The 2010 MLB Hall of Fame voting took place on Wednesday, and once all the votes were counted, only Andre “The Hawk” Dawson got the call. For the first time in history, two other players came within 10 votes of induction. Pitcher Bert Blyleven was five votes shy, while second baseman Roberto Alomar was eight short. With 397 votes out of a possible 539, Alomar landed 73.7 percent of the vote, but required 75 percent to make it into the Hall.

Alomar had twelve consecutive All-Star selections from 1990-2001, he won 10 Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger Awards. He was the 1992 ALCS MVP, where his home run against Dennis Eckersley in Game 4 of the series is credited as the moment that the tide turned for the Jays, who went on to win the game and the series’ momentum as Alomar and the Jays went on to capture their first World Series, and would repeat in 1993. Alomar would spend 17 years in baseball split between eight different teams.

Two theories are running wild about Alomar’s slighting. One is the fact that his injury-shortened career finished short of 3,000 hits by just 276; a number he certainly would have reached had a rash of injuries to his hand, back and vision not forced him into early retirement. The second, more popular theory revolves around “the spitting incident” from 1996, when Alomar was with the Orioles. Arguing a called third strike, tempers flared and Alomar spit in umpire John Hirschbeck’s face. Alomar’s career in baseball has been tarnished ever since.

If some writers chose to not put Alomar on their ballots because of the spitting incident, then they have effectively spit right back. Most people that have seen him play agree that Alomar’s on-field talents warrant his induction into the Hall of Fame, and many feel that he’ll be an overwhelming choice next year. He just needed to be “taught a lesson” this time around. But honestly, who are the writers to say that they should have the power to punish a player 12 years after an incident. How many are even aware that Hirschbeck and Alomar have reconciled their differences with an on-field handshake? It’s time for the baseball writers to get off their high horse and recognize talents for their contributions to baseball. It’s all just a part of the game.