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NEW YORK -- Nobody was happier about the Hall of Fame shutout than the Hall of Famers themselves. Goose Gossage, Al Kaline, Dennis Eckersley and others are in no rush to open the door to Cooperstown for anyone linked to steroids. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa: Keep em all out of our club. "If they let these guys in ever -- at any point -- its a big black eye for the Hall and for baseball," Gossage said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "Its like telling our kids you can cheat, you can do whatever you want, and its not going to matter." For only the second time in 42 years, baseball writers failed to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday, sending a firm signal that stars of the Steroids Era will be held to a different standard. All the awards and accomplishments collected over storied careers by Bonds, Clemens and Sosa -- all eligible for the first time -- could not offset suspicions those exploits were artificially boosted by performance-enhancing drugs. "Im kind of glad that nobody got in this year," Kaline said. "I feel honoured to be in the Hall of Fame. And I wouldve felt a little uneasy sitting up there on the stage, listening to some of these new guys talk about how great they were." Gossage went even further. "I think the steroids guys that are under suspicion got too many votes," he said. "I dont know why theyre making this such a question and why theres so much debate. To me, they cheated. Are we going to reward these guys?" Not this year, at least. Bonds received just 36.2 per cent of the vote and Clemens 37.6 in totals announced by the Hall and the Baseball Writers Association of America, both well short of the 75 per cent needed for election -- yet still too close for Gossages taste. Sosa, eighth on the career home run list, got 12.5 per cent. "Wow! Baseball writers make a statement," Eckersley wrote on Twitter. "Feels right." The results keep the sports career home run leader (Bonds) and most decorated pitcher (Clemens) out of Cooperstown -- for now. Bonds, Clemens and Sosa have up to 14 more years on the writers ballot to gain baseballs highest honour. "Even having just been considered for the first time is already great honour, and theres always a next time," Sosa said in a statement. "Baseball has been extremely good for me! Kiss to the heaven! It was an honour just to have been nominated. Im happy about that." Bonds, baseballs only seven-time MVP, hit 762 home runs -- including a record 73 in 2001. He has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury investigating PEDs. Clemens, the games lone seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is third in career strikeouts (4,672) and ninth in wins (354). He was acquitted of perjury charges stemming from congressional testimony during which he denied using PEDs. "If you dont think Roger Clemens cheated, youre burying your head in the sand," Gossage said. Sosa, who finished with 609 home runs, was among those who tested positive in MLBs 2003 anonymous survey, The New York Times reported in 2009. He told a congressional committee in 2005 that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs. He also was caught using a corked bat during his career. "What really gets me is seeing how some of these players associated with drugs have jumped over many of the greats in our game," Kaline said. "Numbers mean a lot in baseball, maybe more so than in any other sport. And going back to Babe Ruth, and players like Harmon Killebrew and Frank Robinson and Willie Mays, seeing people jump over them with 600, 700 home runs, I dont like to see that. "I dont know how great some of these players up for election wouldve been without drugs. But to me, its cheating," he added. "Numbers are important, but so is integrity and character. Some of these guys might get in someday. But for a year or two, Im glad they didnt." Gossage, noting that cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles following allegations that he used performance-enhancing drugs, believes baseball should go just as far. He thinks the record book should be overhauled, taking away the accomplishments of players like Bonds, Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire -- who has admitted using steroids and human growth hormone during his playing days. McGwire, 10th on the career home run chart, received 16.9 per cent of the vote on his seventh Hall try, down from 19.5 last year. "I dont know if baseball knows how to deal with this at all," Gossage said. "Why dont they strip these guys of all these numbers? Youve got to suffer the consequences. You get caught cheating on a test, you get expelled from school." Juan Marichal is one Hall of Famer who doesnt see it that way. The former pitcher believes Bonds, Clemens and Sosa belong in Cooperstown. "I think that they have been unfair to guys who were never found guilty of anything," Marichal said. "Their stats define them as immortals. Thats the reality and that cannot be denied." The BBWAA election rules say "voting shall be based upon the players record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." While much of the focus this year was on Bonds, Clemens and Sosa, every other player with Cooperstown credentials was denied, too. Craig Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits, came the closest. He was chosen on 68.2 per cent of the 569 ballots, 39 shy of election. Among other first-year eligibles, Mike Piazza received 57.8 per cent and Curt Schilling 38.8. Jack Morris topped holdovers with 67.7 per cent. None of those players have been publicly linked to PED use, so its difficult to determine whether they fell short due to suspicion, their stats -- or the overall stench of the era they played in. "What were witnessing here is innocent people paying for the sinners," Marichal said. Hall of Fame slugger Mike Schmidt said that comes with the territory. "Its not news that Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, Palmeiro, and McGwire didnt get in, but that they received hardly any consideration at all. The real news is that Biggio and Piazza were well under the 75 per cent needed," Schmidt wrote in an email to the AP. "Curt Schilling made a good point. Everyone was guilty. Either you used PEDs, or you did nothing to stop their use. This generation got rich. Seems there was a price to pay." At ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 