Hall of Fame snub for Barry Bonds is 'insane': World Series champion

If Darryl Strawberry had his way, Barry Bonds would be in Cooperstown.

During a recent interview on "The Ricky Cobb Show," the 62-year-old eight-time All-Star was asked if players like Bonds, who have ties to performance enhancing drugs, should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Strawberry stated that if you examine the list of Hall of Fame players, someone has accomplished something. However, it's important to acknowledge that no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and falls short.

"Seeing guys who played year after year and competed, putting their bodies through what they had to endure, not being recognized for their achievements on the ball field is insane."

"You cannot exclude some individuals while including others, as some people are aware of the actions of those who did the same thing. However, you are excluding others and pointing fingers at them, saying they did not contribute. Yet, you allowed those who did wrong to enter, while those who accomplished great things were excluded. Why not allow both groups to participate, as they have achieved success on the field?"

Although Bonds has won seven National League MVP awards, been an All-Star 14 times, won 12 Silver Slugger awards, eight Gold Gloves, and holds the records for most home runs, walks, and intentional walks in MLB history, he is not in the Hall of Fame.

Despite testing positive for steroids three times in his career, he was never able to make the Hall of Fame during the 10 years he was on the writers' ballot.

Although he may be eligible for election by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in the future, he won't be able to be voted on until 2026.

Last month, the Pittsburgh Pirates inducted Bonds into their Hall of Fame, while the San Francisco Giants retired his No. 25 in 2018.

Despite being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022, a New York Times report revealed that Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz tested positive for a banned substance in 2003 during an anonymous survey. However, the substance was never made public and Ortiz has never admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career.

In 2022, Bonds received 66% of the vote, while Ortiz got 77.9%, just barely clearing the 75% benchmark for induction.

Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, according to Strawberry, who considers him one of his childhood idols.

"I admired Charlie Hustle, Pete Rose, who played for the Dodgers and was known for his impressive hustle and dedication to the game. His uniform was always dirty, which was a testament to his hard work and commitment to excellence. If you want to succeed in baseball, you must be willing to put in the effort and work hard, just like Charlie Hustle did."

"Pete Rose's playing style taught me that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and I hope that one day he will be recognized for his contributions to baseball."

MLB's all-time hit leader, Rose, was given a lifetime ban for gambling on the sport during his career.

In Major League Baseball, Strawberry played for 17 seasons. He was named rookie of the year with the New York Mets in 1983 and was a part of the team that won the World Series in 1986.

In 1996 and 1998, Strawberry won World Series titles with the New York Yankees, and he ended his career with 335 home runs and 1,000 RBI.

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