Editorials

Brandon McCarthy Gives Take On Suspected PED Users, Hall Of Fame

Brandon McCarthy
After the Hall of Fame elected four new members this past week, there were some significant names that did not make the cut because of performance-enhancing drug suspicion, including the all-time leader in home runs.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are the two biggest names that are being held out on a large percentage of votes because of PEDs. Though the two were never suspended for PEDs, or ever convicted of using the, the cloud surrounding them is too big for most voters.



In an essay for The Players Tribune, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brandon McCarthy gave his take on the exclusion of those suspected of PED use:

Until a rule is established to explicitly ban proven steroid users, voters should respect the main purpose of the Hall of Fame: to create a comprehensive, all-encompassing look at the history of baseball. Any truthful telling of that history would recognize Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens as two of the best to ever play. Inside the Hall of Fame, the steroid era can be addressed however is deemed fit—with qualifiers, categories, or explainers—but ignoring it altogether is just taking the easy way out.

MLB now has rules to suspend players caught using PEDs, but back during the era of Bonds and Clemens, there was no structured testing. It is believed that a large number of players were using during that time. While some of the players with the cloud around them will likely make the Hall of Fame eventually, McCarthy doesn’t want them penalized by voters if they weren’t convicted. The difference in opinions on the subject has been debated for years and will continue to be debated for years to come, unless a change in the rule is made.

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Vincent Samperio

Vince is currently the Associate Editor and Social Media Manager for Dodgers Nation. Hailing from San Pedro, CA and a student at Cal State Long Beach, Vince has previously written for the Daily 49er and LASF Magazine.

3 Comments

  1. Good for McCarthy in speaking up. I agree the HOF is for performance on the field. Bonds, Clements, McGuire and Sosa are shunned because of PED use. Bonds and Clements have never been convicted of steroid use. As I have said in other blogs morals change every generation there are Wife Beaters, Racists and Cheaters in the HOF. It is not about how they were as people it is about their exploits on the field. Also it has never actually been proven that PED use helps
    on-field performance, not that it matters. That era of baseball had a very large percentage of users. There are users in the HOF. Let it go celebrate the game. I am in my 60’s Bonds is one of the best players I have ever seen and I was privileged to see Mays, Arron, Clemente, Mantle, Maris, and others. McGuire and Sosa brought baseball back after the strike remember the excitement of every day seeing if another HR was hit? That should be celebrated and they should in my opinion be in the HOF. They saved baseball.

  2. Agreed, add Pete Rose as well. This is about the greatest players to play the game, not about the game’s politics. Rose, Clemens and Bonds are among the best of the best. Steroids were around way before the 90’s. There are steroid users already in the hall.

  3. Then how about Shoeless Joe? Highest BA, only homer in the series, and no errors! His only crime is he took the cash, but he didn’t throw the series.

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