Bonds says Rose, McGwire belong in Hall of Fame

[KFDM COOP]

Bonds says Rose, McGwire belong in Hall of Fame

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Barry Bonds thinks Mark McGwire and Pete Rose belong in the Hall of Fame.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America elected Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn to the Hall last week, but denied McGwire. The former slugger ranks seventh on the career list with 583 home runs, but his legacy was tarnished when he stonewalled Congress two years ago amid accusations of steroid use.

"I congratulate Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn for their induction to the Hall of Fame because they were great ballplayers," Bonds said Wednesday in the Dominican Republic. "But I also think McGwire and Pete Rose should be in Cooperstown."

The 23.5 percent vote McGwire received represented the first referendum on how history will judge an age when bulked-up players came under suspicion of using performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball didn't ban steroids until after the 2002 season.

Hall of Fame voters might face a similar decision on Bonds, who is under investigation by a federal grand jury as to whether he perjured himself when he testified in 2003 in the BALCO steroid distribution case that he hadn't knowingly taken any performance-enhancing drugs.

Rose, meanwhile, was given a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 for betting on the sport, something he denied for years. The career hits leader with 4,256, Rose has never appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot but received four write-in votes this year.

Arriving in the Dominican Republic for the Juan Marichal Golf Classic, Bonds told reporters he expects to become baseball's career home run leader this season.

"I'm sure I'm going to break the record this year," said the San Francisco left fielder, who needs 22 homers to surpass Hank Aaron's mark of 755. "But right now I'm just thinking about golf."

Bonds declined to discuss ongoing negotiations with the Giants over his contract, or his reported positive test for amphetamines last year.

Bonds hit .270 with 26 home runs and 77 RBIs for San Francisco last season.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

[CATS80]

Sounds like one cheater backing the others

[trout]

They all should be in the Hall because of what they did on the field.

[Lucky]

What about what they did off the field.............. to help them on the field?

[Guest bigcat]

Kind of like shooting up a race horse. give him enough speed, he will probably win the race. Cheating is cheating, on or off the field.

[CATS80]

A cheater is a cheater!

A crook is a crook!

And they deserve nothing!

[Htexans90]

i dont think any player that used or did anything to enhance their performance should be allowed in, but Rose, he didnt do anything to effect his play, he was one of the greatest hitters, hustlers, players of all time, he should definately be in there..

[Guest emonarch777]

i dont think any player that used or did anything to enhance their performance should be allowed in, but Rose, he didnt do anything to effect his play, he was one of the greatest hitters, hustlers, players of all time, he should definately be in there..

Preach on man.

[Guest jld510]

i dont think any player that used or did anything to enhance their performance should be allowed in, but Rose, he didnt do anything to effect his play, he was one of the greatest hitters, hustlers, players of all time, he should definately be in there..

He didn't use anything to enhance his play, that we know of, but he was guilty of the same crime that kept Shoeless Joe Jackson out of baseball.  Only difference is that Joe Jackson maintained his innocence until his last breath, Pete Rose admitted to the "crime".

[bloodclot]

He didn't use anything to enhance his play, that we know of, but he was guilty of the same crime that kept Shoeless Joe Jackson out of baseball.  Only difference is that Joe Jackson maintained his innocence until his last breath, Pete Rose admitted to the "crime".

Not exactly...

Jackson's betting revolved around his own team and games he played in...which had an affect on the game's outcome.

Rose's betting was NOT on his own team or games he was involved in, just on other baseball teams.

At least that's the way I heard/read/seen it.

Rose should be in the Hall of Fame...PERIOD.

Anyone that doesn't feel that way does not realize his accomplishments and the level of difficulty involved.  Which is why it is so difficult to get into the baseball HOF.  Heck, in football any slightly above-avg bozo gets in...in baseball you actually have to be special.

[Htexans90]

its so ridiculous that rose isnt in...

[CATS80]

Rules are rules!

Its not up to us to say who can break one and who cant.

End of story.

[Htexans90]

thats y they need to change them...