3 reasons why Barry Bonds deserves to be in the Hall of Fame

Barry Bonds is one of the most controversial figures in sports. On the one hand, he has records in baseball that no one will ever reach. No one will ever hit 73 home runs in a season, especially after Aaron Judge just did the unthinkable and hit 62.

On the other hand, his career is marred by steroid use allegations. His 73 home runs carry an asterisk for many baseball fans. It's tough to consider how good of a player he was because there is a dark steroid cloud hanging over him.

Bonds nearly made it into the Hall of Fame last year. He received 66% of the vote and the threshold is 75%. Unfortunately, that was his final year on the ballot. Modern voters were more forgiving but it wasn't enough. Here's why his omission from the Hall of Fame is a glaring oversight.

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Barry Bonds: Why the hitter should be in the Hall of Fame

3) His numbers prior to alleged steroid use are good enough

It's true that Bonds' career can be separated into two halves: before and after alleged steroid abuse. The numbers before he allegedly began using were already on their way to being good enough to warrant Hall of Fame consideration. That should be enough to justify a hitter with the kind of statistical career he has.

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2) Worse people are in

If the MLB Hall of Fame wants to gatekeep and keep people they deem unworthy out despite their accomplishments, then that is their prerogative. However, it shouldn't just extend to people who allegedly broke a rule that nearly everyone in their era broke.

There are far worse people (in terms of character and morality) in the Hall of Fame than Bonds. Kenesaw Mountain Landis prevented integration as commissioner and he's in. Others have committed s*xual crimes and remain in. Bonds should be in because taking steroids is absolutely not a worse offense than those things.

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1) His records still stand

Teammates congratulate the hitter

The easiest argument for whether or not he should be in the Hall of Fame is that his name is all over the record book. He has done things no one will ever do again and despite what many purists say, there is no asterisk. His records suggest he might have been the best baseball player ever, and he has no Hall of Fame to show for it.

It is because of the steroids, but it shouldn't be. If Major League Baseball wants his records to stay (and they have the power to strike them from the record), then he should be in the Hall of Fame.