Hall of Fame vote will be a nail-biter for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens

Yappi

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Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are in their final year of eligibility for the Baseball Hall of Fame, and early returns indicate it will be a nail-biter for both of them.

A Twitter user named Ryan Thibodaux put together a voter tracker for the Hall of Fame. He and his team have tabulated all public votes to figure out where the winds are heading.

With 68 ballots counted, or about 17.3 percent of the eligible voters, Clemens and Bonds are right on the border of the 75 percent threshold. Curt Schilling, also in his final year of eligibility, is tracking just short of the barrier. At least right now, David Ortiz, in his first year of eligibility, figures to make it in.
 
 
My one issue with all of this is that the greatest players and the HOF players aren't the same thing for a generation of baseball. I understand why they are doing it but it seems like they are failing.
 
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IMO, it's time to put Shoeless Joe Jackson, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in the HOF at the same time. Just pull the band-aid off and get it over with...
 
Damn straight. Instead David Ortiz got in first ballot after using roids and having his career change after Minnesota
Yeah, people forget that he was just "Papi" before using the roids in Minnesota and getting "BIG". His numbers warrant the election, but the double standard is obvious. Papi is just such a nice, lovable guy, so he is in the HOF. Roger and Bonds are jerks, so they get left out.

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I'm fine with them, and Rose, never getting in.
They can continue to be the poster boys to breaking the rules, and law.

We all know they are HoF worthy, but keep em out as a sign that what they did will never be tolerated.

Bonds shoulda came out years ago publicly....state when he started Roida....own up to it and put it out there to judge him for pre cheating stats.
 
I'm with you, I could care less if they get in. And you know what, you don't hear them complaining about it because they know they were doing wrong. Rose lied to us for over 15 years before finally coming clean. I said at the time if he just came clean in 1990, he'd had been in the all 15 years ago. Rose is a very compelling, good advocate of baseball, every engaging. Bonds is surly and mean.

I'm fine with them, and Rose, never getting in.
They can continue to be the poster boys to breaking the rules, and law.

We all know they are HoF worthy, but keep em out as a sign that what they did will never be tolerated.

Bonds shoulda came out years ago publicly....state when he started Roida....own up to it and put it out there to judge him for pre cheating stats.
 
So you guys that want to keep Bonds and Clemens out, how do you feel about Ortiz getting in? He went from a skinny corner infielder to a bloated slugger in like a year and a half. He was on the Balco list. Why do you give him a pass? Double standard for nice guys?
 
So you guys that want to keep Bonds and Clemens out, how do you feel about Ortiz getting in? He went from a skinny corner infielder to a bloated slugger in like a year and a half. He was on the Balco list. Why do you give him a pass? Double standard for nice guys?
I have had very little knowledge of all this because I choose not to pay attention. But in doing some research of Ortiz, Bonds and Clemens, it appears the cases for Bonds and Clemens were multiple accomplices, multiple red-handed convictions. I did not see that with Ortiz. I believe the Balco list was a list of guys who MAY be implicated but many were cleared or at least never had smoking gun evidence.

Like I said, I really don't care anymore. It's the same with Pete. I don't care. He was certainly one of the great players of all time. But in the baseball HOF guidelines, being a great players does not get you in on it's own, and I think that's where alot get confused. The baseball HOF has character clause and the strictest guidelines of all the major HOF's.
 
Got it - bury your head in the sand is your approach.

Ortiz was a skinny infielder and became a massive slugger in 12-18 months, and was on the Balco CUSTOMER list. But who cares, it's fine for him, just not selected other guys.

Either have some principals, or don't. I don't care. Just be consistent.
 
Heard it again last night by an expert..... stating they were using before it was against MLB rules.

Horseshit. Illegal was illegal...so it was against MLB rules..they just never tested.
 
So you guys that want to keep Bonds and Clemens out, how do you feel about Ortiz getting in? He went from a skinny corner infielder to a bloated slugger in like a year and a half. He was on the Balco list. Why do you give him a pass? Double standard for nice guys?
That's what it seems to be. Bonds was notoriously a dick to people in his playing days and now those people have HoF votes.
 
Yeah, people forget that he was just "Papi" before using the roids in Minnesota and getting "BIG". His numbers warrant the election, but the double standard is obvious. Papi is just such a nice, lovable guy, so he is in the HOF. Roger and Bonds are jerks, so they get left out.

Ortiz was a skinny infielder and became a massive slugger in 12-18 months, and was on the Balco CUSTOMER list. But who cares, it's fine for him, just not selected other guys.

Not really...

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Not saying Papi did not use anything during his career as it would have been tough to NOT have come away unscathed during the late 90's early 00's BUT he never failed a test. A buddy of mine played high minor league ball at this time and he said pills in the dugout were rampant. If you tweaked something someone was there to give you a "supplement."

Ortiz was also bigger during his Minnesota days and there have been stories written about difference in philosophy. The Twins played a bunch of small ball (runner advancement) the Red Sox let him swing away.


Keep in mind too that these guys come from PR, DR, and Venezuala and struggle with American food. Bartolo Colon was a skinny 180 when he started with Cleveland.

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And for the record I think Clemons and Bonds should be in for the argument listed. Everyone was on juice. Bonds and Clemons prolonged their careers with PEDs but were great before them. I heard a story from when Stanton was a big stick for the Marlins and Bonds was the hitting coach. They had a HR competition and Bonds kicked his butt. The guy could proabably still play and contribute as a DH for someone.
 
Your photos are post-juice. See my photo earlier in the thread for Small Papi. Your point about food is certainly valid, but the simple fact remains that Ortiz was on the Balco customer list. So there's that.

No skin off my nose either way, I just ask the question "Why does Ortiz get in and not Bonds/Clemens?" If you have standards, apply them consistently...
 
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