Bonds, Clemens trending toward induction
Jeff Bagwell, a suspected steroid user, and Pudge Rodriguez, an accused steroid user, are headed to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
So is former commissioner Bud Selig, who along with union chief Donald Fehr presided over baseball when performance-enhancing drugs busted the compact between adoring fans and cherished numbers.
All of which means Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are coming to a Cooperstown ceremony near you.
The biggest of baseball’s steroid-stained stars are growing in popularity among Hall of Fame voters.
Ostracized from decent baseball society, Bonds and Clemens gathered relatively few votes for Cooperstown when first eligible in 2013.
Clemens received 37.6 percent of the vote, barely half of the needed 75 percent. Bonds received 36.2 percent.
They received even less the next year, Clemens 35.4 percent and Bonds 34.7 percent. 2015 brought only a marginal uptick — Clemens 37.5 percent, Bonds 36.8 percent.
But the ice began melting. Mike Piazza, another suspected steroid user, made the Hall of Fame. Clemens got 45.2 percent, Bonds 44.3 percent.
And this week, Clemens received 54.1 percent and Bonds 53.8 percent. Gradual inclines like that make it almost certain that voters are warming to the idea of inducting two all-time, but scandal-stained, greats.
Bonds and Clemens are more than just suspected steroid users. Game of Shadows, a book written by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, details Bonds’ use. Congressional testimony details Clemens’ use.
There’s not much room to argue for their innocence.
But America is a forgiving place, American
sports are a forgiving place, and the angst over the destruction of hallowed numbers has largely subsided.
It’s sort of a circular argument for Bonds and Clemens. Steroid use meant baseball’s numbers didn’t mean as much as they once did, and since baseball’s numbers don’t mean as much anymore, why not let them into Cooperstown?
The older the voter, the less grace offered. But older voters die off. Newer voters arrive and don’t necessarily understand the horror of a bionic man breaking the home run records of Hank Aaron and Roger Maris.
And Clemens and Bonds supporters can argue they would have made Cooperstown without steroids.
Bonds went from challenging Ted Williams and Stan Musial as the game’s greatest left fielder ever to becoming the home run king.
Bonds hit 445 home runs his first 14 seasons in the major leagues. Then the 2000s arrived, Bonds turned 35 and hit 317 home runs in eight seasons, including the record 73 in 2001. Bonds retired with 762, seven more than Aaron’s previous record.
Clemens went from best pitcher of his era to discoverer of the fountain of youth. Clemens’ won-loss record before age 40 was 288-148. He was Hall of Fame bound and ranked with the best of the best. Then Clemens turned 40 and went 66-33 over the next five seasons.
The voters seem to be acknowledging Clemens’ and Bonds’ greatness before the juicing era. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, the home run heroes of the historic 1998 season and clear steroid users, are getting no such respect. McGwire went off the ballot this year. He topped out at 23.5 percent and 23.6 percent of the voting in 2007 and 2008, respectively, but garnered just 11.0, 10.0 and 12.3 his final three years of eligibility. Sosa’s percentages since arriving on the ballot in 2013: 12.5, 7.2, 6.6, 7.0 and 8.6.
The crimes of McGwire and Sosa were no greater than Clemens’ and Bonds’. McGwire and Sosa just weren’t as good.
So Clemens and Bonds will be admitted to Cooperstown soon. The tide has changed. Their steroid use made baseball numbers not matter as much, and now who cares if they make the Hall of Fame?