After calling Bud Selig’s Hall of Fame induction “hypocrisy,” Alex Rodriguez is right back in the headlines.

A-Rod is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the fifth time, but still hasn’t cracked 40% of the votes – nowhere near the 75% needed to get in. And just like Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, he’s one of the greatest talents the game has ever seen, yet that “PED” label still follows him everywhere. He’s owned up to it before, but this time, with his Hall of Fame dream on the line, the sting feels different.

“I personally think I do belong in the Hall of Fame, but at the same time, if I don’t, I have no one to blame but myself,” Rodriguez said on The Stephen A. Smith Show when asked if he believes he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

The former Yankee has never run from the fact that he messed up.

Even in the conversation with Stephen A. Smith, he was flat-out guilty. He reportedly used steroids from 2001 to 2003 and was later tied to a massive Biogenesis scandal, where he obtained PEDs like testosterone, HGH, and IGF-1 from clinic owner Anthony Bosch. The blunder cost him MLB’s longest suspension of 162 games (originally 211). But his numbers still scream Hall of Fame.

A .295 career average, 3,115 hits, 696 home runs (5th all time), 2,086 RBIs (3rd when he retired), 2,021 runs, and 329 steals. He led the AL in home runs five times, including 54 big hits in 2007.

And the hardware?

Three AL MVPs, 14 All-Star nods, 10 Silver Sluggers, two Gold Gloves, and the all-time record for grand slams. Love him or hate him, the resume is undeniable.

And now it looks like even America has moved on, giving A-Rod the respect his talent has always deserved.

Fans want Alex Rodriguez to be recognized for his talent

Fans often compare Hall of Fame snubs to those already enshrined, highlighting their perceived inconsistencies.

One fan even voiced their opinion about David Ortiz’s induction in 2022 despite reports of his PED use in a 2003 anonymous survey testing. “David Ortiz is in the HOF why can’t they be,” a fan wrote, expressing frustration. Some fans even focus on statistical dominance regardless of controversy.

“Clemens, Bonds, ARod, Sosa, McGuire…to me all of them belong to HoF,” another wrote. Apart from all the drama, many feel nostalgic about baseball’s golden era, when Alex Rodriguez began to become a real deal.

The sentiment often colors their opinions of the Hall of Fame. “The most fun era of baseball. Nothing will ever compete with 97-01,” another wrote. While some get deja vu, others take a nuanced approach.

Fans are showing unwavering support for the inclusion based on career merit. “Alex for sure belongs in the Hall.”