WS Chronicle

This has long been my thought, but it is confirmed now: the majority of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame voters are a bunch of clowns. I say that because neither Barry Bonds nor Roger Clemens made it into the HOF as this was their last year on the ballot. But David Ortiz did make it.

This is due to a rule change that was made in July of 2014. That year, the Baseball Hall of Fame changed its rules for inductions. Before that change, players on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) ballot receiving at least 5% of the vote could stay on the ballot for up to 15 years if they never dipped below 5%.  

I honestly thought that the BBWAA would punish players like Bonds, Clemens and Sosa by making them wait until their final year on the ballot to finally elect them, but I was wrong. Yes, I know the probability of them using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) is very high, but let’s not act like there are hall of famers right now that don’t have a sketchy past.

The hypocrisy to single out PED users is baffling to me. There are plenty of hall of famers that played in eras filled with scandal, that were questionable, and that were not “clean.” Did the BBWAA forget about the hall of famers that played in a segregated era, or the era of amphetamines, or those that were drunkards, racists or abusers?

It just seems that there is a targeted attack from the BBWAA, current hall of famers, and even former players. Why is the steroid era the only era that is under attack?  

And if we are being real, Bonds and possibly Clemens were both hall of famers before people suspected they were taking PEDs.

Even though my favorite player during that era was Ken Griffey Jr., I had to respect what Barry Bonds was doing. He was a true five-tool player that could do it all on the field. His trophy case is filled with not only MVP awards, but also with Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards as well.

I think the fact that he was not very cordial with the media really hurt Bonds in his quest to overcome his alleged PED use. The man has a case to be in the conversation as the greatest player of all time. He has seven MVP awards and no one else has more than three, 14-time MLB All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger, 8-time Gold Glove winner, and 762 home runs (most all-time). 

Bonds wasn’t a creation of a PED. With or without the “juice,” Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer. Bonds supposedly started using around the year 2000. Prior to that year, he had already accumulated 494 HR and 1,405 RBI. I am not a doctor, but I don’t think PEDs allow you to put up those kinds of numbers; otherwise, everyone would do it.

I feel a similar way to the career Clemens had. “Rocket” was one of the best pitchers of my era of baseball. He has seven Cy Young awards and no one else in history has more than five. Once again, if using PEDs guaranteed seven Cy Young awards, I am sure every pitcher would sign up for that career.

Clemens was an MVP, 11-time All-Star, 2-time World Series champ, 7-time ERA champ, and has over 350 wins. I am not sure when Clemens was accused of starting his alleged PED use; however, if he was using, I am sure he wasn’t the only pitcher. Why didn’t they put up the gaudy numbers like Clemens if PEDs work so well?

I am not saying they don’t help at all, but I don’t think PEDs give you better hand-eye coordination, God-given talent, or hitting and pitching accuracy. If you let these writers tell it, PEDs are the end-all, be-all and that is just not the case, I don’t think.

I guess I should have guessed that the BBWAA wouldn’t have let Bonds and Clemens into the hall since they still have not let Pete Rose into the hall. Rose admittedly did bet on baseball and received a lifetime ban, but once again was what he did any worse than the sins of those players that came before him? Plus, Rose is the all-time hits leader and gave it his all every time he stepped on the field, which is why they nicknamed him “Charlie Hustle.”

I saved my final point for last. With all of the allegations against Bonds and Clemens, neither one of them failed a drug test, if I’m not mistaken. Big Papi, on the other hand, can’t say that. He was reported as one of the players who turned in a positive sample in 2003 when MLB did a confidential survey testing of players when it was trying to understand the scope of PED usage in the sport.

What makes Ortiz’ alleged use any different from Bonds, Clemens or any other great player that was accused of using?  That is where I call BS on the part of the BBWAA because it seems they are being very hypocritical about their own standards. It’s like they use their sense of morality against who they don’t like, and on the other hand, they forget about the transgressions of the players they do like.

There are 397 voters of the MLB Hall of Fame and I think changes need to be made on who votes. A player needs 75% of the votes to be inducted. I think if maybe some former and current players were included in the voting, things would be different for Bonds, Clemens and others.

Baseball can continue to play this holier than thou role when it fits them, but it would be in their best interest to do the right thing and let these great players into the HOF. Or they can continue to lag behind football and basketball because they are stuck in tradition – selective tradition.