: Phil Rizzuto should not be in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sure, he had a few good years on some great Yankee teams in the 1940s and 2950s. Scooter made several All-Star appearances and was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1950.

Add to that, seven World Series rings, which is nothing to sneeze at.

However, Rizzuto's career stats are not at all impressive, and a few years of greatness shouldn't be enough to get a player into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown.

In a way, Rizzuto reminds me of Mike Scott, a star pitcher for the Houston Astros in the mid- to late-1980s.

Scott had five good years. In 1986, he led the National League in strikeouts and won the Cy Young Award. Three years later, he won 20 games.

Beyond that, you won't hear anyone clamoring for Scott to be inducted into the Hall. Of course, Scott doesn't have any rings. (And don't even get me started on the whole sandpaper thing.)

Two other New York legends have better arguments for getting into the Hall.

Roger Maris hit 61 homers in 1961 and has two MVP awards. He doesn't have a bust in Cooperstown.

Former Met first baseman Keith Hernandez also has an MVP award, a batting title and countless Gold Gloves. Yet, the last few times around, he didn't get many votes from the baseball writers. It appears the legend of Hernandez will live on mostly in reruns of "Seinfeld."

I was in Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony this past summer.

Before Gary Carter and Eddie Murray made their acceptance speeches, the Hall trotted out a few members.

Seeing Rizzuto on the stage with Reggie Jackson, Brooks Robinson and Warren Spahn made me want to sing the "Sesame Street" song: "One of these things is not like the other. One of these things doesn't belong..."

Someone from New York -- The Bronx, no less -- actually slamming the Scooter? Well, holy cow!