Sports columnist dismisses baseball Hall of Fame controversy

(CBS News) The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) released the 2013 Hall of Fame ballot this week, prompting strong reactions from the sports world.

Numerous players are marking their first time on the ballot, including Craig Biggio, Curt Schilling and Mike Piazza, but some of them -- like Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds -- are dogged by controversy as ongoing accusations of steroid use have caused many to question their place in baseball history.

"New York Times" sports columnist Bill Rhoden dismissed the notion that steroid use or accusations thereof should keep a "superstar" baseball player from being voted into the Hall of Fame.

Thursday on "CBS This Morning," Rhoden said there is "no question these guys are the greatest players in their position...they were superstars before this kind of stuff...and the numbers speak for themselves."

Rhoden went on to add that despite the steroid accusations, the players in question are still "probably the cleanest guys going into the Hall of Fame," and defended his stance. "Give me a break...you've got bigots, racists, rapists in the Hall of Fame," he said. "To me the debate is not whether they should be in, to me it's beyond question."

Rhoden also touched on the so-called "vigilante voters" involved in making the final decision. For more, watch the video above.