Although I am not currently eligible to cast a ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame, I will be providing my mock ballot today along with explanations for each pick. Below is the criteria I will be considering for nominating players to Cooperstown.

Player performance: Counting stats (batting average, home runs, ERA, etc.), advanced stats (WAR, ERA+, etc.) and direct statistical comparisons to contemporary competitors and players currently in the Hall of Fame.

Historical significance/Significant moments: Can you tell the story of baseball without including this player's name?

Advancement of the game: How did this player contribute to the ongoing evolution of MLB and baseball at large?

Any connections to PEDs/violations of the character clause: Here we get to the trickiest and most controversial aspect of this ballot. My current rule for PEDs is as follows: If a player was suspended after having been proven to use steroids as a result of a fair investigation (this is important for one pick), they will not earn a place on my ballot.If a player was suspended multiple times (not accused, but actually suspended), they will be off my ballot.

Yes, this is a bit of a “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” approach, and may not be perfectly fair but this whole situation is a mess, and this is the best solution that I can come up with. Spoiler: This is why you won’t see Manny Ramirez on my ballot.For players who were accused of using steroids/PEDs but never suspended, I will not be holding that against them. By all accounts, PED use was rampant throughout the league in the 1990s. There was no testing system, and MLB largely looked the other way.

Why? Because, after the 1994 lockout that drove many fans away from the game, the home-run races and incredible displays of power in the late 90s, no doubt driven in part by PEDs, brought fans back to the game. Major League Baseball saw the dollar signs and accepted PED use as a fair trade-off to revive interest in the game until it became such an obvious, public issue that they could no longer look the other way. Then the league began scapegoating certain players for actions it had previously condoned, and because testing was not done at the time we’ll never truly know who used steroids and who didn’t.

Now that you have read the criteria, below are my mock picks to go to Cooperstown as part of this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame class.

1. Barry Bonds

Even before he was linked to steroids, Bonds was the only player in baseball history to join the 400/400 club: 400 home runs and 400 stolen bases. No other player in history has done that. Not Babe Ruth, not Mickey Mantle, not Hank Aaron, not Alex Rodriguez, nobody. A few current players might have a chance: Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna Jr. and possibly Mookie Betts. However, Bonds is even better. He ended his career as the sole member of the 500/500 club. Bonds hit 762 home runs and also swiped 514 bags, all while maintaining a career batting average of .298.

The only reason this was even a question comes down to one word: Steroids. Bonds was never caught using steroids. He was, however, convicted of perjury as part of a federal case stemming from grand jury testimony where Bonds allegedly lied about his steroid use. The conviction was later overturned.

Considering his peerless statistical profile and the fact his conviction—one that was even actually for steroid use in the first place—was overturned, Bonds is easily a Hall of Famer. To put his candidacy over the edge, let me answer my own question: Can you tell the story of baseball without including Barry Bonds? Without a doubt, the answer is no.

Bonds is a clear Hall-of-Famer in my eyes.

2. Roger Clemens

Clemens may be the most dominant pitcher of all time. Again, the only question for Clemens comes down to one thing: Steroids. The story for Clemens is eerily similar to Bonds'. He has long been accused of using steroids, but never tested positive.

Clemens testified before Congress, where he denied using PEDs, and was then indicted by a federal grand jury on perjury charges. If he'd been convicted of all charges, Clemens would have faced a maximum of up to 30 years in prison, although the sentencing guidelines would have likely meant a substantially lesser sentence. However, he rejected a plea deal and took the case to trial, where he was acquitted of all charges.

Undeniable talent, no suspension and no conviction? Clemens makes the cut.

3. Scott Rolen

Rolen has a career WAR higher than Tony Gwinn, Roberto Alomar and Ivan Rodriguez, all of whom are Hall-of-Famers.

Rolen may not have been known for his longevity, but he still surpassed the 2,000 career games played benchmark, so his sample size is certainly adequate. He was an excellent defender, earning eight career gold gloves, and brought premium power with his bat. The main knock on Rolen is injuries: During the latter portion of his career, he only averaged 105 games per season. However, that makes his WAR numbers, which are already better than several Hall-of-Famers', even more impressive.

4. Todd Helton

Helton has career totals of 61.8 WAR and a .316 batting average, with 369 career homers and 1,406 RBIs. Helton also won four Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards.

5. Gary Sheffield

Sheffield was feared by opposing pitchers, as evidenced by his1,475 career walks. Despite starting his career slowly and changing positions several times, Sheffield wrapped up his career with 509 total homers, 1,676 RBIs, 4,299 total times on base, and a .292 career batting average.

6. Andruw Jones

Jones is arguably the greatest defensive centerfielder the game has ever seen, a distinction that merits his candidacy for the Hall of Fame all by itself. However, Jones was a lot more than just his 10 gold gloves.

Jones ended his 17-year career with 1,933 hits and 434 home runs. While his batting average and on-base percentage were good but not great, Jones displayed excellent power, which, paired with his elite defense, earns him a place on my ballot.

7. Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod is one of the greatest offensive players in baseball history. He was also an elite defensive shortstop before moving to the hot corner to accommodate Derek Jeter upon joining the New York Yankess. Rodriguez's statistics speak for themselves. He's the youngest player ever to reach 500 homers, and finished his career with 696 home runs, 329 steals, a .295 batting average and .380 OBP.

Rodriguez admitted to using steroids before testing was implemented, and was then suspended for alleged use later in his career as the result of a questionable investigation that included MLB allegedly paying off witnesses, not reporting those payoffs to the IRS and an investigator who had an inappropriate intimate relationship with a witness whom he interviewed. It was a disaster all around, and MLB loses some credibility in my eyes for the tenor of its investigation.

Given his career statistics and undeniable talent, I’ll give Rodriguez the benefit of the doubt. Plus, can you really tell the story of baseball without Alex Rodriguez?

8. David Ortiz

I don’t care that he was a DH. Ortiz has the numbers (541 HRs, .380 OBP), he was the face of the Boston Red Sox as one of the most popular players in the league, and he had several legendary postseason performances—including helping Boston break the Curse of the Bambino. Ortiz easily makes my ballot.