Next month, the Pittsburgh Pirates will announce the initial inductees into their new Pirates Hall of Fame.
While there are dozens of players that could and should be in the Hall of Fame names like Clemente, Stargell, Wagner and Mazeroski are all possibilities.
But what about Barry Bonds. His impact on baseball is without question, but he isn’t a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame due to the steroid scandal.
Baseball Hall of Fame voter Ron Cook has gone on record multiple times saying he has never and will never vote for Bonds to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
Talking about the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame class, Cook said on Friday that he wouldn’t put Bonds in that one either.
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Cook has Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente and Josh Gibson as his top three. (The Pirates will also honor the stars of the local Negro League teams, the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords).
Cook rounds out his top five with Willie Stargell and Steve Blass.
Cook & Joe producer Matt Koll says that Bonds should “unequivocally yes” be a member eventually.
“Before he even played a game for the San Francisco Giants he was a two-time N.L. MVP, three-time Silver Slugger, won three Gold Gloves, so if you’re not going to put a guy that that, who accomplished all that in a Pirates uniform into your Hall of Fame, then what are you doing?” said Koll.
Cook said he knows his thoughts on Bonds “pisses some people off” and adds his thought that Bonds is the best Pirates player he ever saw, including Clemente will also piss people off.
But even saying that, Cook can’t look past the steroid issue, adding it wasn’t fair for the players that were playing clean.
During his seven years in Pittsburgh, Bonds helped lead the Pirates to three straight division titles, had a batting average of .275 with 176 home runs, 556 RBI, 984 hits, 220 doubles, 36 triples and 251 stolen bases.
The first class will be inducted on September 3 at PNC Park.