Former Reds catcher lashes out at BBWAA after Barry Bonds left out of Hall of Fame

It's commonplace anymore for people to take to social media with their thoughts and feelings on a particular subject. Former Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart did just that following the Baseball Hall of Fame announcement on Tuesday.

Barnhart, who was traded to the Detroit Tigers shortly after the World Series concluded, made his feelings about the absence of Barry Bonds and others from the Hall of Fame known. Barnhart's comments were very well thought out, and no matter where you come down on the issue, I think you'll see that the former Reds' catcher has merit in his idea about what the Hall of Fame truly is.

Former Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart calls out BBWAA.

The Baseball Writers Association of America voted just one player into the Hall of Fame class of 2022; former Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz. Dropping off the ballot this year are Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Curt Schilling.

One could easily make the argument, as Barnhart did, that the BBWAA made a mistake not including Bonds and others. Barnhart called the Hall of Fame a museum honoring the eras and history of baseball and he finds it ridiculous that the home run king, among others, has been left out in the cold.

Barry Bonds has more home runs than any player in Major League Baseball history. Roger Clemens has seven Cy Young Awards to his name. Sammy Sosa was the league MVP in 1998 and a seven-time All-Star. Curt Schilling was one of the most-clutch pitchers of his era with a World Series MVP and six All-Star appearances on his resumé.

So, it's easy to see the point that Tucker Barnhart is trying to make. Despite what we know, or assume we know, about three of the four players mentioned; Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa were a huge part of baseball's storied history during their playing careers. Schilling's political commentary during his post-playing career is a big reason why he has been left off the ballot.

Is this the end of the controversy surrounding the steroid era in baseball? No, not really. With Alex Rodriguez receiving 34.4% of the vote, he'll be on the ballot again next year. Like Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa, A-Rod was linked to performance enhancing drugs during his playing career.