Alex Rodriguez, do you vote him in the Hall of Fame?

[Kingdom]

I would say that in the case of ARod, and even Bonds, they did more than just hit homeruns. Jason Giambi, that's all we will remember him for, is the homeruns. Bonds, ARod.. used to steal a lot of bases, win Gold Gloves, and in the case of Bonds, had that insane plate discipline. Did steroids help those guys excel at everything? I feel like it's not likely, but I don't know the science. Did I just semi-defend Bonds? Please just shoot me.

To that point, I would honestly vote in Barry Bonds too. I am all for asterisk or some side note for guys like him if they got in. It's just hard to ignore the entire body of work for the players, no matter how much you hate or despise the player, to not at least consider voting them in.

[Tobywan]

players wouldn't risk their careers and public image if it didn't give them an advantage.

It wasn’t until just a few years ago though that there was any kind of risk or public scrutiny. Which leads us to another issue, should these guys be ostracized for something that was not specifically a “violation” at the time.

It seems that the original idea wasn’t to crucify these players on the “List” since the tests were done before the current policy but since some names have leaked and others have been speculated now the media and public want some kind of hindsight punishment.

Bonds, ARod.. used to steal a lot of bases, win Gold Gloves, and in the case of Bonds, had that insane plate discipline. Did steroids help those guys excel at everything? I feel like it's not likely, but I don't know the science.

It's just hard to ignore the entire body of work for the players, no matter how much you hate or despise the player, to not at least consider voting them in.

This is exactly what I meant in regard to just how long can one function at a high level while using. Everything I have read suggest that steroids especially the kind that is at the crux of much of the controversy has many side effects and supposedly one doesn’t have to use very long to self inflict a lot of damage. It just seems to me that no one would be able to use these drugs for a long period of time and be able to maintain a decade long (or longer) career.

What irks me about the other side of this issue is players that have had long careers with consistent but productive numbers are passed up as just “average “ players………”average” to what? It seems “average” to these “monster” careers of so called “cheaters”. Then some people mainly sawdust headed sports writers will condemn the “users” on one hand , yet on the other hand call “clean” players with respectable numbers not worthy of the hall by comparing them to the “cheaters”.

To me unless you can truly determine what was from “natural ability” and what was from “cheating” you have to make a decision to either negate their entire career or accept their entire career.

[K-Zone]

Gotta vote in A-Rod. Even if e did use steroids for a period of his playing time, he is still one of the top power hitters in the game and will end up even without the steroid HR's as one of the top HR hitters in the game.