Barry Bonds: I belong in the Hall of Fame

There was a familiar face in the San Francisco Giants camp this morning when Major League Baseball’s all-time home run leader Barry Bonds arrived as a guest instructor for Spring Training, but the body and personality was much different.

Bonds looked like a shell of himself from the bulked up, some would say juiced up, (he didn’t address and questions on performance-enhancing drug use) and appeared contrite and shockingly remorseful about how his baseball career came to an end according to Bob Nightengale of the USA Today.

"“I’m a different character now,” Bonds, who appears to be at least 30 pounds trimmer than his playing days. “I’m the same person, but a different character. Now, I’ve had time to slow down. I think we all do. We have a tendency to reflect on certain things.”"

One thing Bonds has had time to reflect on is whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame, when the owner of 762 career home runs was asked if he belongs in Coopserstown, Bonds replied with the supreme confidence he displayed during his 22-year career.

“Without a doubt,” he says.

In his second year on the Hall of Fame ballott, Bonds received fewer votes than he did in his first year. Bonds went from appearing on 206 ballots to 198 as the cloud surrounding his steroid use grows darker.

Many will argue he was a Hall of Fame player before his alleged steroid use, but it’s impossible to turn a blind eye to the massive weight gain late in his career and he being the face of the steroid era in baseball.

Do you think Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame? Sound off with your opinion in the comments section.