A: Rose definitely deserves to get in on merit, first ballot HOFer. I might let him in after 20 years. That's enough punishment for what he did. We're all human so I'd err on the side of forgiveness. As for steroids, practically everyone was doing it and the league looked the other way (they benefitted big time from the explosion of HRs). I'm not a fan of making a few visible guys like Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Clemens the scapegoats.
There is no doubt in my mind that Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens belong in the HOF. Bonds will be inducted this summer. Clemens has failed to make the cut 10 times. I have little doubt that he would've been a first ballot HOFer had he not used steroids.
Q: I would agree about forgiving Rose. He is an old man now and has served his penance so let him in. The steroid guys were the best in their era but would they have been without the juice?
A: a) I think steroid use was pervasive and b) the crackdown was largely after the fact. There was a big window where this was all new, the adverse long-term effects not known and the rules not crystal clear and enforced. On top of that, incentives matter. Initially the league looked the other way because they benefited and didn't want to believe it would harm the athletes. Kind of reminds me of concussions and football. This was a systemic problem which is why I'm opposed to singling out a few individuals and have them take the fall. For any organization, the best they can do is to admit a mistake, clean it up and move on. Take responsibility! After all, we're all human and make mistakes. I think most fans will relate, appreciate the honesty and forgive.
~ Kevin Duffy, email exchange, September 24, 2024
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