Now that Jose Canseco has announced his retirement from baseball, the debate will rage over the next five years about whether or not he should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

While I have a high regard for Canseco as a player and a man, I will not judge his credentials. As the Hall's vice chairman, I would rather not make an argument for or against him.

'Coors' of action

When I first heard the Colorado Rockies were using a "humidor," or a climate-controlled room, to store baseballs, I didn't like the idea. I don't like tinkering with the same baseball used in every other stadium. Every park should use the same standard baseballs, bats, basepaths -- everything. I understand why the Rockies felt they had to deaden the balls at Coors Field. There is no room to expand and make the ballpark bigger. The biggest problem with Coors is not just the home runs, but also the bloop hits. Making the park larger would cut down on home runs, but not runs scored. With a bigger outfield, more balls would fall in for hits and create even more run-scoring opportunities. So far it seems to be working. The total runs per game have dropped nearly four runs -- from 13.4 runs last year to 9.5 this year. But baseball has hitter's parks other than Coors Field. Could the same balls be used in Houston at Astros Field, where teams have combined to score 11.0 runs per game this season? The point is, how does one gauge when enough is enough -- when too many runs are being scored? If the hitters at Coors are penalized, it seems those at Astros Field should be as well. -- Joe Morgan

Canseco, however, is a unique case. His induction will depend on what the Hall voters remember about his career. Will they focus on Canseco as a player at the beginning of his career or as a DH at the end?

Numbers alone should not be the telltale sign of a Hall of Famer, but most people will gravitate toward them first. Canseco finished his career with 462 home runs, or 38 short of the magical 500 mark. Of the Hall-eligible players with 400 or more home runs, only three -- Dave Kingman, Andre Dawson and Darrell Evans -- have yet to be enshrined.

Canseco also distinguished himself as baseball's first 40-40 man (40 homers and 40 steals) and was one of only nine players in baseball history to record 400 home runs and 200 steals. But beyond the numbers, Canseco was a league MVP, a Rookie of the Year, a six-time All-Star and a World Series champion.

When he was a young player for the Oakland A's in the late '80s and early '90s, there was no doubt he was headed for a Hall of Fame career. Tony La Russa called Canseco the most complete player he ever managed, one who could hit towering home runs, hit for average, run the bases, throw and play defense.

The 40-40 season in 1988 showed he had the rare combination of power and speed. He was a superstar and a presence, a charismatic player who caught peoples' attention. He was one of the most dominant players in the game and the best player on a team that went to three straight World Series (1988-90).

When Canseco and Mark McGwire formed "The Bash Brothers" in Oakland, Canseco was the better all-around player. I expected them to produce similar offensive numbers during their careers, but McGwire ended up becoming one of the most prolific home-run hitters in baseball history.

While McGwire is expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Canseco's future in Cooperstown is cast in doubt. Injuries and off-the-field problems affected his path toward greatness. Then he became a DH, a spot unsuitable for a potential Hall of Famer. Over his final eight seasons, Canseco played only 148 games in the outfield.

Living in the Bay Area, I saw the best Canseco had to offer during his career. Not only will I remember his great years in Oakland, but also his maturity as a person.

Canseco is one of my favorite guys. When he played for the A's, he lived around the corner from me. As a young man, he made some poor choices. But once he got his personal life in order, Canseco grew into a heck of a man.

I admire his willingness late in his career to go to the minor leagues and work his way back to the majors. Canseco had once been perhaps the biggest star in the game, yet he was willing to play even in an independent league to earn another chance.

His journey reminded me of the one Andre Agassi once traveled in tennis, hitting the bottom and then rising again. Canseco showed his love for the game and a desire to continue playing, no matter what.

Canseco will be a tough choice for the Hall of Fame. One must not discount the early part of his career, when he was one of the game's most special players. Whether it was special enough to earn him a permanent place in Cooperstown will be for the voters to decide.

Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan is a baseball analyst for ESPN and contributes a weekly column for ESPN.com.