Controversy often plays like a shadow to Hall of Fames everywhere. Nowhere is this more evident than with the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. All-time hits leader Pete Rose remains out of the Hall due to post-playing career gambling, yet the all-time leader in "jackass" references, Ty Cobb, is. In my opinion, whether or not a player gets inducted into the Hall of Fame should be based on what they did on the field. Period. Cooperstown isn't home of the Nobel Prize Hall of Fame; they're home of the MLB Hall of Fame and should determine its inductees on the latter, not the former.
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were two of the most dominant players in their respective eras. Before Bonds went to San Francisco, where the rumors about him taking performance-enhancing drugs started, he won two MVP awards in Pittsburgh, and finished runner-up another year. In the final three years of his tenure in the Steel City, Bonds combined to garner: 308 runs, 452 hits, 96 doubles, 13 triples, 92 homers, 333 RBIs, 134 stolen bases (caught 34 times), 327 walks, 225 strike outs, 850 total bases, .301 batting average, .424 on-base percentage, and .566 slugging percentage. He won five more MVPs in San Francisco, for a total of seven in his career. He finished runner-up once there as well. So there were 9 seasons where Bonds finished 1st or 2nd in MVP voting. For his career, Bonds collected: 2,935 hits; 2,227 runs; 601 doubles; 77 triples; 762 homers; 1,996 RBIs, 514 stolen bases; 2,558 walks (compared to just 1,539 strike outs and including 688 intentional walks); a .298 batting average, .444 on-base percentage; and a .607 slugging percentage. Bonds may have been the most feared batter in history. He's the all-time leader in home runs for a season (73) and for a career (762). No one has been walked more in Major League history either, intentionally (688) or overall (2,558). Not only that, but Bonds won 8, count them, 8 Gold Gloves for his exceptional defensive play. If Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs, how would that have aided his defense? How would that have aided him in stealing over 500 bases? Whether or not Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs, he was one of the best players before allegedly using them, was one of the best players after he allegedly used them, and overall, has to be regarded as one of the best players of all-time.
Like Bonds at his position, Roger Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in his generation. Also like Bonds, rumors started swirling about Clemens taking performance-enhancing drugs after he left Boston. The third common link between the two should-be Hall of Famers is the fact, like Bonds, Clemens was one of the best before the steroid-allegations came about. During his 13 years in Boston, Clemens compiled a 192-111 record (.634), had an ERA just north of 3 at 3.06, pitched 38 shutouts, struck out 2,590 batters, won 3 Cy Young awards, and finished 2nd and 3rd two other years. For his career, Clemens went 354-184 (.658), with a 3.12 ERA, 46 shutouts, 4.672 strikeouts, and 7 Cy Young awards. Bonds and Clemens combined for 7 MVPs and 7 Cy Youngs, 5 of the 14 awards being earned before the steroid-allegations took place. Roger "Rocket" Clemens was one of the best pitchers before the allegations, one of the best pitchers after the allegations, and overall, has to be regarded as one of the best pitchers of all-time.
That lastly brings me to Curt Schilling. Sure, away from the field, I can't stand this guy. Hearing Schilling's political rants are akin to a Nickelback song scratching a chalkboard. However, like I said about Cobb and Rose, whether or not a person gets inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame should be purely based on their on-the-field achievements. The same goes for Schilling. I may not care for the guy much off the field, but on the field there can be no denying he was one of the best during his time in the majors. For his career, Schilling combined to go 216-146 (.597), with a 3.46 ERA, 20 shutouts, 22 saves, 3,116 strikeouts, and 3 Cy Young runner-ups. While his regular season numbers are solid, the guy was dynamite in the postseason. In the playoffs, Schilling went 11-2 (.846), with a 2.23 ERA, 2 shutouts, and 120 strikeouts.
The Hall of Fame shouldn't be a popularity contest. It shouldn't be too complicated - the best players should get in. Whether or not Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, or Curt Schilling are personally liked by the media shouldn't be any relevance. They were three of the best players to play the game and should be rewarded for their on-the-field mastery by being inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero02.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schilcu01.shtml
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were two of the most dominant players in their respective eras. Before Bonds went to San Francisco, where the rumors about him taking performance-enhancing drugs started, he won two MVP awards in Pittsburgh, and finished runner-up another year. In the final three years of his tenure in the Steel City, Bonds combined to garner: 308 runs, 452 hits, 96 doubles, 13 triples, 92 homers, 333 RBIs, 134 stolen bases (caught 34 times), 327 walks, 225 strike outs, 850 total bases, .301 batting average, .424 on-base percentage, and .566 slugging percentage. He won five more MVPs in San Francisco, for a total of seven in his career. He finished runner-up once there as well. So there were 9 seasons where Bonds finished 1st or 2nd in MVP voting. For his career, Bonds collected: 2,935 hits; 2,227 runs; 601 doubles; 77 triples; 762 homers; 1,996 RBIs, 514 stolen bases; 2,558 walks (compared to just 1,539 strike outs and including 688 intentional walks); a .298 batting average, .444 on-base percentage; and a .607 slugging percentage. Bonds may have been the most feared batter in history. He's the all-time leader in home runs for a season (73) and for a career (762). No one has been walked more in Major League history either, intentionally (688) or overall (2,558). Not only that, but Bonds won 8, count them, 8 Gold Gloves for his exceptional defensive play. If Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs, how would that have aided his defense? How would that have aided him in stealing over 500 bases? Whether or not Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs, he was one of the best players before allegedly using them, was one of the best players after he allegedly used them, and overall, has to be regarded as one of the best players of all-time.
Like Bonds at his position, Roger Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in his generation. Also like Bonds, rumors started swirling about Clemens taking performance-enhancing drugs after he left Boston. The third common link between the two should-be Hall of Famers is the fact, like Bonds, Clemens was one of the best before the steroid-allegations came about. During his 13 years in Boston, Clemens compiled a 192-111 record (.634), had an ERA just north of 3 at 3.06, pitched 38 shutouts, struck out 2,590 batters, won 3 Cy Young awards, and finished 2nd and 3rd two other years. For his career, Clemens went 354-184 (.658), with a 3.12 ERA, 46 shutouts, 4.672 strikeouts, and 7 Cy Young awards. Bonds and Clemens combined for 7 MVPs and 7 Cy Youngs, 5 of the 14 awards being earned before the steroid-allegations took place. Roger "Rocket" Clemens was one of the best pitchers before the allegations, one of the best pitchers after the allegations, and overall, has to be regarded as one of the best pitchers of all-time.
That lastly brings me to Curt Schilling. Sure, away from the field, I can't stand this guy. Hearing Schilling's political rants are akin to a Nickelback song scratching a chalkboard. However, like I said about Cobb and Rose, whether or not a person gets inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame should be purely based on their on-the-field achievements. The same goes for Schilling. I may not care for the guy much off the field, but on the field there can be no denying he was one of the best during his time in the majors. For his career, Schilling combined to go 216-146 (.597), with a 3.46 ERA, 20 shutouts, 22 saves, 3,116 strikeouts, and 3 Cy Young runner-ups. While his regular season numbers are solid, the guy was dynamite in the postseason. In the playoffs, Schilling went 11-2 (.846), with a 2.23 ERA, 2 shutouts, and 120 strikeouts.
The Hall of Fame shouldn't be a popularity contest. It shouldn't be too complicated - the best players should get in. Whether or not Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, or Curt Schilling are personally liked by the media shouldn't be any relevance. They were three of the best players to play the game and should be rewarded for their on-the-field mastery by being inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero02.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schilcu01.shtml
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