Posted on 08/06/2007 10:19:31 AM PDT by my_pointy_head_is_sharp
NEW YORK Beyond his alleged steroid use, Barry Bonds is unquestionably guilty of the use of something that confers extraordinarily unfair mechanical advantage: the “armor” that he wears on his right elbow. Amid the press frenzy over Bonds’ unnatural bulk, the true role of the object on his right arm has simply gone unnoticed.
This is unfortunate, because by my estimate, Bonds’ front arm “armor” has contributed no fewer than 75 to 100 home runs to his already steroid-questionable total.
Bonds tied Henry Aaron’s home run record of 755 on Saturday night and will go for the new standard this week back at home in San Francisco. As a student of baseball – and currently a mechanics consultant to a major league baseball team -- I believe I have insight into the Bonds "achievement." I have studied his swing countless times on video and examined the mechanical gear closely through photographs.
For years, sportswriters remarked that his massive "protective" gear – unequaled in all of baseball -- permits Bonds to lean over the plate without fear of being hit by a pitch. Thus situated, Bonds can handle the outside pitch (where most pitchers live) unusually well. This is unfair advantage enough but no longer controversial. However, it is only one of at least seven unfair advantages conferred by the apparatus.
The other six:
1) The apparatus is hinged at the elbow. It is a literal "hitting machine" that allows Bonds to release his front arm on the same plane during every swing. It largely accounts for the seemingly magical consistency of every Bonds stroke.
(Excerpt) Read more at editorandpublisher.com ...
To the same degree that I’m satisfied that I won’t fly off into space bec gravity doesn’t really work.
No disrespect to Babe Ruth, but his legend and fan base worship made him out to be lots more than he really was. I'm not sure that I agree that he was a particularly accomplished player outside the obvious talent he was best remembered for.
When people talk about the Aaron vs. Bonds, they forget that Aaron didn’t have to face potentially juiced up pitchers.
What was the speed of a fast-ball then, vs. now? Honest question - I’m truly curious. I honestly don’t know if pitchers have advanced in their delivery or not, but I’m sure some baseball geek can give provide data to the 72nd decimal place.
Also, roids were available since the 30’s and they weren’t outlawed until the late eighties / early 90’s. Would we even know if Aaron or any of the other “greats” used them?
Most of the “asterisk” crowd exposes their ignorance and bias whenever they discuss this stupid stuff.
It is a game afterall. Make them all take roids in my opinion. Make theme keep playing as their liver falls apart and their joints seize up. Make them play with no pants too, so we can laugh at their tiny pee pees. This would be more fun, and funny, to watch. They should earn their millions.
I do understand that you're convinced that Bonds uses steroids.
Pee Wee Reese and Dizzy Dean, the absolute best baseball broadcast team in history. Gawd, I was sick when Dizzy was fired, well, forced to quit when he was accused of polluting our young and impressionable minds.
Don’t forget shorter fences and shorter pitchers mound.
The A-class Brooklyn Cyclones regularly draw more than 8000 fans to their ballpark in Coney Island at the far end of the subway lines.
Name me one, just one player or participant in ANY sport that admitted to using steroids while they were still an active player.
Ditto!
I will never, ever forget Parkers throw from left field to home during a series game to nail the runner. Absolute perfect throw and what an arm!!!
>>>>>And Barry Bonds is responsible for higher attendance numbers in all the stadiums he plays in during his pursuit of this record. A lot of his detractors do some pretty hearty cheering when he hits a homer in their park. I see Bonds hating much as I do Bush hating.....an irrational obsession with many who just want to believe all the bad press they read. Hey, whatever gets them through the day.....;>)<<<<<<<<<
And so many who absolutely hate baseball just love to come on these threads to inform everyone how much they hate it.
I have been a baseball fan since listening to the ‘64 Yankees/Cardinals world series on a little transister radio when I was 10 yrs. old! I am still a die hard fan of the greatest game ever invented!
I didn’t look it up, but how many extra homers did Aaron hit because of implementing the DH? Maybe there should be an asterisk on his record, too.
Oh please! You sure seem to care when almost everyone else believes he has. And the Robo-Bonds aspect makes nothing less than perfect sense. There NEVER should have been a grandfather clause for such a device. All or none. If he couldn't abide by the same rules for everyone else then he should have called it a career.
I am not going to claim to be a Barry Bonds expert but with the 'roids, the Robo Arm, and the lack of class Bonds has shown over his career (too many to count but needless to say he doesn't come across as one that cares about anyone but himself hence the very personality that would feel no guilt in gaming the system) Bonds will probably not have an asterisk - officially - but he will be marked with one mentally by a majority of baseball fans both present and, more importantly, in the future.
Babe Ruth, as I recall, was a hell of a pitcher too (when he was pitching)
The point is not that he didn't/doesn't have a legitimate injury but that there should have never have been any grandfather clause for such a device. Rules change, players must adjust. The FACT that the rule was created that necessitated a grandfather clause shows that the league understood the potential advantage of such a device.
How about the 50s Reds?
Roy McMillan, Johnny Temple, Ted Kluszewski, Smoky Burgess, forget who played 3d, Wally Post, Gus Bell, forget who played right.
Weren't eight games added to the season that Hank Aaron played (used to be 154, but changed to 162, or was it 168, when the league was expanded)?
Try hitting a ball coming at you at 90 MPH with a bat, even if it comes at you from a pitching machine and you know it is coming right down the middle of the plate. When a human being is throwing it, he may keep you from seeing where it is until it is two-thirds of the way to the plate. And HE knows within inches of where the ball is headed. Like hitting a mesquito with a bat in twilight.
Baseball is also allowing a little bit of thug mentality to creep in; you’ll notice how a handful of players now wear their caps like thugs on the street, a little crooked/off-center. Some are really bad. You’d think there’d be standards in the sport. (Maybe there is: “no more than 11 degrees off center.”)
Barry Bonds has created more bad press for himself and baseball than most teams combined. Barry Bonds is an a-hole whose personality shows that he wouldn't give a wit to game the system to achieve glory. He is not untalented - his earlier career up until 2001 proves it - but he has always been an a-hole personality and now he has become a fraud.
Wait until he beats the record then someone is gonna cash in by leaking other proveable things.
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.