The difference between Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds

Many people believe that steroid abusers should not be voted into the Hall of Fame. I share that sentiment. But today I was thinking about Alex Rodriguez and the conundrum that he creates. I think he will be the first known steroid abuser to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and here is why. Players like Palmeiro, McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Bonds and Ramirez have all denied their abuse and ended their careers as pariahs or as shadows of their former selves. They spat in the face of sportsmanship, the game of baseball and it's fans and have never even apologized for it. Alex Rodriguez is the first to show that he was amazing before abusing steroids, amazing while abusing steroids and amazing after he "stopped" abusing steroids. He fessed-up and admitted he was wrong, and he will be rewarded for that. I don't think he will be voted-in on the first ballot, but will be a year or two later. I'm not personally saying I think he should be voted-in, I'm saying I think he will be voted-in. Is it fair if he makes it in and the others don't? I don't know the answer to that.

there is no difference. they are both juice heads.

blazers091 said:

there is no difference. they are both juice heads.

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I believe the circumstances are very different. Yes, steroids are steroids, but you can't really compare Bonds' situation with Rodriguez'.

So a fake ass half apology is all you need to forgive and forget? You seem pretty passionate about it. Bonds was amazing before during and after roids also. He just didn't give some fake half ass apology. They're no different in my book and it wouldn't bother me if the roiders get in the HOF.

I don't give a **** about "fair" and "unfair". It's whether or not they deserve to be in.

I voted that he will get in, not first ballot, and that it is perfectly fair that other steroid users don't get in. Why? Because A-Rod was a HOFer both on and off juice, and also didn't disgrace the game with the way he handled it.

I'm a huge fan of Sosa and I like McGwire for what he did for the game in 98, but the fact is they both cheated, and neither were good enough without steroids to be HOFers. Bonds, as much as I hate him, may be similar to ARod in that he played like a HOFer both on and off steroids, although he lied to everyone and is now a convicted fellon. I just don't think that's a good way to get votes.

These make ARod the exception. He may or may not get in, but of all the steroid guys, I think he has the best shot.

kdailey4315 said:

So a fake ass half apology is all you need to forgive and forget? You seem pretty passionate about it. Bonds was amazing before during and after roids also. He just didn't give some fake half ass apology. They're no different in my book and it wouldn't bother me if the roiders get in the HOF.

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I voted that he shouldn't make it because of steroid abuse. So if this is directed at me, I think you are a bit lost.

sportscardtheory said:

blazers091 said:

there is no difference. they are both juice heads.

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I believe the circumstances are very different. Yes, steroids are steroids, but you can't really compare Bonds' situation with Rodriguez'.

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bonds was still dominant without steroids in the years after he was caught. I hope no juicers make it in. Shoeless Joe and pete rose should be in before the juicers if the HOF will let cheaters in.

blazers091 said:

sportscardtheory said:

blazers091 said:

there is no difference. they are both juice heads.

Click to expand...

I believe the circumstances are very different. Yes, steroids are steroids, but you can't really compare Bonds' situation with Rodriguez'.

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bonds was still dominant without steroids in the years after he was caught. I hope no juicers make it in. Shoeless Joe and pete rose should be in before the juicers if the HOF will let cheaters in.

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the hof already has cheaters in it... FACT!

Since the steroid admission ARods numbers have not looked HOF worthy to me.

sportscardtheory said:

kdailey4315 said:

So a fake ass half apology is all you need to forgive and forget? You seem pretty passionate about it. Bonds was amazing before during and after roids also. He just didn't give some fake half ass apology. They're no different in my book and it wouldn't bother me if the roiders get in the HOF.

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I voted that he shouldn't make it because of steroid abuse. So if this is directed at me, I think you are a bit lost.

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Really? You wrote that Bonds etc spat in the face of baseball and left disgraced but ARod is different because he apologized. So my question stands. All it takes is a fake apology to think that Arod hasn't spat on baseball and the fans?

kdailey4315 said:

sportscardtheory said:

kdailey4315 said:

So a fake ass half apology is all you need to forgive and forget? You seem pretty passionate about it. Bonds was amazing before during and after roids also. He just didn't give some fake half ass apology. They're no different in my book and it wouldn't bother me if the roiders get in the HOF.

