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Bonds Facing Long Climb To Future Hall Of Fame Election

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS Sports) -- There are no road maps for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. They're on the short-list of best players in the history of baseball, but they're heavily freighted with their ties to the so-named "steroids era."

The only thing we know is that Bonds and Clemens, in their first year on the ballot, didn't come close to election to the Hall Of Fame. Despite obvious statistical merits Bonds was named on just 36.2 percent of ballots, while Clemens was scarcely better at 37.6 percent.

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Without question there are a number of "first-ballot penalizers" among those who didn't vote for the blighted duo. Therein lies the hope for Bonds and Clemens. On the other, more critical hand, the ballot is only going to get more crowded with Cooperstown worthies -- much more crowded.

READ MORE from CBS Sports on what the future holds for Bonds & Clemens.

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