In 2001 the AL fell as: 19 batted .300 or better, 15 hit 30 or more homers, and 20 with 100 RBI's or more. The NL: 26 batted .300 or better, 25 hit 30 or more HR's, and 25 with 100 RBI's or more. There are telling  signs in the offensive categories alone but a more noticeable trend ten years ago was the pitching. A very select few pitchers remained on top during the offensive explosion, aka Steroid Era/Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED). Roger Clemens was one of those few but is under investigation for the use of PED. Was he the only one or the only one in the select group who was caught?

The pitching statistics for 2011 in the AL were: Earned Run Average: Justin Verlander (2.40) and eight under 3.00-with at least 160 Innings Pitched; Wins: Verlander (24) and twelve with 15 or more wins; Innings Pitched: Verlander (251) and 19 with 200 or more IP; Complete Games: James Shields (11) and nine with four or more CG; and Shutouts: Shields and Derek Holland (4) seven with two or more. In the NL: ERA: Clayton Kershaw (2.28) and eight under 3.00; Wins: Kershaw and Ian Kennedy (21) and eight with 15 or more wins; IP: Chris Carpenter (237.1) and 20 with 200 or more IP; CG: Roy Halladay (8) and four with four or more; and shutouts: Cliff Lee (6) and only five with two or more.

In comparison, the AL in 2001 was: ERA: only 15 under 4.00 and the winner was Freddy Garcia (3.05); Wins: 15 with 15 or more; IP: 21 with 200 or more; CG: eight with four or more; and shutouts: nine with two or more. In the NL: ERA: only 16 under 4.00 and only Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling the only two under 3.00; Wins: 13 with 15 or more; IP: 21 with 200 or more; CG: six with four or more, and shutouts: five with two or more. Two of the three main criteria for the pitchers Triple Crown do not signify greatness, wins and innings pitched. The purest reflection of the overall pitching is ERA, as is a batting average is to a hitter.

A simple comparison to 1991 and 2011 will shed an inquisitive compare and contrast. With all the numbers being given…how will the pitchers and hitters of 1993-2002 be compared to the other years? As we have seen in recent years, the Hall of Fame voting does not give well wishes to "home run gods" of the PED era. To a degree that was expected but how will they approach the big game pitchers of that era? How well would Johnson, Schilling, Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine perform if their careers had started ten years prior? Where else in the history of baseball can you find a pitcher with a close-to-.500 winning percentage and a near 5.00 ERA?

The Hall of Fame Class of 2012 is extremely weak. No first ballot HoF'ers should come within earshot of election, therefore this is the best year for veterans Barry Larkin and Jack Morris. Lee Smith set the then all-time save record but Mariano Rivera may best the previous mark by 300 saves. It does not matter if Smith pitched two or more innings, it is all about the number of saves. That is a major reason why Rich Gossage was held from the Hall for so many years.

Hall eligible sluggers such as Larry Walker and Jeff Bagwell, who never tested positive for PED are being shunned as if they "might have." Will Johnson, Schilling and Maddu be heralded as heroes of the era? Not taking a minute thing from those players but is it Bagwell and Walker's product of birth their own faults for being great in a PED era?

"He that will cheat at play, will cheat you any way" -Author Unknown

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