MLB Hall of Fame: Breaking down the ballot

Barry Bonds – Sixth Year (53.8% in 2017)

Very slowly, Barry Bonds is getting closer to being enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame.

Based on his statistics alone, Bonds deserves a place in Cooperstown. He was a 14 time All Star, winning seven MVP awards and eight Gold Gloves. The greatest power and speed threat in baseball history, Bonds is the only player in both the 400 and 500 homer and stolen base clubs. Overall, in his time with the Pirates and Giants, Bonds posted a .298/.444/.607 batting line, hitting a major league record 762 homers and stealing 514 bases. He is also the major league record holder with 2558 walks, as teams refused to pitch to him later in his career.

The problem with Bonds is his place as a potential PED user. He suddenly became a power threat, hitting an otherworldly 73 homers in 2001 to become the single season leader. He was a part of the Balco Scandal, and admitted to using substances known as the “cream” and “clear,” which he thought were flaxseed oil and a pain reliever. Bonds went to trial for perjury and obstruction of justice in 2011 for his part in the Balco hearing, charges that were eventually overturned four years later.

While Bonds may well have been a PED user, there is still no questioning his place in baseball history. It is thought that half the league may have been using PEDs at his peak, yet Bonds was still performing at a rate above everyone. Whether the voters like it or not, the PED Era was a part of the game, and Bonds was the greatest player of that time.

Barry Bonds is getting closer to induction. Even though it may not happen this year, his voting percentage is starting to make him appear to be a future Hall of Famer. Bonds certainly belongs in Cooperstown, and it should have happened years ago.