MLB Players implicated in PEDs deserving of Hall of Fame nod

Though we won’t be celebrating in Cooperstown this summer, what MLB players should the voters be thinking about inducting despite certain PED ties?

I was watching a replay of the 1997 World Series game seven the other day and was feeling some sort of nostalgia for the MLB players I recognized.

I was thinking about all the history with the Marlins and how they were the original team to go from expansion to world champs the quickest. I was watching future Hall of Famer Jim Thome out of the seven-spot in a stacked Indians lineup with David Justice and Matt Williams.

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And then I was thinking a lot about Gary Sheffield. What a career he has had. Nine-time all-star, five-time silver slugger, the 1992 batting title, six top-ten MVP finishes, and 509 homeruns.

But one distinction is missing from Sheffield’s career, and it is a rather deserving one; Hall of Famer.

The reason as to why he is not in is obvious – as is for many players from that era of baseball – and that’s his connections to steroid usage.

Steroid usage is most certainly a blemish to what was a strong career, but Sheffield is not alone in that regard.

There are several players worthy of the hall of fame nod, even though they are guilty of PED usage. These five MLB players changed the game of baseball for better and for worse but their play on the field should consider them as immortals.

Two of them are obvious choices and still on the ballot. The others? You likely have some guesses and I’m here to support those assumptions.

Manny Ramirez

Teams: Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox, Rays

We all know the phrase ‘Manny being Manny’. He was the absolute epitome with his infamous second cut off from the outfield, taking a bathroom break in the monster and high-fiving a fan before completing a double play.

But beyond his phrase, he was an absolute monster at the plate. Though he never won the MVP, he was on the ballot every year from 1998 to 2006. He finished in the top three twice and even finished fourth in 2008 despite only playing half a season in the National League.

Manny Ramirez collected nine silver sluggers, made 12 all-star games, was MVP of the 2004 World Series, and won a batting title in 2002. He finished with 555 homeruns and just four points underneath a 1.000 OPS.

Ramirez was first tested positive in 2009 and then again in 2011; ending his career. This next vote would be his fifth time on the ballot and he collected 28.2 percent of the votes.

He has had much of an upward trajectory despite it being the most amount of votes he’s received thus far but he still has time of course.

Though his defense isn’t enough to get him in and his reputation is what it is, Ramirez would be a great addition to the hall as one of the best hitters from the late ’90s to the late 2000s.

Sammy Sosa

Teams: Rangers, White Sox, Cubs, Orioles

Slammin’ Sammy was one of the many faces of a homerun revolution in the late 90s. Sammy Sosa totaled 609 dingers in his career which is ninth most all-time.

He was 1998’s most valuable player and was on the ballot every year from 1995 to 2003. He drove in hundreds of runs during his peak. In two separate seasons he drove in 158 and 160. 160 is the most runs driven in during a season since the century began.

Sosa also appeared in seven all-star games and collected six silver sluggers, but the praise really slowed for Sosa in 2003. During a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Sosa splintered his bat on a grounder up the middle and was caught in quite a career-smearing predicament.

In addition, Sosa was named as one of many who tested positive for PEDs during the 2003 season with names like Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire.

It’s difficult because Sosa was so respected as an individual and in the media. That smile was so infectious it could spread throughout the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.

But along with his home run race partner McGwire, it’s a career that is tarnished by cheating in more ways than one.

Sosa’s voting numbers don’t look fantastic either with 2021 being his ninth turn and him only amassing 13.9 percent last year. For perspective, he started at 12.9 percent in 2013.

It’s a big yikes but also a big shame. Oh say it ain’t Sosa.

Rafael Palmeiro

Teams: Cubs, Rangers,  Orioles

The only candidate in this slider that is no longer on the ballot is also just as deserving as the rest.

Though he may have burned his own bridge to the hall when testifying before congress, the man had put together one historic career with great ability on both sides of the plate.

A four-time all-star, three-time gold glover and two-time silver slugger. He also is on the list of people to have collected 3,000 hits and 500 homeruns.

Here is that list: Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Eddie Murray, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Rafael Palmeiro himself. That’s it!

Palmeiro may not have been the best personality but he was one hell of a player and rarely missed playing time.

He was one of the leagues best hitters for a decade-plus but never a league leader in any major category. Palmeiro was consistent as consistent comes at the plate, but tested positive in 2005 as his career came to a close.

His time on the ballot was short-lived and shorter-lived than what was deserving of his career. He only lasted four years and his highest vote total was 12.6 percent in 2012. He fell off the ballot two years later.

It will be up to the veteran’s committee to put in Palmeiro and hopefully perception of him will have changed when that time comes.

Roger Clemens

Teams: Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros

You knew it was coming, and you know the man who is on the next slide so I won’t waste your time.

‘The Rocket’ was as dominant can be defined. Here is a shortlist of his accolades: All-Star Game MVP, 11-time all-star, seven-time ERA leader, two-time World Series champ, two triple crowns, seven Cy Young awards, and the MVP of the 1986 season.

What a list.

Not to mention that Roger Clemens is one of just four pitchers in MLB history to record 20 strikeouts in a single outing (which was at the time he threw it a new record). Oh and he did it twice.

Clemens was a strikeout machine notching 4,672 in a 24-year career. He fell shy of 300 in a season but did eclipse 290 twice.

Clemens even in his early 40’s continued to dominate opposing hitters including posting a 1.87 ERA during his age-42 season. He threw hard and with great control. No one could take him down.

Unfortunately, it’s tainted because Clemens was prominently named in the Mitchell Report although he still denies the link to PEDs. He was even indicted on six counts of perjury – though he was found not guilty.

It’s a shame because if he didn’t, he maybe had one of the best careers of any right-handed pitcher in history; of any pitcher in history.

Clemens has seen a steady increase of votes however most recently finishing with 61% of the vote. If not 2021, I anticipate Clemens (and our final candidate) to be elected in 2022.