Barry Bonds?

Question

Does Barry deserve to be in Cooperstown

My vote goes for yes, look before he was suspected of steroid his stats are great, he was a great fielder, great hitter, great baserunner

Answer 1

It depends upon what standards one wants to use. If we wanted to elect moral heroes to the Baseball Hall of Fame, then Barry Bonds would not be a good pick. Aside from the debate about whether or not Mr. Bonds used steroids, Mr. Bonds is a nasty character in American sport. He is a churlish boor.

However, one does not get into the Baseball Hall of Fame because of one's moral qualities per se. The simple fact is that many members of the Baseball Hall of Fame were slimy characters. Babe Ruth, for all of his home runs, was a lush. Ty Cobb would do anything to stretch a single into a double or to break up a double play--including spiking players. Gaylord Perry was a cheater, too--he managed to doctor the baseball well enough to win 314 games. But I hear no one say that he doesn't belong in the Baseball Hall of Fame. And these are not the only examples...just a few I can think up off the top of my head.

Many people say that Barry Bonds took steroids. Quite frankly, that is probably true...but he is not the only one. I wonder how many pitchers took steroids or other substances to heal faster or to get that extra mile per hour on the fastball? I wonder how many pitchers today doctor the baseball (Kenny Rogers??)?

Here is an indisputable fact: Athletes since the times of ancient Greece have done everything they could to advance themselves within and without the rules of their sports. If Mr. Bonds did take steroids, (which he may have taken and even if he had in the time frame in which he allegedly taken these chemicals they were not illegal to use in baseball at that time) then he simply did what other athletes have done.

So, should Barry Bonds be in the Baseball Hall of Fame? Considering the moral qualities of many who have already been elected to this honor and his baseball acheivements, I reluctantly say yes.

Answer 2

Yes, Barry Bonds puts up Cooperstown-like numbers. Though one must take into account his relation with the BBWAA--the people that select players that are recently retired from the game. If Bonds has a good relationship with the media, than yes expect him to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Though if his relations with the media are rocky, expect him to wait a few more years.

Answer 3

Yes. More than anyone. He is the greatest player in Baseball history, whether you like it or not. Had it not been for steroids, he would have over 1000 steals. Still HoF worthy.

Is it because Bonds is black that you single him out among the 20% of the MLB that uses steroids? Or because he is the best of them? If you are gonna keep him out, you can also strike off 85% of anyone who will ever make the Hall of Fame.

Answer 4

Of course he does. Anyone who thinks otherwise probably never even played baseball. Listen hitting a baseball is the hardest single thing to do in all of sports. You only have to be sucessful 30 percent of the time to be considered a great hitter. If he did roids, that dosnt help hand eye coordination or anything like that. He is and will always be a great player.

Answer 5

He has talent, besides, Babe Ruth was a drunk moneyhoarder who constantly cheated on his wife and eventually drove her to an asylum, Ted Williams was a wife and child beating racist and I'm not even going to get into the Ty Cobb issues so morals are not a requirement for the hall of fame. As for sterioids, he wouldn't have needed them to hit over 1000 homeruns if he faced the pitching that hitters faced back in the old days.

Answer 6

Unless they find out for sure that he used steroids I think that he should be inducted to the hall of fame. If however they find out for sure that he used steroids then no I do not think he should be inducted into the hall of fame. Nevertheless, Pitcher Gaylord Perry is in the hall of fame and he used vasoline on his pitching hand so that is something to consider as well.

Answer 7

NO! He is a cheater. I am a Yankee fan and Giambi cheated too. So it isn't just because he plays for another team.

Bonds is a smug, arrogant A S S H O L E. He only cares about himself. If Pete Rose can't be in the Hall of Fame neither should other cheaters!

Answer 8

YES!! He deserve to be in Cooperstown!
What do you mean he was? He still is a great hitter, fielder,and baserunner!

Answer 9

Forget the drugs for the moment. What really determines if some one is qualified to make the hall of fame is NOT statistics as even the players think. It's how well they perform in the clutch. Can you count on them in tight situations? Can they play under pressure? That's why guys like Ron Santo or the current Frank Thomas will never make it. They can't hack it when the heat is on.

Answer 10

Yes. He has never tested positive for any banned substances. I understand he most likely did use steroids but look at his numbers with the Pirates and the first year or two with the Giants. I would give it to him first ballot.