Barry Bonds' Home Run Record Tainted by Mechanical Device

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.

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.

How easy it is for on lookers with little or no knowledge of the game to judge Bonds. Has it ever occurred to you that Bonds grew up under a cloud of media speculation and abuse of his father. He’d been seen as the next Mays, and when he didn’t quite live up to their hype they couldn’t wait to tear him down as a drunk and a womanizer. Not easy to grow up with watching this happen to your Dad. Might there not be a bit of a chip on Bond’s shoulder that he decided not to kowtow to the press? Seems justified to me.

And, as for him being such an a..h..., do you have personal knowledge of that, or have you accepted that from all the biased press reports, and Bond’s less than pleasant rapport with reporters? Sometimes if you take a bit of time to look behind the reporting, you may just see a man who is working on having a much better relationship with his kids than he had with his Dad. Could just be that family relationships are more important to him than press relationships. Seems that should be his call.

But, rather than take any time thinking there just might be a half way decent guy behind the hype, just go ahead and sit back waiting for all the “proveable things” to come out. Whatever gets you through the day as I said before. Meanwhile, some of us like to just enjoy watching history rather than re writing it about how wonderful things were in the “good old days”. Ruth’s Rep has definitely improved with time....bet the folks of his day wouldn’t recognize what a swell guy he’s become in retrospect. ;>)

“There is no DH in the National League”

I’m quite aware of that, but perhaps you are not aware of the fact that Hank Aaron extended his playing days by being a DH for the Milwaukee Brewers in the AMERICAN LEAGUE where he added over 20 to his Home Run total. ;>)

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