Rafael Palmeiro feels he’s finally ‘made it’ as far as baseball recognition
FORT WORTH, Texas — Rafael Palmeiro fell off the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot five years ago. He’s essentially an outcast from Major League Baseball. The organizations where he put together the bulk of a stellar career, the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles, don’t seem interested in honoring him.
And Palmeiro is OK with that. He understands why. He’s the one who became baseball’s first superstar to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2005.
But not everyone in the baseball world is distancing themselves from Palmeiro. His alma mater, Mississippi State, unveiled a statue of Palmeiro’s “sweet swing” alongside his former teammate, Will Clark, at the recently remodeled Duly Noble Field at Polk-DeMent Stadium last month.
“You think of people who have statues on their college campuses — Bear Bryant, Nick Saban, Jackie Robinson — I wouldn’t say I compare to those names, but when you have a statue in front of your baseball stadium, you’ve made it,” Palmeiro told the StarTelegram.
“To me, if nothing else comes my way as far as baseball is concerned, I feel I’ve made it as far as awards and recognition.”
Palmeiro, 54, called his college career the “most memorable” of his playing days. He and Clark were known as “thunder and lightning” for a Bulldogs team that reached the College World Series in 1985.
Palmeiro batted .300 with 20 home runs and 67 RBIs in that ‘85 season, his last at Mississippi State. It capped a three-year career in which he had 67 home runs and 239 RBIs, and was named an All-American every year.
Palmeiro always enjoys going back to Starkville, Miss., and raved about the new stadium that locals have dubbed “The New Dude.”
“There’s nothing like it in college baseball,” Palmeiro said. “It’s probably a Triple A-level facility. I know there’s nice places around the country like Texas A&M and Florida, but, man, nothing like Mississippi State’s new ballpark. It’s unmatched.
“Those fans care about baseball and those three years were the ones I treasured the most. I made friends for life and, as you can see, they appreciated what I did.”
Palmeiro said it took almost two years for the statues of himself and Clark to be built. Palmeiro chose the swing from his 3,000th hit with the Orioles, a double to left field.
“Will had more of a longer, uppercut swing,” Palmeiro said. “So I knew I was going to pick a line drive. He was more of the ‘thunder’ and I was more of the ‘lightning.’ They complement each other perfectly.”
Palmeiro has made a few appearances at alumni events with the Rangers in recent years, and would seemingly be a strong candidate for the team’s Hall of Fame.
Of Palmeiro’s career stats, 1,692 hits, 321 home runs and 1,039 RBIs came in his 10 seasons with the Rangers. He was part of the 1999 team that won the American League West.
But the Rangers don’t seem interested in recognizing Palmeiro, and Palmeiro isn’t going to beg for it.
“I can’t speak for the Rangers or what they’re thinking or who they want to honor in their Hall of Fame,” Palmeiro said. “But I can tell you the induction into the Ring of Honor at Mississippi State and the statue unveiled at the new stadium is going to be hard to beat, regardless of what the Rangers or Orioles or anyone else does. That means a lot to me. That’s family to me.
“If the Rangers ever decide to do something, that’s fine. I’m not going to hold my breath. It hasn’t happened yet and I’m not worried about it. It’s not something I want. It’s not something I look forward to or am expecting.
“If it happens, I’ll be grateful. If it doesn’t happen, it’s not something that’s going to make a difference in my life.”
Palmeiro made headlines last year when he returned to his playing roots for the Cleburne Railroaders, an independent team in the American Association.
Palmeiro’s goal was to return to the big leagues, but that didn’t come to fruition. He batted .301 with six home runs and 21 RBIs in 31 games, playing alongside his son Patrick.
At 54, Palmeiro is considering returning to the club. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus and is continuing to rehab his way back to playing shape.
“If I’m able to play, if I’m good enough, I’ll do it again,” Palmeiro said. “It was fun. Our team wasn’t very good, but I got back on the field and had a chance to play with my son. It was fun. If I can do it again, I’ll do it.”
Has he given up on his hopes of returning to the big leagues?
“Would I like to get back? Yeah, that would be nice,” Palmeiro said. “But I'm just going to play in Cleburne and, if nothing happens, that’s OK. I was hurt last year, so I just need to stay healthy. I felt I showed I could still hit. I didn’t feel overmatched or anything.
“But I was not right. I was not healthy. If I’m healthy, I think I’ll do OK.”