It's an interesting proposition that we bring up each year around this time when the newest Hall of Fame class is announced and those headed towards Cooperstown do not include some of the biggest "cheaters" in the history of the game.
There are two sides to every story and this plot line is not exempt. On one hand, that is what they are, "cheaters". They achieved a competitive advantage that went around or above the rules and gave them an edge over the competition. On the other hand, they saved the game of baseball and raised it's popularity to heights the league had never seen before.
I'll NEVER in my entire life forget going to Wrigley Field in 2001 to see both Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa hit one over the fence. I'll never forget "we interrupt this program" live look-ins to see every Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa at bat live on ESPN back in 1998. Those things saved the game of baseball...but they cheated.
For the first time in HOF voting history, two known offenders (Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens) received more than 50% of the popular vote.
And there's even more to it when imperfect humans start weighing moral dilemmas into their votes. Things like, "well this guy admitted to it and he never has" factor in. Others used substances that at the time weren't banned but now are, should they be let in. All these things make it even more confusing.
It's increasingly more and more clear that they will eventually get in, you can't ignore an entire era of the game. With that though, we ask you...who will be the first "Steroid Era" accused or admitted user to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame?