Tracy Ringolsby's weekly baseball notes

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This time there are more questions than answers surrounding Baseball's Hall of Fame ballot.This time -- after Rich Gossage gets his name checked and, hopefully, gets elected after a solid showing a year ago -- the next step is a challenge.Campaigns are under way for Jim Rice and Andre Dawson, and the supporters make decent cases. What keeps coming to mind is what makes either more worthy than Dale Murphy, one of the finest people to ever play the game and a fellow who not only was a power-hitting, Gold Glove- winning center fielder but who also won back-to-back National League MVPs.The statement was made a year ago about Mark McGwire and a career stained by the use of steroids, but should that be a lifetime scar on McGwire, denying him from ever being admitted to Cooperstown or has he paid the price and is now due the recognition?If there is a first-time eligible that deserves strong consideration, it is Tim Raines, but does he deserve enshrinement when Dawson remains on the outside looking in?And how much longer can Alan Trammell be forced to live in the shadows of Cal Ripken Jr. and Ozzie Smith before voters realize just what a force he was at shortstop for Detroit, where he evolved from a soft-spoken introvert to a take-charge leader on and off the field?Does the fact that Tommy John has a surgery named after him or that Jack Morris pitched the refuse-to-lose, 1-0 World Series Game 7 for Minnesota against Atlanta in 1991 or that Bert Blyleven had a capital C on his Curveball earn any of them a trip to Cooperstown?ROSE IN THE HALLOne thing that should be remembered is that while Pete Rose is banned from enshrinement to Cooperstown, the fact he is the game's all-time hit leader is recognized at the Hall of Fame. There are artifacts from his record-setting hit total and his name is on the all-time hits leaderboard.Having gone past the 20th year of his retirement, if Rose were to be considered for enshrinement, he would have to be voted on by his peers who are Hall of Fame members. He's no longer eligible for the baseball writers' ballot.OVERHEARD-- Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda canceled a scheduled visit to the United States because he decided to sign with the Dodgers. He also was being pursued by Seattle, Arizona and Kansas City. Dodgers closer Takashi Saito is believed to have helped sway Kuroda to Los Angeles.-- Oakland general manager Billy Beane had been waiting to get serious about trade talks for right-hander Dan Haren until Kuroda signed, figuring once Kuroda was off the board, it would increase Haren's value. Arizona has been making the strongest push, but don't write off Cleveland, which also has a strong group of prospects to satisfy Beane.-- Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury will be a key component for Minnesota if the Twins decide to send ace lefty Johan Santana to Boston.READER'S TURNAlan Ainsworth writes, "So the Rockies are going to pay Aaron Cook three times as much per year as (Jeff) Francis? Is that roughly correct? I wouldn't think that Francis can be too thrilled about the situation since he has been the better pitcher the past couple of years. Any reaction from him?"Alan, you are right, sort of. Francis will be in the second year of a four-year, $13.25 million deal in 2008. Cook just signed a three-year extension that guarantees him $34.5 million over the next four seasons. Don't worry about Francis being upset.It's all about service time and leverage. Francis signed his contract a year ago, when he wasn't even arbitration-eligible, and did not give up any free agency. The three years of Cook's contract extension are his first three years of free agency, an option he gave up to get the security from the Rockies.For responses to other questions or to ask your own question, check out the Rockies Inbox at RockyMountainNews.com/ sports.TWO CENTS' WORTHHard to believe that former commissioner Bowie Kuhn was voted into the Hall of Fame and labor leader Marvin Miller wasn't. Kuhn, after all, was the stubborn leader of the game who opened the door for Miller to create the strongest union of athletes in all sports.Obviously, the committee that voted on major league executives was heavy on owners and club officials, which didn't work in Miller's favor, but it should be noted that in previous elections, Miller was rejected and at that time, it was Hall of Fame players who made the decision to omit Miller.NUMBERS GAME-- 9: Players that have won at least three MVP awards, but only one, Alex Rodriguez, hasn't appeared in a World Series. Of the other eight, Barry Bonds is the only one who hasn't played on a championship team, his Giants losing to the Angels in 2002. As for the other seven, Yogi Berra was in 14 World Series, playing for 10 champions; Mickey Mantle, 12 World Series, seven champions; Joe DiMaggio, 10 World Series, nine champions; Roy Campanella, five World Series, one champion; Stan Musial, four World Series, three champions; Jimmie Foxx, three World Series, two champions; and Mike Schmidt, two World Series, one champion.GETTING DUCKS A ROWAfter watching Oregon State win the College World Series two straight years, the folks at the University of Oregon decided to reinstitute baseball. And the Ducks are serious about their effort.They hired George Horton away from Cal State Fullerton, giving him a contract worth $500,000 this year to put the program together -- even though no games will be played -- and $700,000 a year once games begin.HE SAID IT"If you look at his age (30) and the fact he had 25-plus homers and (almost) 100 RBI . . . most players never reach that. What people consider a down year (by) his standards is still a better year than most. His age was a huge factor, and (his willingness to agree to) the short-term deal didn't hurt."-- Ned Colletti, Dodgers general manager, on signing center fielder Andruw Jones to a two-year, $36.2 million deal.(Tracy Ringolsby writes for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colo. E-mail ringolsbyt(at)RockyMountainNews.com.)