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According to Ryan Thibodaux, who serves as Twitter’s Baseball Hall of Fame tracker, Barry Bonds is expected to fall short. Bonds leads the charge at 74.2 percent, but he’s not trending in the right direction. If baseball writers want to shun Barry Bonds for taking a competitive advantage, then they should hold all HOF inductees to the same standard.
It’s almost like it’s personal.
Net gained/lost votes through 122 ballots (~30.8% of the vote):
— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) January 5, 2021
Helton +23
Rolen +18
Wagner +16
Jones +14
Sheffield +12
Abreu +8
Pettitte +6
Sosa +4
Manny +3
Kent +1
Bonds +0
Clemens -1
Vizquel -1
Schilling -2
Tracker: https://t.co/cVpo9e9n0y
As you can see on the tracker, Barry Bonds hasn’t budged an inch after 122 ballots (30.8%) were cast. We can assume, based on the trend, that the former Giant will finish south of the needed 75 percent. And with one year left on the ballot–that’s a problem.
Any voter straying away from arguably the greatest baseball player ever is doing so because of steroids. At least that’s what they’ll tell us. Reality is that they probably don’t think Barry Bonds is a nice enough person. Sure, Barry wasn’t a great guy during his playing days, but current HOFers aren’t all exactly Roberto Clemente.
There’s also plenty of former players with statues in Cooperstown who have admitted to taking some type of chemical advantage during their careers.
Hank Aaron had 755 career homers and hardly anyone would argue against his induction into the Hall of Fame. Why would we? Well, according to the standards baseball writers insist Barry Bonds must live up to, he “took a competitive advantage.” To refresh your memory, Hammerin’ Hank confessed to “experimenting with greenies,” which is an old-school version of Adderall.
Should it matter?
No, it shouldn’t. Aaron was hardly alone. Many other players in the 50s and 60s were doing much of the same thing. Barry Bonds played the majority of his career through the “steroid era,” yet the writers pretend he was taking at-bats against horse jockeys.
The folks old enough to have watched the 1990s and early 2000s will always teach their kids about Barry Bonds. Baseball’s Hall of Fame has transformed itself from a collection of elite players to a Museum of Good People.
Writers should take an honest look in the mirror and recognize that Barry Bonds isn’t being held out of the HOF for “cheating.” They just don’t like the guy.
However, they still have a year to make things right. They should let him in before it’s too late.
Bonds crafted a sure-fire HOF career when he was skinny. Bonds doping years is just gravy.
Keeping Bonds out of the HOF is like stripping Lance Armstrong of his accomplishments. Nearly every single cyclist in the Tour de France was doping just like he was, and he still dominated.
It’s too bad he started juicing he would have been great as a natural anyway HOF for sure doesn’t really matter if all were doing it (they weren’t) he’s just not getting in. Like Pete Rose what a great player an all timer different deal gambling but he will never get in either sad on both counts.
Sainthood is the HOF about character…sports HOF are about what you do on the field of play.
Besides why are the ink stained wrench sports journos the ones who decides who gets in and who stays out of the HOF?
Lets put the dude in, it’s not like he had robot arms he was still smashing homers like a freak. Even with roids not sure many people could recreat that power and in an era of nasty pitchers
It’s not the Hall of Morality, it’s the Hall of Fame, the best of the best. Now, did I personally approve of steroids….no, but Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro, et.al, made baseball fun to watch. The hidden story that never seems to get told is the fact that Bud Selig, who was not only the Commissioner, but was also part owner of the Milwaukee Brewers during the steroid era, needed to get interest back into baseball because it was heading toward a demise like the NBA was headed before Magic and Bird came along. Selig, along with the other owners knew damn well players were taking supplements and shooting up, but they needed fans in the stands…..hence, the long ball. Well, they got it with the McGwire/Sosa HR race. I read the book written about Bonds….this was his sole reason for doing steroids. Bonds knew he was the best player in baseball but was not getting the love or respect he felt he deserved. Selig and the owners(along with the players), raked in the money….Selig only stopped it because people were getting wise to the fact HR numbers were skyrocketing…….Wade Boggs hit 24 HR’s and the one that really opened eyes was Brady Anderson…..from a career high of 17 to….50!!!
If that not so great human ty Cobb made it in. Bonds should be in.
Mickey mantle used some extra agents to get through his hang overs on game day. Bonds should be in.
And there is a guy named Rabbit Maranville in the hall. Name alone should disqualify him. Look his stats up. NOT so HOF. BONDS SHOULD BE IN.
Actually all the steroid super stars should be in. Its not a place for saints. These are ball players. The writer’s who vote should put down their writing enhancers (ETOH) preferably Dixie Vodka and vote Bonds in.
If Bonds doesn’t get in “because of steroids” the Hall of Fame is a joker. I used to play card with a former ball player who saw Piazza shoot up in the locker room, and he’s in there while not being anywhere close to the player Bonds was.
But no one blinks an eye about steroid users in the NFL HALL OF FAME
The Hall of Fame is an incredible honor for players but isn’t it also supposed to be for the fans? If I visit the hall of fame I want to see the greatest players of all time in there. Bonds was Hall of Fame worthy after his first season with S.F. when he won his third MVP in four years (after winning two MVP’s during his last three years with Pittsburgh)
When your moral character is in question cause you cheated to make the game a little bit easier for you, then yes, I think character is an important evaluation for the HOF. If you are going on character cause you think the guy is an ass, then I agree that shouldn’t matter. Unfortunately for Bonds, his character was in question for both.
Curt Schilling would already be in the Hall of Fame if he was an Obama-loving lunatic liberal. He’s one of if not the single greatest postseason pitcher of all time. Game 7 2001 WS & Game 6 2004 ALCS still haunt me. First ballot HOF beyond a reasonable doubt.
– Diehard Yankee Fan
No player should be excluded as long as bud selig and any front office, GM or owner from the same period is allowed in. Selig specifically benefitted from the home run machine players created.