Former Major League Baseball player Barry Bonds talks to Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies during batting practice before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on July 10, 2015 in San Francisco, California; Credit: Jason O. Watson/Getty Images
Barry Bonds is no longer being prosecuted in federal court.
The Department of Justice announced yesterday that it would be dropping its criminal case against the former MLB slugger and statistical home run king. Bonds said in a statement that he is relieved to finally be through with the prosecution and is ready to move forward.
Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justice for giving a dodgy answer to a federal grand jury back in 2003 when he was asked whether he was ever given anything to inject himself with that required a syringe. That conviction was overturned.
The DOJ’s decision will likely not sit well with Bonds’ critics, who believe he cheated using performance-enhancing drugs, or Hall of Fame voters. The all-time home run record is considered by many to be one of the most hallowed records in all of professional sport, and not all baseball fans are thrilled that the man atop the list may not have gotten there fairly.
What will Barry Bonds legacy in baseball be? Is he a Hall-of-Famer? Should his home run record have an asterisk next to it? Does the DOJ dropping its prosecution of Bonds open the door for other players to be let off the hook? Do you agree with the DOJ’s decision or do you think they should have pursued the prosecution further?
Guest:
Tim Kurkjian, baseball reporter and analyst for ESPN.com and Baseball Tonight
Bill Plaschke, sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times