Roger Clemens missed out on the Hall of Fame again, garnering just 45 percent of the 75 percent necessary to be elected. And Clemens’ voting was actually up from year’s past. Roy Halladay, briefly Clemens’ teammate in Toronto, wasn’t upset about the “Rocket” not being honored.
When you use PEDs you admit your not good enough to compete fairly! Our nations past time should have higher standards! No Clemens no Bonds!
— Roy Halladay (@RoyHalladay) January 6, 2016
Ken Griffey Jr. Should Have Made The Hall Unanimously
Clemens responded with accusations of his own, clearly tiring of the PED allegations that dog him.
.@rogerclemens gets 45.2% of votes for HOF,up from 37.5last year.The 7time CyYoung winner issued following statement pic.twitter.com/qclbFxRcYW
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) January 7, 2016
Maybe Clemens should lighten up though. While it looks like the steroids reputation will keep him out of the Hall forever, it may be better for him to stay out. Pete Rose, the MLB all-time hit king, remains more relevant than most retired ballplayers largely because the debate still rages about whether he should be let in.
Leaving players with resumes like Clemens and Bonds out of the Hall of Fame will continue the debate about their candidacy. It will perpetuate the memory of the “Steroid Era,” in baseball, but that coincidentally was one of the most-watched eras in baseball history as well. The stigma of steroids use is slowly fading already, with Bonds and Clemens’ numbers rising slightly. If they’re left out in the cold, but the view of their transgressions changes, they could eventually be remembered how they wanted – as some of the best players the sport has ever seen.
