Thursday, March 28

Here’s where baseball should put Bonds, Clemens and Schilling


Former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz celebrates his election to the baseball hall of fame with his father Leo Ortiz, left, MLB Hall of Fame Pedro Martinez, center, and Fernando Cuzza, right, moments after receiving the news in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

It’s hard to say who’s worthy of enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This much is certain: Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens belong in the Hall of Infamous; Put Curt Schilling in the Hall of Famous.

Bonds, Clemens and Schilling saw their eligibility expire when voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was revealed on Tuesday. They can get in later if they’re selected by a special committee, but that route is considered less prestigious.

The writers have sent a clear message: Abhorrent behavior without atonement isn’t worthy of the sport’s highest honor.

That’s why David Ortiz made it safely.

8/7/07 8:55:14 PM -- San Francisco, CA, USA -- Barry Bonds home run chase -- San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds hits home run number 756 off Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik breaking Hank Aaron's all-time Major League Baseball career home run record of 755 on 7/8/07 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA becoming the career all-time home run record holder.  Photo by Jack Gruber, USA TODAY Staff ORG XMIT: JG 32393 BONDS RECORD 7/8/2007 (Via MerlinFTP Drop) ORG XMIT: Q1P-0708080029384981 (Via MerlinFTP Drop)

Bonds is the all-time home run leader. Clemens has more Cy Young Awards than any other pitcher in history. But they both were credibly connected to performance-enhancing drugs.

Schilling’s statistics take a little longer to contextualize, but no one has ever been harder to get over on than Curt Schilling in his prime. Too bad, he’s been in the news so often for racist and whiskered comments and social media posts.




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