Barry Bonds last year on HOF ballot

[pootshwan]

Bonds possibly never getting into HOF doesn't seem to be keeping bidders away.

1986 Topps Traded Tiffany PSA 10

For what it's worth this card has a population of 441, a bit more than I was expecting considering the price it commands.

Has your stance on letting PED users into the hall softened at all over the years? Interested in hearing what FCB has to say

 

[zyceoa]

Considering it wasn't against the rules and the PEDs he used weren't even illegal, I don't see the problem. Where was the freaking outrage when these guys were juicing up left and right? Nobody seemed to care during the HR race in 1998.

 

[gamecockfanatic]

Considering it wasn't against the rules and the PEDs he used weren't even illegal, I don't see the problem. Where was the freaking outrage when these guys were juicing up left and right? Nobody seemed to care during the HR race in 1998.

100% agree...

also with the current 3-era system of committees that conduct votes on players in alternate years , falling off the main ballot means literally nothing anymore...bonds will eventually - and rightfully - be in the hall whether its this year or not

 

[MrMet]

Well...steroids have been illegal in the game since 1991, they just didn’t start testing for them until 2003


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[bstanwood]

I grew up a huge fan of Bonds. If you think 2001 is when he started taking them you are wrong. His ego fueled him to do, which is crazy, at the end of 97 after his 40-40 year, he really just needed to finish his career in average fashion to be a shoe in hall of famer. He did it knowing it was wrong. It's all a bit hazy, but I believe Bonds himself admitted his elbow injury in 99 was a result of his steroid use.
I don't feel bad these guys aren't being voted in. I also don't want to hear about amphetamines or gaylord perry, I don't care, this is about the steroid guys, not if it was the same level of what was done in the past.

 

[pootshwan]

Considering it wasn't against the rules and the PEDs he used weren't even illegal, I don't see the problem. Where was the freaking outrage when these guys were juicing up left and right? Nobody seemed to care during the HR race in 1998.

They turned a blind eye because it was good for business just 4 years after the strike.

 

[smapdi]

Homers excite fans. Homers drove TV viewership and attendance. Homers drove sales of newspapers/web traffic. Homers drove player salaries to new heights. No one involved wanted to find any problems with shift in the game to powerball and the video game numbers some players were able to achieve.

 

[RogerMarisCollector61]

Considering it wasn't against the rules and the PEDs he used weren't even illegal, I don't see the problem. Where was the freaking outrage when these guys were juicing up left and right? Nobody seemed to care during the HR race in 1998.

Several of the drugs he took WERE illegal. I don't care if he makes the hall of fame but he was 100% taking illegal drugs. Anabolic steroids, "The Cream", Tetrahydrogestrinone, etc are all very much illegal. Plus the reason "nobody seemed to care in 1998" was that we didn't know they were cheating. I keep seeing a lot of revisionist history around this, but I was a baseball fanatic at the time and neither me nor any of my friends at the time had any clue people might be cheating. It wasn't like on ESPN they were like "Oh here's McGwire up to bat, wow look at the steroid enhanced muscles on this guy!"

 

[Randy Shields]

Several of the drugs he took WERE illegal. I don't care if he makes the hall of fame but he was 100% taking illegal drugs. Anabolic steroids, "The Cream", Tetrahydrogestrinone, etc are all very much illegal. Plus the reason "nobody seemed to care in 1998" was that we didn't know they were cheating. I keep seeing a lot of revisionist history around this, but I was a baseball fanatic at the time and neither me nor any of my friends at the time had any clue people might be cheating. It wasn't like on ESPN they were like "Oh here's McGwire up to bat, wow look at the steroid enhanced muscles on this guy!"

I couldn't agree more. 1998 was the most exciting time in my lifetime for baseball with that home run chase. Nobody and I mean nobody was thinking about steroids. They were cutting into regular TV programming when these guys were coming to bat in September.

McGwire and Sosa literally had people on the edge of their seats, homer by homer. Even chicks were diggin the long ball!
So despite what we now know that excitement we all experienced in '98 can never ever be taken away.

 

[JVHaste]

McGwire and Sosa literally had people on the edge of their seats, homer by homer. Even chicks were diggin the long ball!
So despite what we now know that excitement we all experienced in '98 can never ever be taken away.

Imagine how awesome the ratings would have been if Sosa looked like his modern Pepto self back in '98.

 

[tpeichel]

There are already steroid users in the Hall of Fame.

 

[bongo870]

what drives me nuts is when people say it wasn't against the rules of baseball so it was ok. people. it was against the law. And last time i checked the law is above baseball. One guy said it great when he said kids at the time were looking up to these guys and going all they can to be like them. now Bonds and McGwire and all can afford the best of the best drugs. These kids were buying junk and using that. They were setting the wrong example. but when Bonds got caught using again and said he found the bottle in the locker next to him and just took them. "i didn't know what it was but i took it anyway" like he would just take anything and not know what it is.. come on....

 

[pootshwan]

There are already steroid users in the Hall of Fame.

I've heard suspicion around Piazza, Bagwell, IRod anyone else ?

 

[tpeichel]

I've heard suspicion around Piazza, Bagwell, IRod anyone else ?

I have never even heard suspicion concerning this beloved HOFer, but he went from a skinny, bunting lead-off hitter to a bulked up power hitter. Almost no homers in his first 1200 at bats, then 60 HR his next 1200 at bats. It’s possible it was natural, but it fits the pattern.

 

[WizardofOz1982]

Several of the drugs he took WERE illegal. I don't care if he makes the hall of fame but he was 100% taking illegal drugs. Anabolic steroids, "The Cream", Tetrahydrogestrinone, etc are all very much illegal. Plus the reason "nobody seemed to care in 1998" was that we didn't know they were cheating. I keep seeing a lot of revisionist history around this, but I was a baseball fanatic at the time and neither me nor any of my friends at the time had any clue people might be cheating. It wasn't like on ESPN they were like "Oh here's McGwire up to bat, wow look at the steroid enhanced muscles on this guy!"

There were literally people in the crowd at most Giants game from 1999 on (after he showed up to spring training with a size 11 head looking like the Hulk) holding up signs with pictures of Bonds and syringes with needles at the time. Everybody knew.