One of baseball’s brightest days has turned into a disappointment today. For the first time since 1996, no new members will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The most notable members of this year’s potential class were one-time Pirate Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.
Players like Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, and Clemens may never see Cooperstown because of their involvement during the Steroid Era. Clemens received 37.6 percent of votes and Bonds received 36.2. You need 75 percent to be selected.
For the rest of the players, their numbers are up there with the tops in history at their respective position. Their names are staples within their organizations and within baseball as a whole. But why can’t they’re name become a staple in Cooperstown? Easy. The Steroid Era.
Just being a part of the Era has lately led voters to speculate. It’s a shame that just because the “top dogs” get brought down that players like Piazza, Biggio and Bagwell have to suffer. Hopefully the voters can find someone worthy of their standards for next season’s induction class.
Other names not to make the cut: Mike Stanton, David Wells, Kenny Lofton, Curt Schilling, Bernie Williams, Don Mattingly, and Fred McGriff.
