hof voters sound off on bonds

[west coast orange and black]

An informal Chronicle survey of voters found several who say they'll vote for him for enshrinement in Cooperstown, N.Y., despite the latest blast of evidence against him, this time in book form.

yea:
bob nightengale, usa today sports weekly
phil rogers, chicago tribune
mike klis, denver post
john henderson, tampa tribune
doug krikorian, long beach press-telegram
bob elliott, toronto sun
tracy ringolsby, rocky mountain news
dan mcgrath, chicago tribune.

nay:
hal bodley, usa today
dave van dyck, chicago tribune
ken rosenthal, foxsports.com
hal mccoy, dayton daily news
larry stone, seattle times
bill plaschke, los angeles times
bob klapisch, espn.com

-tom fitzgerald, sf chronicle staff writer, friday, 10 march 2006

the chronicle story

[johnny]

An informal Chronicle survey of voters found several who say they'll vote for him for enshrinement in Cooperstown, N.Y., despite the latest blast of evidence against him, this time in book form.

yea:
bob nightengale, usa today sports weekly
phil rogers, chicago tribune
mike klis, denver post
john henderson, tampa tribune
doug krikorian, long beach press-telegram
bob elliott, toronto sun
tracy ringolsby, rocky mountain news
dan mcgrath, chicago tribune.

nay:
hal bodley, usa today
dave van dyck, chicago tribune
ken rosenthal, foxsports.com
hal mccoy, dayton daily news
larry stone, seattle times
bill plaschke, los angeles times
bob klapisch, espn.com

-tom fitzgerald, sf chronicle staff writer, friday, 10 march 2006

the chronicle story

Interesting the extent that this polarizes people. I see writers on both sides of this issue that I respect going in different directions. I wonder at what point a consensus builds OR if it at some point goes in a Pete Rose situation and the Commiss takes it out of the hands of the writers.
The writers were pretty ticked off when that happened -even the ones that wouldn't have voted him in.

Of course, if Barry keeps up with his 'tude like at the press conference the other day he may have even fewer writers voting for him.

[KHenry14]

The question of the HOF and Barry will be very interesting. I wondering if the five year wait will soften people's opinion of Barry, especially since he's unlikely to hang around baseball much after he's gone from the game.

KH14

[west coast orange and black]

^^ good point, henry.
bonds has not ever declared interest in coaching or anything like that.
he will, however, be named "special advisor" to the giants, à la mays and mccovey.

[johnny]

The question of the HOF and Barry will be very interesting. I wondering if the five year wait will soften people's opinion of Barry, especially since he's unlikely to hang around baseball much after he's gone from the game.

KH14

Do you think the upcoming Big Mac HOF vote will be a harbinger of things to come for Barry?

[KHenry14]

Do you think the upcoming Big Mac HOF vote will be a harbinger of things to come for Barry?

It might, now that Mac has been taken down off his good-guy pedestal. The only difference now is that McGwire was no where near the player that Barry was and is, so Barry may get some votes that Mark might not get because of that. But the war between Barry and the media can't help Barry's cause, even 5 years from now. Writer's have long memories.

KH14

[johnny]

It might, now that Mac has been taken down off his good-guy pedestal. The only difference now is that McGwire was no where near the player that Barry was and is, so Barry may get some votes that Mark might not get because of that. But the war between Barry and the media can't help Barry's cause, even 5 years from now. Writer's have long memories.

KH14

Very very true and while it shouldn't matter being human those writers may have some axe's yet to grind.

[west coast orange and black]

i firmly believe that bonds will gain entrance on the first vote of eligibility.
there are those voters who already believe that this ought to be the case, and time will soften the blow, especially because i fully expect that no new news will be brought forward.

anderson, having done his time, will continue to be quiet. as will conte. also, there are no other documents to be discovered. who would have them?

lastly, maybe some of the writers who are currently voicing displeasure with bonds will realize that hundreds of players used, and to come down hard on bonds would be unfair.

have any of the infamous "5-7%" admitted use?

[KHenry14]

I hadn't thought of that, but in 5 years we may have a whole number of players who come clean/get caught/admit under oath about being users. so the stigma that is going around now may not be such a big deal in 2011.

KH14

[west coast orange and black]

according to the transcripts* of the supposedly leaked testimony of the federal grand jury in san francisco, the smaller the bird, the more singing that was heard. with giambi being the exception.

i do not expect players to start admitting use unless they are sworn before congress. which, i believe, is being scheduled as we type and read.

*transcripts, and individual jury members

[KCGHOST]

As much as I loathe Barry Bonds as a person I find it hard to ignore his baseball work prior to 2000. Unless you get into one of those "fruit-of-the-forbidden-tree" style arguments I think you have to vote him in.