The Hall of Shame: Baseball's Most Despised Players

The National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York, which is known as the Birthplace of Baseball, celebrates and recognizes the contributions of baseball players and other figures. Nearly 400 individuals are inducted in the Hall and almost 300 of them are players. Speaking of the Hall of Fame, there will be a new member to the 2026 Class: Jeff Kent. The reaction to the news was mixed. While some were pleased that Kent will be inducted next year, others expressed their frustrations with the Baseball Hall of Fame for not selecting Barry Bonds. Other players who have missed out on being part of the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame Class were Gary Sheffield, the late Fernando Valenzuela, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Carlos Delgado, and Roger Clemens. This story will primarily be focused on Bonds and the latter player. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will not be eligible again for the committee ballot until 2031. My brutally honest opinions about both of these men aren't going be sugar-coated.

I heavily used the term shame to describe Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, because in the eyes of most baseball fans, they're the most hated individuals that have played the game. I've said this in the stories I've written about the Houston Astros, and I'll say it again: cheating in baseball is an unforgivable act. It's frowned upon and not seen as admirable. Defenders of cheaters who have used steroids would play the whole "Everyone else was doing it, too" card. That tireless excuse no longer holds up in 2025. Players who use performance enhancing drugs to selfishly break records, win awards, or both in order to gain a competitive advantage don't deserve to be praised or celebrated. I refuse to highlight the careers of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, because their careers have already been tainted. Instead, I'll be sharing my two cents about both of these men.

Barry Bonds

To me, I still consider the late, great Hank Aaron as the Home Run King. I'm glad he didn't win a World Series title or is inducted into the Hall of Fame. I'll never understand why many baseball fans continue to cape for this cheater. All of his records should be completely wiped out forever. He still portrays himself as the victim, because Major League Baseball keeps snubbing him for the Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds is the kind of person who refuses to take any accountability and blames others. The league is doing him a favor by remaining banned from Hall of Fame consideration.

Roger Clemens

I'll never acknowledge him as a World Series champion, first and foremost. His dopey, nonchalant demeanor says everything I needed to know about him. Just like Bonds, he doesn't deserve to be in Cooperstown.

Integrity is something that baseball fans like me still care about. I've always had a huge dislike of both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Even if they're eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot again in a few more years, my opinions about them will still be the same. If both of them don't get selected for the 2032 Hall of Fame Class, they'll lose eligibility forever. Both men didn't have the integrity or respect for the game of baseball. They took the easy way out by taking steroids in order to not only gain a competitive advantage, but to selfishly win awards. I know people will come on here and say stuff like "That was a long time ago" or "Get over it." I don't care how good of a player some of y'all think they were. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens had no respect for the game, the fans, the respective organizations they were part of, and most importantly, themselves. They didn't care who they've hurt or how their deceptive, cheating ways have affected the game. Choices have consequences. Both of them had no business being on the Hall of Fame ballot to begin with. There are former players who have never cheated aren't in the Hall of Fame, but these two steroid users appear on a ballot? Make it make sense. I'm not sure what Major League Baseball was thinking of putting these cheaters on a Hall of Fame ballot. Did they do this to try to be funny? Who knows, but Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will always be hated by the court of public opinion. Finally, to those who say that using steroids or other performance enhancing drugs isn't a big deal, you're part of the problem. It is a big deal, because rules against using them were implemented for a reason. Cheaters never win and we don't cater to dishonest people.

The two people I'd love to see inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the near future are Andruw Jones and Lou Piniella. They're who I can think of at the moment, but they deserve to be acknowledged and recognized. What former players besides Bonds and Clemens you'd want on the Hall of Fame ballot? Let me know in the comments below.

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