-Eric
Posted on 05/08/2006 9:13:33 AM PDT by Charles Henrickson
Notwithstanding a tremendous shot last night and a really powerful short stroke, the folks at MLB certainly do have an issue on their hands. An asterisk however can be placed at any time, perhaps a double asterisk would be in order.
I thought Barry might be done already but his steroid wracked joints seem to have benefitted lately from the human growth hormone he's now on.
Are you really a SF Republican. I thought being a libertarian in NYC was rare, but you may have topped me.
Personally, I say just let all the armchair has beens, never weres and never will bes both in the media and on this thread take their potshots. Those of us fortunate enough to have watched Bonds over the last 20 + years (including high school) know that whether you like him or not, whether he used illegal substances in the last several years or not, we've been watching something special. If he was crazy enough to use things that would slightly enhance his performance and possibly hurt him later, he's really only hurt himself. The enhancers don't explain the quick wrists, the pitch selection and the awesome swing. They may have helped him swing a bit harder, and hit the ball a bit farther, but they didn't make him a star. He was already a star before any charges were made, and there was any accusation of steroid use.
All the know it alls who think they should control whether he goes into the hall of fame, or has an asterick in the record books are free to make their comments and spew their statistics, but in the end, Barry is still one of the greatest ballplayers of all time. Get over it!
Fact is Barry got larger over years as most players do, but you don't obtain bat speed and reflexes with steroids, nor does it give you talent. Giambi is a good example as he popped like a balloon and lost 70 pounds overnight when he went off steroids. Others have all kinds of medical problems and I won't even begin to name them all such as McGuire who had to leave the game early. No, Bonds did not inject steroids or growth hormones. He deserves his achievements and has done nothing different than the other 99% of baseball players in the training and personal development.
In the Sultan of Swats day they used much heavier bats(The Bambino had bats over 45 ounces and larger)and the pitchers were not throwing the speeds that they are today and with relief pitchers rotating in and out on everyday games. You can't compare today to yesterday. Imagine if the Babe played without drinking beer (or maybe that helped his swing .....who knew?) and consumed less hot dogs and was in better shape? When he hit his last three homers they were all in the same game and he was tired and out of shape, remarkable talent and will always be baseballs greatest legend. Barry is a great player and deserves the respect that pitchers and managers give him and fear him when he comes to the plate. Imagine what Ben Hogan could have done in his day with the golf balls and equipment of today? Yet John Dailey is the Babe Ruth of Golf when it comes to his physical training and beer and smokes while playing, all the power to him. Yet nobody derides the Golden Bear or Phil or Tiger over Hogen because they have titanium clubs and juiced up balls, no.
The Dodgers are in last place and Barry is about to tie the Bambino and how sweat it will be this weekend at Pac Bell when Barry hits a splash ball for 715 and beats LA in the process! GO GIANTS!
-Eric
The fans have some culpability in this too. What were the attendance numbers in St. Louis (McGwire), Wrigley (Sosa) and SanFran? We showed up to see the fences cleared by ever increasing distances.
For me, I don't think an asterisk is necessary or called for. Those dingers came under the rules of the day.
You, sir, are merely trying to make excuses for him, much like parents do for children who do wrong. Barry doesn't deserve his record if he sets it, period!
(The Nile. Some Elvis Presley fans live there too!)
No, sir, YOU have it wrong. Bonds was doing some pretty impressive things even before the steroid accusations, and the increase of size. Accusations began in about '98. He had pretty impressive stats before then.
You are the first person I've seen who has made the claim of steroids affecting hand eye coordination. Do you have a basis for such claims? Many others use enhancers, and don't get the same results as Bonds. Plus, I would disagree with your theory of quicker wrists and increased reflexes from muscle in the forearms. Many I've seen with muscle enhanced forearms have LESS effect at the plate not more. They tend to just be musclebound.
Furthermore, I am not a sir, and never have made excuses for my kids when they did wrong, anymore than I have made excuses for Bonds. I let my children's abilities speak for themselves, and Mr. Bond's abilities can speak for him....he doesn't need me. Must be nice to be the final arbitrater of all decisions made in the world....to be able to state that Barry, "if he sets it, doesn't deserve the record, Period" is quite impressive. Will contact you when I need any other pronouncements made!
Maybe if Babe Ruth didn't lead a life of drinking and overeating, he would have a few more home runs and we wouldn't be talking about BB.
actually you are wrong on that.
Bonds is an ass, no doubt about it.
But he WAS easily going to have 500 homers and 500 SBs just in the natural arc of his career, which ended at the end of 1998.
After that, whatever came forth was roid/HGH enhanced.
Exactly. I don't see why the knives are out for Bonds when McGwire got standing o's.
Should read:
...and Mr. Bond's abilities (and the juice he's taken) can speak for him...
There's no need to actually print the asterick [sic] in the record books. His career is forever tainted. There's nothing he or anybody else can do about it.
And that's just as it should be.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.