The Baseball Writers Association has voted and the Hall of Fame votes are in. With some notable absences though. Netizens are reacting starkly to the vote. Having excluding arguably the finest stat lines in a generation in both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in their final year of eligibility, fans appear to be disappointed. However, as always the Twitter-verse threw up some thoroughly entertaining reactions. So sit back and enjoy what is likely to be a journey in itself.
Barry Bonds’ stat line shows him to be one of the finest players to grace home plate. And fans were shocked at his non-inclusion.
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Barry bonds once again not elected into the HOF? Somebody please try explaining this one. 🤯🤯🤯
— Anthony Rizzo (@ARizzo44) January 26, 2022
Another fan saw a pattern in the allotments for the Hall Of Fame.
MLB’s all-time hits leader (Pete Rose), all-time HR leader (Barry Bonds), and all-time Cy Young leader (Roger Clemens) are all NOT in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) January 25, 2022
Even experienced Baseball writters like Jeff Passan took to reacting to Bonds’ non-inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Stating that it would be a failed mission at Cooperstown if he wasn’t included.
Considering that the mission would have been singular. To preserve history.
Barry Bonds belongs in the Hall of Fame. And if he's not there by the end of today, the museum has failed at its stated mission: preserve history.
Column, free and unlocked, at ESPN: https://t.co/BPWmY55KNz pic.twitter.com/NqeipvNMlV
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 25, 2022
Another fan reacted that his non inclusion had somewhat turned him off the sport in all.
In his final year on the Hall of Fame ballot, Barry Bonds ended up at 66 percent. One of the best players in baseball history won't be in a museum about baseball.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) January 25, 2022
I used to go to Cooperstown every other year. I haven't been in 9 years and won't go until Bonds and Clemens are in. My son is 8 and has never been there. There's no point in going. I don't support poorly run businesses.
— Mike Gallagher (@gallagwar) January 25, 2022
If he’s not in. Cancel the HOF!!!!!! https://t.co/5OaXCEhVQo
— JuJu Da Gamer (@JuJu_Da_Gamer) January 25, 2022
Barry Bonds’ Stat Line
Others still simply took to Twitter to announce the insane stat line that Bonds had serviced over his playing career.
The 2021 NL MVP: 1.044 OPS, 35 homers, 5.9 WAR
Barry Bonds' AVERAGE season for 22 years: 1.051 OPS, 35 homers, 7.4 WAR
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) January 25, 2022
Comparing Bonds to Ortiz would be considered unfair by some commentators but when it comes to their inclusion in the Hall of Fame, Ortiz is in and Bonds is not. But a careful look at their stats may just have you reconsidering.
David Ortiz’s career OBP: .380.
Barry Bonds’ career OBP if you turned all 762 of his home runs into outs: .384.
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) January 25, 2022
Bonds was a feared hitter over his baseball career and it shows. Infact, the hitter was intentionally walked more than any other player in baseball history. How much more?
Most intentional walks with 1st base occupied since IBBs started being officially tracked in 1955:
Barry Bonds, 81 <—– not a typo
Miguel Cabrera, 15
George Brett, 14
Willie Stargell, 13
Ryan Howard, 13
Hank Aaron, 11
Willie McCovey, 11
Harmon Killebrew, 11
Mike Trout, 11— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) January 26, 2022
Read More: Barry Bonds Likely to Miss Out on Last Chance at MLB Hall of Fame
Barry Bonds’ Playing Career
Some fans even took to looking back at Bonds’ past records to establish a keen eye test for the player. Needless to say, we think he passed with flying colors.
A compilation of Barry Bonds launching balls into McCovey Cove for your viewing pleasure pic.twitter.com/5ddwO9qV0B
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) January 25, 2022
Barry Bonds says this is the furthest ball he’s ever hit. I think it still hasn’t landed tbh pic.twitter.com/ltIFHQCbDR
— Baseball (@mlbelites_) January 13, 2022
Bonds retired as the leading home rune scorer with 762 homers to his name. And his stat line reflects that. And while there exist salacious rumors regarding his use of certain PEDs, fans pointed out that he had a stellar season even prior to that.
Barry Bonds was accused of first testing positive for PEDs in November 2000.
Barry Bonds stats before Nov. 2000:
• 15 seasons
• .289 BA
• .412 OBP
• .979 OPS
• 494 HR
• 2,157 hits
• 1,014 XBH
• 1,405 RBI
• 111.4 WAR (19th-most all-time)3x MVP | 8x SS | 8x GG | 9x AS pic.twitter.com/KCR9EYZURo
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) January 25, 2022
And while another fan pointed out that his averages saw some out of the ordinary revival in the latter stages of his career, that myth too was quickly busted.
Sit down? 🤣 He won 3 MVP awards before ever touching the sauce. He has two separate Hall of Fame careers
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) January 25, 2022
A Fans Hero
Several fans however took to Twitter to announce that irrespective of the announcement, Bonds would remain a hero to them. And while there are still chances that Bonds will be featured at Cooperstown; it still seems as though he is hard done by. And while some fans took the humor route, some made their thoughts known another way.
My thoughts on Barry Bonds not being elected to the Hall of Fame.pic.twitter.com/5BqbgoLbxL
— Jeff Young (@BaseballJeff1) January 25, 2022
Bonds though, has been long vitiated in the eyes of fans and several took to Twitter to say that he was already in the Hall of Fame if it was to be upto them.
Barry Bonds is a Hall of Famer with or without the approval of the BBWAA.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) January 25, 2022
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Barry Bonds greatest player of all time
— P-Lo (@p_lo) January 25, 2022
Just a reminder that Barry Bonds is the greatest baseball player who ever lived and no arbitrary “class” voted on by the media changes that fact. pic.twitter.com/FOqNpDkDbA
— Jordan Ramirez (@JRAM) January 25, 2022
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