Sound Off: Should Steroid Users Get in the HOF?

[TripleCrown9]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdolski

Mac's success came with the usage, more so than Bonds and Rocket. Bonds and Rocket had HoF credentials before their peak of using. I just don't have Mac or Sammy in HoF talk.

Fair enough. I was just wondering what your reason was. To be fair though, McGwire didn't start using until after he won Rookie of the Year, and already had 114 home runs.

[jth1331]

Honestly, I see both points have valid responses.
They cheated and boosted their way to the stats/etc.

But, at the same time, how do we know who did/didn't for sure, and they put up insane numbers throughout their career. It takes more than steroids/PEDs to get that much better than other players, and guys like Bonds and Clemens, Piazza, Bagwell, McGwire, Sosa, those guys should be in the HOF.

[BDKiiing]

Quote: Originally Posted by jth1331

But, at the same time, how do we know who did/didn't for sure, and they put up insane numbers throughout their career. It takes more than steroids/PEDs to get that much better than other players, and guys like Bonds and Clemens, Piazza, Bagwell, McGwire, Sosa, those guys should be in the HOF.

We don't. So the voters need to put players in completely based on statistics. You either put them all in who are worthy, or you put none. And with the latter, it makes the guy who didn't vote for Maddux or Glavine, or Thomas because they played during the steroid era (which is still going on) look like a genius. I agree with him. It's all speculation. My only out is that if you have a positive test or were suspended ever for PEDs, you do not deserve to be in, but if it's only speculation, you have to be judged fairly.

But who am I, I just think that anyone who fails a drug test should get the lifetime ban. One strike, you're out.

[pietasterp]

It's inevitable...no matter your opinion, at some point it has to happen, otherwise 2-3 generations and 20+ years worth of players will be excluded, fairly or unfairly. It's getting to that point now in terms of who is elligible; if the baseball writers really want to keep them out, they can all just take a vacation from voting for the next 25 years or so.

Besides, baseball fans have long memories; no matter when you visit the Hall (which, if you haven't been, I highly recommend), there will always be some loudmouth pontificating on this or that detail about a player's career, and so of course if Bonds and Clemens and others eventually get in, there will be constant chatter at their plaques about 'roid use, whether they should be in, etc. In a sense, that is their punishment: to forever have loudmouth baseball geek know-it-alls at their plaques bloviating on the relative merits of their inclusion for the rest of time.

[RuthMorrisonMR]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Absolutely not. I think about the guy who never got a shot because a teammate never got hurt, or over-performed. Or the money that wasn't dispersed evenly because some roided-up freak got $30M. Or the legend that hit 500 or 600 HR's cleanly only to get passed by a cheater. Not only that but it taints the wimzy that is associated with baseball. It's the one sport where a grown man can transform into a 5 year old just being at the park. Steroids kill that dream and adulation for these hero's. They're frauds and it can break the heart of fans, regardless of how old or young the fan is.

I completely agree with you. I remember being disappointed myself, when I found out that a wrestler I admired was taking steroids.

[Madden08PCgmr]

They should be in.

MLB knew all about this. Its impossible to say for how long, even. Roids played a HUGE role in saving them after labor armageddon, and I don't think they would have put an end to use if Congress hadn't FORCED them to do so.

So what buisness do pencil pushing, keyboard mashing twits have keeping these guys out? The people that signed the checks didn't care. Let this fall on their shoulders.

[JHodges57]

No they shouldn't. I also think those who gamble on games while active should be banned. People who cheat should not be bought back to manage after a 1 year suspension. They should also be permanently banned.


But to me, it's not what I think that matters. It's what the athletes and managers who didn't cheat think.

[Jolly Roger]

I'm in the "put them in with an asterisk" camp. A lot of guys from that era were using, from all-stars to solid utility men to bench sitters. The guys at the top were still the best.