I’d like to apologize for not posting the last few days; I’ve been busy studying my butt off for the MCAT like our good friend Samkon Gado. Even though the last few days have been busy, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Barry Bonds is now the all-time home run leader.It’s obvious that this is an incredibly polarizing issue. On one side you have the purists, the people who absolutely hate Barry Bonds because he has tarnished and placed an asterisk next to the most cherished record in sport. But you also have a substantial number of people on the other side of this issue, the people who are cheering Barry on (wonder if there is anyone outside San Francisco) and believe the home-run record is a manifestation of his extraordinary talent.
One thing is for certain, no one can deny that Barry Bonds is one of the most talented baseball players, and athletes, of all-time. Back when he was a Pirate and in his early days as a Giant, Barry was one of the best outfielders in the game. An excellent defender, Barry notched 8 Gold Gloves. On offense he was a five- or six-tool guy and his stolen base totals resemble the totals Jose Reyes often puts up these days. In Barry’s 22-year MLB career, he stole at least 30 bases 9 times and stole a career high 52 bases in 1990.Obviously, Barry was a great player headed for the Hall of Fame before he was suspected to have started taking steroids. If you look at the natural trajectory of his career from his early days as a Pirate and Giant, Barry was on pace to hit around 650 homeruns. You could argue that taking steroids pushed Barry over the edge and helped give him that last hundred or so home runs to become the all-time home run king.
Although that may be true, it has become apparent that steroids use was rampant in the late 1990s and the early years of this century, a period of time now referred to as “The Steroids Era.” Some baseball experts have estimated that during this time over 1500 players were on the juice. To me, it says something about Barry Bonds’ talent level that he was the best out of everyone who used steroids. Taking steroids didn’t help his timing or his hitting style. And you have to think that a lot of the pitchers who pitched to Barry were also on steroids. If steroids were what made him such a great hitter, how come another player didn’t even come close to approaching his accomplishments during this period?I’m not condoning steroid use, but I think what Barry Bonds has accomplished is exceptional, regardless of whether or not he used steroids. Let’s look at these accomplishments:
All-time single season records
Most home runs (73)
On base percentage (.609)
Slugging percentage (.863)
Walks (232)
On-base slugging (1.422)
All-time Marks
1st in home runs (757)
1st in walks (2,540)
1st in Intentional walks (679)
Only member of the 500/500 club (At least 500 home runs and 500 stolen bases)
2nd in extra base hits (1,432)
3rd in at bats per home run (12.9)
3rd in runs (2,212)
4th in total bases (5,936)
5th in RBI (1,981)
6th in on-base percentage (.444)
6th in slugging percentage (.607)
Awards
7-time MVP
14 All-Star Games
12 Silver Slugger Awards
8 Gold Gloves
The steroids investigation will certainly get to the bottom of whether or not Barry Bonds used steroids. But in The Scrapper’s eyes, whatever happens, Barry Bonds will go down as one of the best ball players in history.
10 comments:
Bonds probably thought if guys with less talent than him (McGuire and Sosa) were getting so much attention for blasting home runs, he might as well get on the juice and be the best ever. I don't blame him for doing it, everyone was on it.
I'm glad someone in the media finally gave Barry the credit he deserves.
Pete Rose and Barry Bonds will always haunt baseball.
The all-time hits and home runs leaders both WON'T BE IN THE HALL OF FAME
Steroids or not, you still have to hit a 100 MPH fastball, drop curve, split finger, knuckleball, etc.
ya nice idea he was great with out them bt then mcguire and sosa sort of forced him to take them when he was not geting enough attenion with the hr chase its a shame that he took them he could of had 600 plus with out them i think he was a rising star with out them
Right on the money. I am tired of everyone having to make a case for Barry anymore. He is one of the best players in the history of the game. Period. If you do not see it, you are delusional.
Of course he's one of the best ever. He was one of the best before he juiced, too. The question is this, Shawn: does he get your vote for the Hall of Fame?
I would definetly vote Barry into the Hall of Fame. He deserves it, regardless of the outcome of this steroids mess. What do you think?
I was against letting any of the steroid users into the Hall earlier this summer, but these days I feel more sympathetic toward allowing Bonds.
Here's the thing about sports - we like to pretend that star athletes don't cheat and that records can remain relevant over 100 years - that technology and rule changes don't affect the core of the record book.
What did football players do before cortizone shots?
Won't hockey players score more goals than ever with the new rules?
Doesn't the DH ruin baseball records?
Anyway, the point is that most sports fans like to disregard this kind of stuff when it comes to records. This goes double or triple for baseball fans.
Baseball fans, more than any other, love statistics. Baseball is a game of numbers. Bench managers score every play in a little book for every game. Fantasy baseball has the potential for more categories than any other sport. The batting champion in baseball is the player with the highest average over a season. There's no equivalent award for the quarterback with the highest completion percentage.
All the baseball fans out there want to believe that these hallowed numbers from baseball history aren't tainted.
Baseball fans would be so willing to accept Barry if (1) it wasn't blatantly obvious he used steroids and (2)he wasn't such a complete jerk to everyone.
Outside of SF, how do you root for a guy like Barry versus a guy like Hank Aaron?
As it is, for number-loving baseball geeks, Barry Bonds just FEELS like dirt shoveled all over the record book.
He is undeniably a great hitter, possibly the greatest to ever play the game without steroids, but it is just impossible for me to get over the BEFORE and AFTER Bonds baseball cards.
I hope that he never gets into Cooperstown, just as Pete Rose should never be there.
Post a Comment