Take away the Roids: Is Bonds a HOF'er?

Question

Take away the Roids: Is Bonds a HOF'er?

Answer 1

Without a doubt a first ballot HOF'er.  If you say Barry retired after his injury plagued 1999 season, when many believe he unknowingly took ped's, he would have these stats: 445 HR's which today would be 35th on the all-time list, back in 99 it would have been top 20; 460 stolen bases which today is good for 47th all-time, many don't remember he was a terror on the basepaths, he became the ONLY member of the 400 HR - 400 SB club in the 1990's (and still is the only one, actually he is in the 700 HR - 500 SB club); 8 Gold Gloves, more than any other Left Fielder in the history of the game; and of course his 3 MVP's he won during the 1990's, which no one in history has more... of course only he as he added another 4 in the 2000's.

Here's how I explain it to a lot of people, don't forget Barry didn't get into the ped game until just prior to 2000.  His other peers began in the late 80's and early 90's (Canseco, McGwire, Palmeiro, Irod, Sosa, etc.).

Barry was the best player before his accused roid usage - 3 MVP's and a 2nd place

Barry was the best player during his accused roid usage (2000- 2002) - 2 MVP's and a 2nd place

Barry was the best player after the roid era of testing (2003-2004) - 2 MVP's.  He was injured in 2005, and honestly was at the end in 06 and 07.

Don't forget the stolen bases and gold gloves of his past, which many people are not aware of.  I am obviously a Barry fan, however the stats don't lie, and if you don't believe me, Peter Gammons sees it as I do... just not with the passion that I do.

BTW... it was great seeing him at the yard this past Saturday... there was a buzz in the park that hasn't been there all year...

Answer 2

You don't need steroids to hit a ball, and Bonds certainly knew how to put the ball into play.

Answer 3

Yes. First ballot.  

Answer 4

Just for that we will be in.

Answer 5

I think so but it is hard to tell when he actually started taking them.

If it was after the 98 season as is widely believed I think he got an extra 125-150 homers. Probably would have retired at least 4 years ago and might be inducted next year. I think if he gets in now it will be far down the road.

He was just way to obvious with his over use of the steroids that it cost him. But hey what are you going to do when you know you aren't good enough break a record with natural ability. You are going to play with integrity and be judged as one of the greatest of all time. Or you are going to pull a BARRY and be judged as one of the biggest cheaters of all time.

Answer 6

it's hard to tell what he would have done without steroids, but i doubt that they made enough of an effect to keep him out of the hall, considering his current numbers...however, if one day baseball can prove that he used steroids, he will never make it in, and the shadow of doubt cast over him could keep him out on the first ballot

Answer 7

With or without steroids Barry Bonds would have been a first ballot hall of fame inductee. He could do everything very well. He hit average and power, could steal bases and was very goo defensively.  

Answer 8

Absolutely -- He became the first 500-500 player before any of the steroids allegations hit the media.

He would pay the same price Steve Carlton suffered with is coldness to the media.  It would have taken a lot longer but the final 5 years of his career are tainted with the talk of the "clear".

Answer 9

Of course he was a hall of famer.  After the 1998 season, he had 3 MVPs, was an eight time All Star,  eight gold gloves, seven silver sluggers, seven times had been in the top five in MVP voting.

After the 1998 season, Bonds was in the top five for on-base percentage eight straight seasons, was in the top six in slugging percentage nine straight years, was in the top 3 in OPS, nine straight years (five times number 1), was in the top ten in Runs 13 straight years, was in the top ten in total bases in the league eight straight years, had been in the top four in HRs in the league seven times, had been in the top four in HRs in the league seven times,  nine times was in the top ten in steals, was in the top three in runs created nine straight years, and did this while being in the top two in walks nine straight years.

As of the 1998 season, he had lead the league in intentional walks seven straight years, that was the manager's vote for Bonds being in the HOF.