28, the only inductees will be three men who died more than 70 years ago: Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank ODay and barehanded catcher Deacon White. They were chosen last month by the 16-member panel considering individuals from the era before integration in 1947. Authentic Peterson Jersey . Blatter defended world footballs ruling body, saying that a reform drive underway was working and restoring FIFAs credibility. He used a news conference to renew FIFAs call for world football to fight match-fixing and illegal betting, and said FIFA would seek to protect players who reported attempts to fix games. Adrian Peterson Womens Jersey . This week its an all Tiger-Cats edition of Three Downs as they discuss great moments in franchise history as they prepare to say goodbye to Ivor Wynne Stadium. http://www.azulvirtual.org/new.html . PAUL, Minn. MINNEAPOLIS -- This hasnt been the smoothest of seasons for C.C. Sabathia. Hes still coming through when it counts for the New York Yankees. Sabathia struck out 10 batters over eight innings and New York beat the Minnesota Twins 8-2 on Wednesday to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore in the AL East. The Orioles beat Toronto 12-2 on Wednesday night. The Yankees visit the Blue Jays for four games starting Thursday. Baltimore, after an off day, plays Boston at home this weekend. Sabathia will pitch again next week when the Yankees host the Red Sox. "This is what he can do. He can string a bunch of good ones together. And if theres a time, nows the time," manager Joe Girardi said. Sabathia (14-6) threw 89 of his 118 pitches for strikes, including three straight to Twins All-Star Joe Mauer for the second of his three strikeouts in the fourth inning. Mauer, who began the day three points in the batting race behind Detroits Triple Crown chaser Miguel Cabrera with a .326 average, went 0 for 4. "Thats the best Ive seen him, and Ive been watching him for a long time," Mauer said. "When I was up there he was both sides of the plate: fastball, slider, sinker. He threw me everything, and everything was working." Sabathia spent two stints on the disabled list this summer, for a strained left groin and an inflamed left elbow. This was his first win in six starts, and he credited impeccable command of his fastball to set up his other pitches. "Were in a race. We know its going to be tough. So you want to go out and do well every time out," Sabathia said, adding: "Hopefully, I can go out and pitch well again the next time. Ill take what I can out of this one and be ready to go five days from now." Robinson Cano hit a two-run double and Curtis Granderson added a two-run triple during a six-run third inning against Brian Duensing (4-11), and Sabathia took care of the rest. The burly lefty gave up six hits, two runs and one walk. Sabathia improved to 10-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last 11 appearances against the Twins, including the 2009 and 2010 post-season. He threw eight scoreless innings in his last start against Oakland, striking out 11, but didnt get the victory because the Yankees won in the 10th. Matt Carson and Pedro Florimon had RBI singles, but that was about the only solid contact Sabathia allowed. Chris Dickerson also hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who lost to the Twins on Tuesday night and played without third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who has a bruised left foot. Derek Jeters 19-game hitting streak ended with an 0-for-4 afternoon, but he walked and scored in the third. The Yankees enjoyed a tension-free afternoon while winning for the 12th time in their last 16 games. Even the bad plays turned out all right.dddddddddddd Granderson was picked off first base in the second inning, but he scored on a wild pitch in the third. Eric Chavez, thinking there were two outs instead of one in the fifth inning, casually fielded a grounder at third and stepped on the base for the force as he jogged toward the dugout before stopping and realizing his mistake. Sabathia shouted assurance to Chavez, whose embarrassed "oops" expression was frozen on the jumbo video screen above left-centre field to the crowds amusement. "Im glad they were entertained," Chavez said, smiling. But after a passed ball by Chris Stewart put runners at second and third and threatened to exploit Chavezs blunder, Sabathia calmly retired Denard Span on a groundout to first to keep the lead at 6-1. If Chavez had tried to turn the double play, he mightve only got one out anyway, Girardi said, which wouldve led to a run on the passed ball. "Sometimes things work out right," Girardi said. After a leadoff double by Raul Ibanez in the sixth, Dickerson circled the bases with his drive off Anthony Swarzak, who was the second long reliever called on by the Twins. Starter Samuel Deduno struck out two without a hit or a run despite two walks. After the second one, though, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and assistant athletic trainer Dave Pruemer came to the mound for a long talk with the right-hander with two outs in the second inning. The diagnosis was irritation in his left eye, and Deduno was removed for Duensing. He put seven straight runners on, including two walks, before finishing the inning. Duensing, who started a post-season game against the Yankees in 2009 and 2010, let his ERA rise from 4.68 to 5.15. "I feel like were playing our best ball now, and this is the perfect time to be doing that," said Nick Swisher, who had an RBI single. NOTES: RH Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.94 ERA) pitches for the Yankees on Thursday against RH Brandon Morrow (8-7, 3.28 ERA) of the Blue Jays. The Twins are off on Thursday before hosting Detroit this weekend. Theyll send LH Scott Diamond (12-8, 3.64 ERA) to the mound on Friday, opposite RH Max Scherzer (16-7, 3.82 ERA) of the Tigers. ... The Yankees have homered in each of their last 12 games against the Twins, totalling 25 in that span. ... The Yankees notched their 90th win for the 15th time in the last 17 seasons. ... Swisher made a nifty scoop and throw to get Ben Revere out on a slow roller in the first inning. Hes been playing 1B with Mark Teixeira rehabilitating his strained right calf. "Im just trying to keep it warm until my boy Tex gets back," Swisher said. Girardi left open the possibility of Teixeira returning to the team this weekend in Toronto. ' ' '