The debate over Barry Bonds induction into the Hall of Fame is sufficiently complex and many people are arguing on both sides of the debate. On paper, Bonds is arguably one of the top baseball players of all time. Still, there are some writers who have vowed that they will never vote him into the Hall of Fame because of his alleged steroid use. For many people, Bonds is "tainted" and he can never return to a state of legitimacy. Will he get into the Hall? It may take some time and a shift in public opinion. Here are a few other thoughts on Bonds as a potential Hall of Fame member.
Numbers game
As mentioned, Bonds' statistics are staggering and without the steroid debate he would be a unanimous first-ballot inductee. Baseball, more than any other sport, is concerned with statistics. Bonds has two of the most hallowed records, which is home runs in a season and total home runs all time. Bonds also hit for percentage, stole bases, and racked up RBI's. He was not an outstanding fielder but he was adequate enough that he wasn't a liability. There was a period of time in Bonds career where he was the most feared hitter in the league.
The philosophy of "cheating"
The reason that Bonds' numbers mean nothing to some people is that he is accused of using performance enhancing drugs throughout periods of his career. So extensive has the web of deceit become that the Federal government has gotten involved by building a perjury case against Bonds. Despite a large amount of evidence and conjecture, Bonds has never admitted to drug use, which compounds the problem. His denial makes some people all the more resolved that he should never get into the Hall of Fame.
Subjectivity
Unfortunately, the steroid debate goes far beyond Barry Bonds. The reality is that players have been taking certain substances for decades, and many of them are in the Hall of Fame. Some famous players came to the ballpark drunk, while others were always high on something. In addition, the idea of "cheating" is not new, and many great players have done it in the past. The reporters of yesterday may have covered for some of their favorite players, but today they are more than happy to expose them. This has led to some people being forced to wonder if the entire era has to be labeled the "steroid" era.
Falling stars
With allegations against Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens, and Alex Rodriguez, fans aren't sure what to think. If Barry Bonds is kept out of the Hall of Fame, it might be that many "great" players have to be kept out as well. The question is, where does it stop? Finally, should writers vote on proof, allegations, or innuendo? The challenge is that some information may never be found.