"I'd be terribly disappointed if I don't get in" - New York Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez discusses Hall of Fame, contemplates the possibility of not making the cut
Alex Rodriguez has all the statistics to be enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame, but the taint of a suspension for PED use clouds his chances. The New York Yankees legend was suspended for the entirety of the 2014 season after testing positive for steroids. The man lovingly referred to as A-Rod was one of the best players in baseball for his entire 22-year career, but that black mark on his record might derail his Hall of Fame hopes.
We recently witnessed Hall of Fame voters denying Barry Bonds entry into Cooperstown over alleged steroid usage, for which Bonds was never suspended.
Despite Rodriguez's 14 All-Star seasons and three MVP years, the New York Yankees slugger understands that he might never achieve what so many baseball players strive their entire careers to attain.
Alex Rodriguez recently shared his opinion on the matter in a call with MLB reporters, as posted by Toronto Star Sports on Twitter.
Alex Rodriguez on Hall of Fame: ‘I hope I get in one day’ thestar.com/sports/basebal…
"Alex Rodriguez on Hall of Fame: ‘I hope I get in one day’" - @ Toronto StarSports
Could the 2014 suspension bar A-Rod's entry too?
Hall of Fame voters are unlikely to overlook Alex Rodriguez's suspension
The select few who have an MLB Hall of Fame vote are a very traditionalist bunch, who feel it their duty to protect the game and uphold its integrity. This sense of duty is what prevented Barry Bonds, the all-time home run leader with a whopping 762, and Roger Clemens, one of the best pitchers of the last 30 years, from being inducted into Hall of Fame.
If the voters didn't allow the best hitter in baseball history and one of the best pitchers in the last 50 years into the Hall of Fame, it is unlikely Alex Rodriguez will make the cut. Playing for three teams in his 22-year career, the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees, the third baseman ended his storied career fourth on the all-time home run list, with an astounding 696.
ESPN contextualized just how great these three players were via a tweet.
There are 31 players in MLB history that have produced at least 100 career WAR.
Three of them are not in the Hall of Fame and they were all on the 2022 ballot (Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez). https://t.co/NLgrq5RNtD
"There are 31 players in MLB history that have produced at least 100 career WAR. Three of them are not in the Hall of Fame and they were all on the 2022 ballot (Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez)." - @ ESPN Stats & Info
The New York Yankees legend has moved on from his playing career and is now a broadcaster for ESPN. His fight to make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame remains an uphill battle, one he has accepted he might not win.