Miami Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds (that’s weird to write) has the numbers to back up claims that he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The all-time leader in home runs (762) and walks (2,558), Bonds is one of the most feared hitters in the history of the game. From a pure baseball standpoint, he’s up there with the likes of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron as a true legend.
The obvious sticking point here has been his connection with performance enhancing drugs in an era where that type of banned activity was commonplace.
As we continue to find ourselves separated further from Bonds’ career, the conversation regarding his alleged Steroid use and whether he deserves a spot in Cooperstown has not died down.
Add the soon-to-be enshrined Ken Griffey Jr. to the list of respected individuals that believe Bonds himself should be in the Hall of Fame.
When posed with a question regarding Bonds’ credentials, “The Kid” had this to say:
“Yeah. I think that overall, when you look what people have done, yeah. It’s not my vote, so I can’t vote for him,” Griffey said, via the Associated Press. “But if you look at what he’s done, those numbers speak for themselves.”
This is likely a debate that’s going to continue raging until either the old guard of Hall of Fame voters are placed by a new generation or some from the Steroid era are inducted into Cooperstown by the current cast of voters.
What we do know is that Bonds’ stats speak for themselves. We also know that voters have not necessarily been friendly to those linked to Steroids.
In order to be voted into the Hall of Fame, a player needs 75 percent of the vote. With six years of eligibility remaining, Bonds has yet to even cross the 50 percent threshold.
Though, the Marlins hiring Bonds as their hitting coach could go a long way in terms of the baseball community starting to accept the all-time home run leader back into the box. If so, that could impact his ability to earn a Cooperstown nod moving forward.
As for Griffey Jr., he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this upcoming July. He’s also one of a select few from his era that was not linked to PED use.