Answer 10

Yea Bonds is said to have been Roid free until after the McGwire-Sosa single season homer thing in 98 and up to the end of the 98 season Bonds already had over 400 homers and had 3 MVP awards...He just had to be the center of the spot light though and that meant sinking down to McGwire and Sosa level and being a cheater...I hope he's a example for other baseball players and shows that cheat just ruins your career.

Answer 11

If you take away the steroids and make him quit wearing all that body armor when he bats.I don't think he would make the hall of fame.He just wasn't putting up hof numbers before that.

Answer 12

Guys stop saying he took Roids... Nobody accuses Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, etc. of roids. Bonds broke the HR Record, get over it.

Answer 13

I would have to say so, that would be less no more than 125 HRs which would still be enough to get him in.

Answer 14

Well its nearly impossible to tell what his numbers would have been if he were without steroids.

With his numbers now, its no doubt he is in the HOF.  You shave off 100 of his homers and hes still in.  

Answer 15

Even with his steroid use (prescribed or not), his numbers still stand as valid.  If someone was allegedly to have "abused" steroids, they would not be alive to play the sport of baseball because it damages your body and ultimately death will occur.  In the case of those named in the Mitchell Report, they all were not abusers and the "big names" are of HOF caliber because of pure skill and power.  The PED's only supplemented those skills slightly, but were not "wonder drugs" to allow them to pitch 100 mph. or hit HR's constantly.

Yes, putting the PED's aside, Barry Bonds would surely be a 1st ballot inductee.

Answer 16

Not even close...the only reason he gets into the HOF if he does is because of his record amount of HR's...there's no other reason he goes...take away the steroids and he doesn't come close to those numbers... I say NO!

For all of you who say he was great and he deserves it...cheaters don't deserve anything besides the consequences that come with it...and besides where's his WS ring...

Answer 17

Yes...and that's the sad thing...

Back when he was a skinny kid with Pittsburgh, he was already the second-coming of Willie Mays.  By the time he got to San Fran...he was already looking like an HOF lock...

By becoming "Big Head" Barry, he injected doubt into what should have been celebrated as one of the best careers in baseball history.

Answer 18

SF Giant 25 said it all. Go Bonds!

Answer 19

Yes he is.  That's the real shame in all of this.  He didn't even NEED to cheat to get in the HOF!!  He saw McGwire and Sosa hitting all those HR's in 97, and he decided he wanted some of THAT spotlight.  His jealousy and greed did lead him to cheat, because he had to be the BEST of his era, not the 2nd or 3rd best.  However, I'd say he played the majority of his career drug-free, and unless it's ever PROVEN he did take steroids, you can't keep him OUT of the hall.

Answer 20

Regardless of the steroid issue, Barry Bonds is a Hall of Fame inductee in my book. Most people are quick to judge a person of his stature because he's at the very top of a prestigious list. People will look for any reason to bring him down. I'm personally not a Barry Bonds fan, I truly despise the guy. But as an athlete, I think he's phenomenal. Hitting home runs is not as easy as people think. They think that any joker can come up to the plate and slap one out. Well, it's not. And that's the truth. If that were true then players with the likes of Bengie Molina (or any Molina at that), Alex Cora, and David Eckstein would be on that very same list up there with Barry. It's not easy to hit a home run, it's never been easy to hit a home run, let alone over 750 of them. Barry Bonds as a person, expendable. As a player, Hall of Fame inductee.

Answer 21

Until we can determine when Bonds (and hundreds of others) started taking roids and "now-banned" supplements, it's hard to know. I am anti-drug use of ANY kind + believe if Selig and Mitchell weren't such suck-up's to teams where they have connections, MLB might be doing something good about this drug testing. Lesser players are tempted to do them to keep up and/or keep their careers in mlb rather than get demoted to AA where they make 1/10th the money if they're lucky. The fact that there are so few marquee players on the original list makes it very suspicious .. and what happened to the suspensions that Tejada and Ankiel were supposed to have?