"Kent received 14 of the available 16 votes for induction, cruising into Cooperstown, while Bonds again got less than five votes and has only one more ludicrous chance to get in, in 2031, before he is banned for good. And while Kent's career is to be noted with a whistle of admiration, one wonders if he didn't stand on the shoulders of Bonds to make his bones."
"But if it isn't fair, it isn't exactly wrong, either. It is hard to the point of absurdity to take the 11 years Kent played without Bonds and see a Hall of Famer. Careers don't work that way, of course, and Kent gets credit for those six years in San Francisco, but his induction is inextricably linked to Bonds' non-induction, which is a cruel way for the Hall to treat both Bonds and Kent."
The Baseball Hall of Fame has effectively ended serious consideration of Barry Bonds while electing Jeff Kent to Cooperstown. Kent received 14 of 16 Contemporary Baseball Era Committee votes, while Bonds received fewer than five and retains only one more eligibility chance in 2031. Kent's six productive years with Bonds in San Francisco are credited, but many argue Kent's induction is inseparable from Bonds's absence. The linkage creates a perception that Bonds's greatness benefits others' recognition while denying him entry. The juxtaposition of Kent's election and Bonds's banishment is portrayed as unfair and almost inevitable, aggravating both players' legacies.
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