St. Paul native Jack Morris wasn't returning calls Wednesday when he again fell short of the Baseball Hall of Fame. But in interviews Thursday with MLB.com and MLB Network Radio, the Game 7 hero of the 1991 World Series for the Twins shared his thoughts. Here are the highlights:

  • Was he surprised? "I wasn't shocked. I actually predicted this. It's just the nature of the beast. It's just a whole bunch of guys [on the ballot]."
  • Did the steroid debate overshadow him and the debate over his credentials? "We all got put aside because nobody knew how to handle the (performance-enhancing drugs) guys. But the bottom line is the writers had a lot to deal with this year and they did the best they could."
  • Now what? "I can argue my case to those who want to listen. I wish I could grab the ball and show the non-believers what I can do, but I can't. That time is gone. All I can do is show gratitude."
  • What about those who cite his high ERA as a reason to keep him out? "The real question is, is it relevant? I think what I've seen from the sabermetric guys is that numbers are a wonderful thing and they can use them any way they want. (ERA) is what writers have determined as the negative."
  • Can he deal with being left out of the hall? "I have to come to terms with the reality that there could be a chance that I won't be a Hall of Famer in the writer's eyes. You know what, I'm OK with that. I understand that."