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http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/01/kenny_lofton_cy_slapnicka_will.html
Kenny Lofton thrilled about Tribe Hall of Fame, but still dreams of Cooperstown
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
January 28, 2010, 12:11AM
UPDATED: 8:52 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kenny Lofton, the base-stealing, Gold-Glove winning center fielder from the Indians' Renaissance period, will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on Aug. 7 at Progressive Field.
"I was ecstatic," Lofton told reporters Wednesday on a conference call. "I didn't know what to say at first. I was just overwhelmed."
Naturally, Lofton was asked about his chances of reaching Cooperstown.
"It's hard for me to say," said the Indians' franchise leader in steals. "I don't know how they judge players to get into the Hall of Fame."
Lofton, 42, does know one thing. He never used steroids and he thinks that should be taken into consideration.
"I was a guy who never did it," said Lofton. "Never tried to do it. Never wanted to do it.
"But again, I played against guys who were obviously doing it, so my competition level had to be at a certain level to be able to compete with those guys who were, what you call, cheating.
"I was not a cheater. I hope they take a look at that and see what I did during that period and take it into account."
A player must be retired five years after a big-league career of at least 10 years to be placed on the Hall of Fame ballot. Lofton played 17 years and has been retired since 2007, when he helped the Indians make their last playoff appearance.
Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America vote for players on ballot. Seventy-five percent is needed for induction.
Lofton, whose game was based on speed and grace, had his best years at the height of the steroid era. He said the advantage steroids gave players frustrated him.
"I constantly felt I did it the right way and always felt that the good guys always lose," said Lofton. "I just sat back and kept doing what I was doing. They always say that sooner or later things are going to come out in the light and that's what happened."
Lofton hit .299 (2428-for-8120) with 1,528 runs, 383 doubles, 116 triples, 130 homers, 781 RBI and 622 steals in his career. He made three tours with the Indians -- 1992-1996, 1998-2001, 2007 -- and was always at his best in a Tribe uniform.
He is the franchise leader in steals with 452 and is third in runs with 975. He spent 10 years with the Indians, batting .300, and led the AL in steals from 1992-96. He won four Gold Gloves and made five of his six All-Star game appearances as an Indian.
"I couldn't be any happier for Kenny," said first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., a former teammate. "Everyone talks about home runs, but Kenny was the igniter for this organization for many years.
"What really impressed me about Kenny is that every time Randy Johnson threw a ball behind his head, Kenny would bounce back and get a single or a double. He was not afraid or intimidated.
"In 1995 when we beat Seattle to go to the World Series, Kenny won [Game 6] basically by himself. Kenny was a winner. Kenny was a postseason guy. The bigger the stage, the better he got."
Lofton went to the postseason 11 times, including six times with the Indians.
The Indians acquired Lofton from Houston in December of 1991. In 1990, Lofton and new Indians manager Manny Acta were teammates at Class A Osceola. Lofton owns a production company in Los Angeles and is looking for investors to help him develop movies and TV shows.
Cy Slapnicka, the man who signed Hall of Famers Bob Feller and Bob Lemon, was also inducted into the Indians' Hall of Fame. He was general manager from 1935-40.
Just talk: The Indians did talk about Jim Thome before he signed a one-year deal with the Twins to be a bench player.
Thome returning to Cleveland didn't make a lot of sense because the Indians already have a left-handed DH in Travis Hafner, who is signed through 2012. Then again, that didn't stop the Twins who have a left-handed hitting DH in Jason Kubel, who is coming off a career year.
Kubel, however, can play the outfield. Hafner is a DH only.
"How could we not talk about Thome considering what he's done for this franchise?" said Acta. "I just don't think we had enough at-bats."
Kenny Lofton thrilled about Tribe Hall of Fame, but still dreams of Cooperstown
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
January 28, 2010, 12:11AM
UPDATED: 8:52 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kenny Lofton, the base-stealing, Gold-Glove winning center fielder from the Indians' Renaissance period, will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on Aug. 7 at Progressive Field.
"I was ecstatic," Lofton told reporters Wednesday on a conference call. "I didn't know what to say at first. I was just overwhelmed."
Naturally, Lofton was asked about his chances of reaching Cooperstown.
"It's hard for me to say," said the Indians' franchise leader in steals. "I don't know how they judge players to get into the Hall of Fame."
Lofton, 42, does know one thing. He never used steroids and he thinks that should be taken into consideration.
"I was a guy who never did it," said Lofton. "Never tried to do it. Never wanted to do it.
"But again, I played against guys who were obviously doing it, so my competition level had to be at a certain level to be able to compete with those guys who were, what you call, cheating.
"I was not a cheater. I hope they take a look at that and see what I did during that period and take it into account."
A player must be retired five years after a big-league career of at least 10 years to be placed on the Hall of Fame ballot. Lofton played 17 years and has been retired since 2007, when he helped the Indians make their last playoff appearance.
Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America vote for players on ballot. Seventy-five percent is needed for induction.
Lofton, whose game was based on speed and grace, had his best years at the height of the steroid era. He said the advantage steroids gave players frustrated him.
"I constantly felt I did it the right way and always felt that the good guys always lose," said Lofton. "I just sat back and kept doing what I was doing. They always say that sooner or later things are going to come out in the light and that's what happened."
Lofton hit .299 (2428-for-8120) with 1,528 runs, 383 doubles, 116 triples, 130 homers, 781 RBI and 622 steals in his career. He made three tours with the Indians -- 1992-1996, 1998-2001, 2007 -- and was always at his best in a Tribe uniform.
He is the franchise leader in steals with 452 and is third in runs with 975. He spent 10 years with the Indians, batting .300, and led the AL in steals from 1992-96. He won four Gold Gloves and made five of his six All-Star game appearances as an Indian.
"I couldn't be any happier for Kenny," said first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., a former teammate. "Everyone talks about home runs, but Kenny was the igniter for this organization for many years.
"What really impressed me about Kenny is that every time Randy Johnson threw a ball behind his head, Kenny would bounce back and get a single or a double. He was not afraid or intimidated.
"In 1995 when we beat Seattle to go to the World Series, Kenny won [Game 6] basically by himself. Kenny was a winner. Kenny was a postseason guy. The bigger the stage, the better he got."
Lofton went to the postseason 11 times, including six times with the Indians.
The Indians acquired Lofton from Houston in December of 1991. In 1990, Lofton and new Indians manager Manny Acta were teammates at Class A Osceola. Lofton owns a production company in Los Angeles and is looking for investors to help him develop movies and TV shows.
Cy Slapnicka, the man who signed Hall of Famers Bob Feller and Bob Lemon, was also inducted into the Indians' Hall of Fame. He was general manager from 1935-40.
Just talk: The Indians did talk about Jim Thome before he signed a one-year deal with the Twins to be a bench player.
Thome returning to Cleveland didn't make a lot of sense because the Indians already have a left-handed DH in Travis Hafner, who is signed through 2012. Then again, that didn't stop the Twins who have a left-handed hitting DH in Jason Kubel, who is coming off a career year.
Kubel, however, can play the outfield. Hafner is a DH only.
"How could we not talk about Thome considering what he's done for this franchise?" said Acta. "I just don't think we had enough at-bats."