Astros superstar's Cooperstown case over Bonds, Clemens explained by sportscaster

Veteran Houston Astros All-Star Jose Altuve signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the team in 2024, spending nearly two decades with the franchise that signed him in 2007.

The 34-year-old has earned nine All-Star selections with two World Series titles with the Astros, along with an American League MVP title in the run-up to the 2017 Fall Classic. His glittering resume has often earned praise from experts, hailing him as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

However, during an episode of "Baseball Today," a fan asked renowned MLB sportscaster Chris Rose about Altuve's Hall of Fame chances despite his involvement in the infamous Astros' sign-stealing scandal. The fan argued that MLB legends Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens should also be in Cooperstown, overlooking their alleged PED use.

Rose, while advocating Bonds and Clemens' induction into the Hall of Fame, made a case for Jose Altuve's Cooperstown induction. He said on his podcast (28:00 onwards):

"I think they look at Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens as those who cheated the game, individually. That it wasn't some sort of group effort, that they just did it on their own. That they were selfish that they didn't care. I've been on the record as saying if I had a Hall of Fame vote, I'd have voted both those guys in.

"With Jose Altuve, I think there's going to be enough time in between 2017 and whenever, five years after he's done playing to where people aren't gonna care. I mean, Carlos Beltran is already up making moves and he's gonna get in soon, and he apparently was one of the guys that designed the whole thing. Depending on what you believe Jose Altuve is one of the guys who said, 'I don't want to utilize it.'"

Although Chris Rose felt there should have been more defiance from Jose Altuve during the scandal in their run through to the 2017 World Series, Rose feels it cannot be pinpointed to one person. He added:

"Should he have taken more of a leadership stance? Yes. Ultimately, should the organization have done a better job? Absolutely! And I think that's probably why it's going to be hard to pinpoint. I personally would let them in."

MLB broadcaster shares his stance on Astros players' Cooperstown induction

Chris Rose also argued that if Jose Altuve was kept out of Cooperstown for his involvement in the sign-stealing scandal, then they should not induct Carlos Beltran or three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander.

"People will say, 'Well, keep them all out.' Sure, I suppose If you're going to do that, then I would say no Beltran, no Altuve, and I mean, if you want to take it as far as no Justin Verlander, because he benefited from it as well, even though obviously he wasn't at the plate."

The BBWAA continues with their stern stance against Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens over their alleged PED use, and it'd be interesting to see how they will treat the likes of Jose Altuve and Justin Verlander when they contend for Cooperstown induction.