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Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are probably on their last at-bats to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Both missed their final attempt to secure a spot in Cooperstown through the Contemporary Era Committee on Sunday. The 16-member panel voted for former San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros star Jeff Kent to earn his place in the hallowed halls.
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Second baseman Jeff Kent #21 of the San Francisco Giants walks the infield during the MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 19, 2002 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Baseball Hall of Fame President Jane Forbes Clark said Monday that she believed Clemens and Bonds were denied again because committee members evaluated those who thrived in the steroid era the same way they did baseball writers.
“I’m not surprised because I think there’s overlap and obviously discussions between writers and we have writers represented on this committee,” Clark said.
Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs during his career. Clemens maintains he never used a PED either. President Donald Trump also threw his support behind Clemens ahead of the commission’s vote.
ROGER CLEMENS AND BARRY BONDS MISS LAST CHANCE TO ENTER BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
In this July 19, 2007, file photo, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hits a three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago. (AP Photo/Mr. Spencer Green, file)
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced last March that candidates receiving fewer than five votes among the panel’s 16 members would not be eligible for that committee’s ballot in the next three-year cycle. A candidate who is later rejected, reappears on a ballot and again obtains less than five votes, will no longer be able to appear at the polls.
If Clemens and Bonds reappear on the commission’s ballot in 2031 and don’t get five votes, they won’t be able to appear again unless the rules are changed again.
New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens (22) delivers against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. (Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports)
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“The great thing is this is going to open up spots on the ballot so more people can be looked at,” Clark said. “They can definitely come back in six years, in 1931, but until then other people will have their chance because I think it’s really important.”
