The 2011 Hall of Hate: Molina vs. Rojas

We move on to the 6 vs. 11 matchup as the Hall of Hate voting rolls on:

(6) Yadier Molina vs. (11) Mel Rojas

Why you should hate Yadier Molina:

Maybe we shouldn’t hate a guy simply for performing well against the Mets. Wouldn’t that make everybody in the National League eligible for this vote? But when you perform well against the Mets on the big stage, and you’re the last opponent to drive in runs against the Mets in postseason play, you deserve to be up on a pedestal. If the Mets ever get into the postseason again, somebody will take his place. But for now, he’s the last player to drive in a run against the Mets in the playoffs. In 2006, which is starting to become a long time ago now. Plus, the guy looks like he wears eyeliner. Nail polish is one thing … helps the pitcher see your signs. Eyeliner is crossing a very strange line.

Why you should hate Mel Rojas:

Before there was Armando Benitez, there was Mel Rojas. Rojas was such a bust as a free agent with the Cubs that they traded him to the Mets after only four months with the club, and the Mets were the sucker to acquire him. He gave up a huge home run to Paul O’Neill in June of 1998 that is still making its way through Europe right now. Finished 1998 with a mind-numbing ERA of 6.05 and was gone right after that. The Cubs, without Rojas, made the playoffs. If the Mets didn’t also acquire Turk Wendell in that trade it would have been a total bust and they probably don’t make the playoffs the next season. Rojas is a cousin of Moises Alou, and obviously passed Alou’s hitting gene to every hitter he faced.

Vote or die here:

Since this is going up late due to a wonky internet connection, you’ve got until noon on Friday to vote.

The 7 vs. 10 matchup was a romp: Guillermo Mota defeated Pete Rose by a score of 49 to 12. Rose must have known something was up, before the voting he bet on Mota to win.