The Buzz: Steroids And The Hall Of Fame

Let me first start off by saying that by no means to I condone the use of steroids in the MLB, or any sport for the matter. But when you mention steroids and the MLB, it always brings up a gray area that the MLB would like to ignore and forget. However, with the latest revelations about Roger Clemens, it does not seem like the MLB will be able to have that opportunity in the near future. Usually when someone is found to have taken steroids during their MLB career, that derails any chance that player has of making the hall of fame. That is where I have the problem with the MLB.

There is So much uncertainty when it comes to steroids in the MLB, that it would be unfair to be prejudice against the players that caught, when there are probably a bundle of players who are or were taking steroids and never got caught. The prime example I bring up is Barry Bonds. Bonds is the all time leading home run hitter in the MLB, but he likely will never get his chance to be in the hall of fame due to that he is suspected of taking steroids. Even though Bonds never admitted to taking steroids nor has he ever been caught with steroids, he will never be a prestige member of the hall of fame.  The same can be said for Sammy Sosa, who once again never admitted to taking steroids but due to being suspected of taking them he will never have the chance to make it to the hall of fame.

Much Like I believe that Pete Rose should be able to call himself a hall of famer, those who took steroids should also have the opportunity to be a hall of famer. To me a hall of fame is not only about remembering the glory times in the league, it is also about remembering the controversial times as well.  It would only be fair that the MLB allow steroid members to be represented in the hall of fame. Also Baseball’s hall of fame is to remember the different decades in baseball, well this would be no different. This past decade has been marred with steroid allegations to the games top players. Ranging from Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, etc. Major League Baseball can not just simply black out the past decade because it is considered to be one of the darkest decades they have had due to the steroids.

We have gotten to a point in baseball, where we can no longer give a definitive answer to any player on whether or not they took steroids. Sure it is probably safe to say that Derrek Jeter, Ken Griffey Jr, and players like those two are clean.  But other than that, there is just simply to many wholes to know who is clean or not. Now, I’m not going to accuse anyone of taking steroids because that is not fair to the player nor you, the readers. But for hypothetical purposes lets say we come along a day in the future where Albert Pujols is accused of taking steroids. Again, just for hypothetical purposes, wouldn’t that signify that MLB has to change it’s stance on their portrayal of steroid users. If someone like Pujols, who much like Alex Rodriguez, is caught with steroids after he was suppose to be a portrayal of the clean home run leader.

There are simply to many unknowns in baseball to block certain players from not making the hall of fame, when no one truly knows how many “clean” players are going to or have made the Hall of Fame while using steroids. And for that reason, players who use steroids should have a fair chance to make the hall of fame. Even though the writers association is suppose to make it fair, there is no question in my mind that they intentionally do not vote a player in due to the allegations of steroid use. But, Like I said, there is no real way to determine who did or did not take steroids. Which is why steroids will always be a pressing topic in the MLB.