MLB looks a lot different from it did two decades ago. Although every season brings with it some changes, one of the most drastic years was 2005, when the league officially introduced drug testing. Names like Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens, and Mark McGwire, among others, became notorious in subsequent years. Despite their tremendous stats, a Hall of Fame induction was out of the question.

Or perhaps it was the more than outstanding stats that made entry into Cooperstown more complicated. There was no way to know what was or wasn’t the result of drug usage, rendering their incredible display essentially useless. Many have fought for fairer treatment of the players from what became known as the ‘Steroid Era’. After Bonds, McGwire is the latest to join the discussion.

Mark McGwire Calls For Better Hall of Fame Chances Like Barry Bonds

The most coveted achievement in baseball, the Hall of Fame, eludes many. While the usual reasons are that there are simply many other eligible players in a particular year, some don’t get the honor because of less than savory reasons. For the players of the Steroid Era, it’s their association with PEDs, whether or not allegations against them ever came to fruition.

Barry Bonds has fought for the same many times, and so has Alex Rodriguez. When asked by Foul Territory whether Mark McGwire felt such treatment was unfair, the former slugger answered in the affirmative.

He felt so strongly about his case that he answered in expletives, agreeing with what the Home Run King has argued before.

“It seems like it, that’s what it is. I think I heard Barry say it the other day. There was no rules, there was no regulations. Believe me, trust me, if there was any rules in place, that stuff would’ve never happened. There was no testing. There was no nothing. And I agree with what Barry was saying – that was the culture,” McGwire tells AJ Pierzynski.

“That’s what was going on back in those days and whatever. I can personally tell you, for me, listen, I didn’t need to do it, I apologize for it. But there was a lot of f—ing hard work that went behind all the s— people want to give me to do what I did.” 

From the former Cardinals player’s point of view, relying only on PEDs was not the way to do it. What went on behind the scenes was more hard work than anything.

Will Cooperstown Ever See These Stars’ Names?

In all honesty, nothing is certain. So far, the narrative has been fixed – most players with tainted pasts have never received enough votes to get into the Hall of Fame. Most of these players’ time is long past, and it’s unlikely that ballots will open for them again.

READ MORE – “Don’t Think He’s Being Consciously Dishonest”- Emmy Honoree Bob Costas Once Expressed His Opinion on Disgraced Legend Mark McGwire’s PED Scandal

But for those still in the race, like Alex Rodriguez, change to shake things up. The retired shortstop still has eight years of eligibility left, with the Writer’s Association introducing new rules every year.

Some fans consider cheating a big no-no and have beef with players for denying PED usage at all. Others argue why wouldn’t a player use every means available to them to ensure victory? As far as they were concerned back then, it was legal.

As for the future, who knows what the next few years will bring? Maybe A-Rod and Bonds will see their names in the MLB Hall of Fame just yet. Or maybe they won’t.

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