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I voted that he shouldn't make it because of steroid abuse. So if this is directed at me, I think you are a bit lost.

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Really? You wrote that Bonds etc spat in the face of baseball and left disgraced but ARod is different because he apologized. So my question stands. All it takes is a fake apology to think that Arod hasn't spat on baseball and the fans?

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lol Clearly not to me. Why are you again asking me a question that I have already answered twice (once in the OP)?

Alex Rodriguez has a ring, Bonds does not

kdailey4315 said:

So a fake ass half apology is all you need to forgive and forget? You seem pretty passionate about it. Bonds was amazing before during and after roids also. He just didn't give some fake half ass apology. They're no different in my book and it wouldn't bother me if the roiders get in the HOF.

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Agreed. I like both Bonds and A-Rod (and believe both deserve to be in the Hall of Fame), but Rodriguez came clean and apologized only after being caught. That shouldn't put him (or Pettitte, who also apologized) above any of the other users.

blazers091 said:

there is no difference. they are both juice heads.

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Snookie

No difference, both will get in. Steriod era is what it is and players , owners, fans didn't care then. SO why should we get all high and mighty and now say it was cheating. They all were cheating.

ARod's apology was comical and a stretching of the truth if nothing else. Sure, I'm guessing everyone really believes that he only used steroids two years. Yep, that's believable when he stared TV viewers in the face and said he never took anything, emphatically. Bonds at least was a total ***** and not a phony since day one.

As far as we know, ARod could have been juicing since day one, perhaps since high school. (Yeah, yeah, yeah...me with my wild steroid assumptions again...just like assuming at least one member of the Hall of Fame used steroids at least once.)

The positive with Bonds is that we at least have a timeline of assumed usage...beginning after the McGwire/Sosa race of 1998 when he already had three MVP awards (with 4 other top-5 finishes including a #2 finish) when Bonds already had 411 career home runs by the age of 33, and had led the league in OPS (5 times), BBs (5 times), etc.

So, as far as I am concerned...there isn't a single reason for anyone in their right mind to think that ARod should get into the HOF if Bonds is not.

matchpenalty said:

They all were cheating.

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Can people at LEAST stop saying this? It's as far from the truth as you can get. It's not true. It's an exaggeration and it's completely false.

200lbhockeyplayer said:

ARod's apology was comical and a stretching of the truth if nothing else. Sure, I'm guessing everyone really believes that he only used steroids two years. Yep, that's believable when he stared TV viewers in the face and said he never took anything, emphatically. Bonds at least was a total ***** and not a phony since day one.

As far as we know, ARod could have been juicing since day one, perhaps since high school. (Yeah, yeah, yeah...me with my wild steroid assumptions again...just like assuming at least one member of the Hall of Fame used steroids at least once.)

The positive with Bonds is that we at least have a timeline of assumed usage...beginning after the McGwire/Sosa race of 1998 when he already had three MVP awards (with 4 other top-5 finishes including a #2 finish) when Bonds already had 411 career home runs by the age of 33, and had led the league in OPS (5 times), BBs (5 times), etc.

So, as far as I am concerned...there isn't a single reason for anyone in their right mind to think that ARod should get into the HOF if Bonds is not.

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::clapping smily::

sportscardtheory said:

matchpenalty said:

They all were cheating.

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Can people at LEAST stop saying this? It's as far from the truth as you can get. It's not true. It's an exaggeration and it's completely false.

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No way to prove that they weren't. It goes both ways. Most of the guys not cheating probably never made it to bigs. They are the ones that got screwed. Not any of the guys cashing monster checks with packed stadiums watching records get broken. If it was such abig deal, why didn't any players step up. Pretty easy to know why they didn't.

matchpenalty said:

sportscardtheory said:

matchpenalty said:

They all were cheating.

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Can people at LEAST stop saying this? It's as far from the truth as you can get. It's not true. It's an exaggeration and it's completely false.

Click to expand...

No way to prove that they weren't. It goes both ways. Most of the guys not cheating probably never made it to bigs. They are the ones that got screwed. Not any of the guys cashing monster checks with packed stadiums watching records get broken. If it was such abig deal, why didn't any players step up. Pretty easy to know why they didn't.

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Sorry, but you are a complete and utter moron if you honestly believe that every single baseball player was abusing steroids during the "steroid era".