Sports Today: Baseball writers get it right on Hall of Fame, for now

READ MORE at Hal’s blog

I would not vote for Edgar Martinez because he was pretty much exclusively a DH, but it won’t be the end of the world if guys like him and David Ortiz eventually get in.

I am surprised Scott Rolen only got a little more than 10 percent of the vote, but perhaps he will gain some steam as the years advance. Of course, he’s certainly not a first-ballot HOFer anyway.

The only real complaint I would have is erstwhile Daytonian Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds got more than 50 percent of the vote, which is 100 percent more than they deserve (although Bud Selig getting in is a far bigger travesty than it would be if they did).

I know not all of the artificial body-builders got caught and the hall is already home to some unsavory characters, but that doesn’t mean those guys get a pass.

The Steroid Era was ultimately bad for baseball, a temporary sugar rush is still being paid for today.

RELATED: 5 ways to make baseball even better

Those who can be confidently judged to have juiced should not get into the hall.

(That’s why Manny Ramirez, as great a hitter as he was, shouldn’t get in, either. Ditto Alex Rodriguez.)

JOE MORGAN to HOF voters: Don’t admit PED users

The great fears of the steroid era were that players would be tempted to poison themselves to keep up and the records that have always bound together the eras would be ruined.

Both of those things happened.

(Case in point: How did the fanfare for Albert Pujols’ joining the 600-home run club last season compare to previous players to do it?)

The numbers of Bonds and Clemens shouldn’t be stricken from the record book or adorned with an asterisk, but they shouldn’t be afforded the ultimate honor for playing the game, either…

Another sign baseball is right around the corner? 

The Cincinnati Reds winter caravan kicks off tonight with four different groups going in four different directions.

The northern leg will be a the Air Force Museum beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday and go to the Parrish Auditorium in Hamilton after that.

It begins tonight in Columbus at the Polaris mall.

This was where Reds owner Bob Castellini talked about Brandon Phillips’ future (he was eventually traded to the Braves) and declared he wants Billy Hamilton to be a Red forever.

The big boss isn’t on this trip this year, but the group as a whole is pretty interesting: Jeff Brantley and Jim Day, pitcher Amir Garrett, former Dragons catcher Tyler Stephenson, former Reds first baseman Todd Benzinger and GM Dick Williams…

Did the Dayton women’s basketball team win last night? 

Well, did they play?

Then yes.

The Flyers improved to 8-0 in the Atlantic 10 with a 66-59 win at Richmond on Wednesday night.

Is this program rolling or what?

Jayla Scaife led five Flyers in double figures in scoring with 15 points while JaVonna Layfield added 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Dayton held the Spiders to 29.7 percent shooting for the game and won the battle of the boards while overcoming 20 turnovers.

The Flyers remain on the road Saturday when they play at Davidson.

Dayton was 60th in the RPI heading into last night, one spot behind Duquesne. The Dukes, who are also undefeated in league play, visit UD Arena next Wednesday night…

Lastly, congratulations go out to Wayne for topping Springfield in an overtime thriller in Huber Heights. 

In the first of two matchups this regular season, the top-ranked Warriors held serve, remaining unbeaten and handing the Wildcats their first loss, 65-62.

Deshone Parker led Wayne with 15 points while future Ohio State football player Blue Smith added 13.

RaHeim Moss scored 25 for the Wildcats while Leonard Taylor added 10 on a night lots of notable people were in attendance.

Coach Isaiah Carson’s Springfield squad gets another shot at Wayne on Feb. 9.

“We ain’t got nothin’ to hang our heads over,” Carson said. “We lost to a good team. We’ll get better for it. We played our hearts out and had our chances. We just came up a little bit short.”