Bonds’ 756th
August 10, 2007 — thoughtfulconservativeI haven’t written too much about Barry Bonds, the home run record and steroids. I don’t really know. You’ll find plenty of asterisks and asterisk talk. Bud Selig has given him an asterisk by the treatment he’s given him. The Recess Supervisor talks about Bud and steroids.
What are the objections?
He’s surly. Well that’s the media perception. And how often do I agree with the media’s perception? When I’ve heard Barry being interviewed, he’s for the most part been polite, appreciative of good plays made against him, and very respectful of baseball history and those who’ve gone before him. Which is the true Barry Bonds? I tend to go with the latter.
He cheated. And so have half the baseball players who’ve played the game. I don’t like cheating. But I’m not naive enough to believe it doesn’t happen. A-Rod has become the darling since he hit his 500th. USAToday’s Sports Weekly has started an A-Rod countdown to the record.
How do we know A-Rod doesn’t cheat. Just because he hasn’t been caught?
I’m not in the “innocent until proven guilty” crowd either. As someone asked, “Remember O.J.?”
Hank Aaron congratulated him and, frankly, that’s good enough for me.
August 10, 2007 at 6:33 am
I watched Hank Aaron for years (was a fan of his) and Barry Bonds (not really a fan) and regardless of steroid use (if he did use any) it was obvious from the beginning of Bond’s career that he was a much better player than Aaron.
August 10, 2007 at 7:09 am
Definitely early in his career, Bonds could do it all. And he probably had plenty of tutelage from his dad and Mays. He seems very knowledgeable.
August 10, 2007 at 8:07 am
I asked this question last year…
If steroids weren’t dangerous from a health aspect, would they still be banned? How are steroids different than a new graphite driver, or titanium bike, or any other improvement that comes to a game that they didn’t have 50 years ago?
August 10, 2007 at 7:59 pm
That’s another aspect of it for me. How do steroids help you hit a home run? OK, you’re stronger. Has that made a difference of fly balls turning into home runs? How many of these would Bonds have had?
Personally without the health aspect, I wouldn’t see it as any different than what you mentioned, Nick.