Mark Madden: Exclusion of Barry Bonds shows how Baseball Hall of Fame is a joke

Barry Bonds has rarely groused publicly about his exclusion from the Baseball Hall of Fame. But he presented his case thusly on a recent podcast:

“I was vindicated. I went to court, I was in federal court, and I won my case, 100 percent. Where is the vindication of me in my own sport? That’s what bothers me.

“I belong with my teammates in that Hall of Fame. One hundred percent.”

Bonds is referring to his indictment by a federal grand jury on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying under oath during an investigation into steroid use among pro athletes. That was in 2007. A mistrial was declared four years later.

That might not quite equate to 100 percent vindication. Bonds served 30 days of house arrest related to the obstruction of justice charge.

But Bonds made another statement that’s 100 percent on the mark: “Major League Baseball, and let’s get this clearly and straight, had a rule and has rules, OK? My era, there was no rules.”

Bonds added that his MLB records still stand. They haven’t been disqualified.

Bonds owns too many records to conveniently list. Most prominent are career home runs (762) and home runs in a single season (73, hit in 2001). Bonds also won seven league MVP awards, the most ever.

Bonds has often said “they don’t like me.” “They” refers to almost everybody.

That’s what Bonds’ absence from Cooperstown is about. They don’t like him.

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Bonds never flunked a steroids test. He used, that’s certain, but never tested positive.

David Ortiz reportedly did, during MLB’s survey testing in 2003. That was prior to punitive testing that started in 2004.

If you want to say there was no MLB rule against PEDs in 2003, that’s exactly Bonds’ point about “his era.” There were no rules prior to 2004. That excuse applies to Bonds just as easily as it does Ortiz.

Except Ortiz flunked a test. Bonds didn’t.

But Ortiz, despite the positive test, got into the Hall of Fame in 2022. In his first year on the ballot, no less.

That’s because Ortiz is liked. He’s a lovable buffoon, a cartoon character.

When Halls of Fame evaluate and ignore and induct based on “like” and “don’t like,” said Hall of Fame is a useless exercise. (They all do, and all are.)

I’m not pleading Bonds’ case for the Hall of Fame. It’s obvious, but he’s never getting in.

I’m not saying Bonds is a sympathetic figure. He’s thoroughly unlikeable. We in Pittsburgh showed up early to that party.

But the Baseball Hall of Fame is a joke.

Ex-commissioner Bud Selig is in the Hall of Fame. He presided over MLB’s steroids era, turning a blind eye when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa waged their home run race in 1998. That chase of Roger Maris’ single-season home run mark catapulted baseball back to prominence after a labor dispute canceled the 1994 World Series.

Also turning a blind eye was the baseball media. Many of those same members of the media vote on who makes the Hall of Fame.

McGwire and Sosa were so obviously gassed to the gills. But the same journalists who ignored that refused to vote them into the Hall of Fame years later. Total hypocrites.

I should start my own Hall of Fame comprised of those who should be in Cooperstown but aren’t.

Bonds is a good place to start. I’d induct Roger Clemens, who has 354 wins. Pete Rose, baseball’s all-time hit leader. Shoeless Joe Jackson, whose lifetime average of .356 is third-best ever. Alex Rodriguez, a three-time MVP with 696 career home runs. Sosa, who hit 609 home runs. McGwire, who hit 583. Rafael Palmeiro, who hit 569.

Former Pirate Dave Parker isn’t in, likely because of his part in a cocaine scandal. Dick Allen of Wampum in Lawrence County, was the anti-Ortiz. He’s not in because he was surly.

My Hall of Fame could kick Cooperstown’s backside. (The omissions of Rose and Jackson, it should be noted, are another debate altogether. Rose bet on baseball. Jackson helped throw the 1919 World Series, though he was acquitted by a jury.)

One thing to note about those who “cheated:” They got to keep the money. Bonds’ house arrest wasn’t akin to 30 days at San Quentin.