"Cooperstown is next"; "Steroid cheater" - MLB fans react as Barry Bonds gets inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame
MLB's home run king Barry Bonds was honored by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday after he was inducted into the franchise's Hall of Fame. He was joined by fellow inductees Jim Leyland and Manny Sanguillen as the 2024 class.
Bonds started his iconic MLB career with the Pirates in 1986 and remained with the team for seven years. He helped the team to three successive NL East titles while claiming the first two of seven NL MVP accolades.
The 14-time All-Star wore a gold jacket to the event and stood next to the plaque bearing his name inside the left-center field gates at PNC Park.
MLB fans reacted to Barry Bonds' induction while the league continues to ignore his candidature for the Baseball Hall of Fame because of allegations of PED usage during his career.
"Steroid cheater Barry Bonds. No one else has ever used steroids in the MLB so why should he be in the HOF," alleged a fan.
"Cooperstown is next!" contradicted a fan.
"I don’t care what anyone else says, steroids have a minimal effect on being able to hit 95mph fastballs," argued another fan.
The fans remained divided in their opinion of Bonds' induction to the Pirates Hall of Fame.
"Not sure how I feel about this. But I’ll survive," wrote a fan.
"Indisputable GOAT. No one will ever touch Bonds’ talent and longevity. Put him in the damn hall!" argued antoher fan.
"He'd better enjoy it, it's the only HOF he's getting into," mocked a fan.
Barry Bonds' absence from the Baseball Hall of Fame remains a topic of hot debate among fans. Although there is no disputing his eye-catching offensive numbers, allegations of steroid use later in his career continue to haunt his MLB legacy.
Barry Bonds was reunited with his former manager Jim Leyland
Barry Bonds' MLB career and Jim Leyland's managerial career with the Pirates started simultaneously in 1986. While their qualities were unknown at the time, the duo forged a stellar partnership, helping the team to record highs together.
“Hey, we grew up together,” Leyland said per MLB.com. “He was a rookie player. I was a rookie manager. So we suffered some time to learn the game up here at this level, to learn what it took to play at this level. I needed to find out what it took to manage at this level. But we were always together.”
Leyland oversaw the team's three consecutive NL East titles and received two Manager of the Year accolades with the team before joining the Miami Marlins (then Florida Marlins) in 1996. He helped the Marins to a World Series title in 1997 and the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee honored him with induction to Cooperstown in 2024.