Barry Bonds

[krisy]

Well, SF is in Cincinnati playing the Reds right now. Barry is now 4 homeruns away from tying the record. This means nothing to me because he took steroids which definitely helped him along. I hope he doesn't do this while here in CIncinnati. Unfortunaltely,he hit homer number 751 here last night. We have enough going on here with our manager Jerry Narron just getting fired.

He was booed everytime he came to bat last night here. I'm trying to figure out how he is number 4 in votes for the all star game?

Any thoughts on Barry and his way of getting to the top?

[The ClayTaurus]

Well, SF is in Cincinnati playing the Reds right now. Barry is now 4 homeruns away from tying the record. This means nothing to me because he took steroids which definitely helped him along. I hope he doesn't do this while here in CIncinnati. Unfortunaltely,he hit homer number 751 here last night. We have enough going on here with our manager Jerry Narron just getting fired.

He was booed everytime he came to bat last night here. I'm trying to figure out how he is number 4 in votes for the all star game?

Any thoughts on Barry and his way of getting to the top?

I certainly agree that steroids helped him along, but a large part of hitting homers has nothing to do with 'roids, unless there are eyesight steroids. Regardless, it's still an incredible feat, just not nearly as incredible as the way Hank Aaron did it.

[Gadget (fmr Marine)]

Well, SF is in Cincinnati playing the Reds right now. Barry is now 4 homeruns away from tying the record. This means nothing to me because he took steroids which definitely helped him along. I hope he doesn't do this while here in CIncinnati. Unfortunaltely,he hit homer number 751 here last night. We have enough going on here with our manager Jerry Narron just getting fired.

He was booed everytime he came to bat last night here. I'm trying to figure out how he is number 4 in votes for the all star game?

Any thoughts on Barry and his way of getting to the top?

I have pretty strong opinions about the whole situation....and I do believe that people are innocent until proven guilty.

First: As a professional athlete, I think you are doing a disservice to your team, if you are not doing every legal thing possible to improve your physical abilities. I do not know if Barry took steroids, honestly, we all just think we know what happened.

At the time he was allegedly taking steroids, it was not illegal under the rules of MLB....correct me if I am wrong, please.

Second: No amount of steroids will increase your eye hand coordination. Putting the round bat on the round ball thrown at 90+ mph takes eye hand coordination....not necessarily strength....Hell, Barry (and Griffey) were hitting the ball 375+ when they were skinny little rookies....they both have great baseball genetics. Increasing your strength is important, though, and all athletes should do everything legal to stay in shape during their careers.

Lastly: Hitting half that many home runs is quite an accomplishment. He is a hell of an athlete. I respect him for that.

[82Marine89]

At the time he was allegedly taking steroids, it was not illegal under the rules of MLB....correct me if I am wrong, please.

It was and still is illegal under federal law and that trumps MLB rules.

[OCA]

Whether Bonds breaks or doesn't break Aaron will always be the home run champion because he didn't use roids. I know, I know, he's never been charged, doesn't take a genius to figure out that he's been roided up for years now, check him out when he was with the Pirates to now, you'll get the picture plus all the other evidence...Balco etc. etc.

[Gunny]

I have pretty strong opinions about the whole situation....and I do believe that people are innocent until proven guilty.

First: As a professional athlete, I think you are doing a disservice to your team, if you are not doing every legal thing possible to improve your physical abilities. I do not know if Barry took steroids, honestly, we all just think we know what happened.

At the time he was allegedly taking steroids, it was not illegal under the rules of MLB....correct me if I am wrong, please.

Second: No amount of steroids will increase your eye hand coordination. Putting the round bat on the round ball thrown at 90+ mph takes eye hand coordination....not necessarily strength....Hell, Barry (and Griffey) were hitting the ball 375+ when they were skinny little rookies....they both have great baseball genetics. Increasing your strength is important, though, and all athletes should do everything legal to stay in shape during their careers.

Lastly: Hitting half that many home runs is quite an accomplishment. He is a hell of an athlete. I respect him for that.

It has been illegal to take steroids for the purpose of sports enhancement since the 60s, at least. Using illegal substances to enhance one's physical ability when using such substances for that purpose is illegal is just plain wrong.

Steroids would have a GREAT effect on hitting power; which, all the hand-eye coordination in the world cannot overcome a lack of. The fact that he was hitting home runs prior to any steroid use is irrelevant to the fact that he obviously did, and more than likely still does, use controlled substances for the purpose of giving himself an unfair advantage.

He'll get his name in the record book, but in the end, it's a shallow victory because he had to cheat to win.

[krisy]

It has been illegal to take steroids for the purpose of sports enhancement since the 60s, at least. Using illegal substances to enhance one's physical ability when using such substances for that purpose is illegal is just plain wrong.

Steroids would have a GREAT effect on hitting power; which, all the hand-eye coordination in the world cannot overcome a lack of. The fact that he was hitting home runs prior to any steroid use is irrelevant to the fact that he obviously did, and more than likely still does, use controlled substances for the purpose of giving himself an unfair advantage.

He'll get his name in the record book, but in the end, it's a shallow victory because he had to cheat to win.

v

I agree. If steroids did not make a difference in hitting the ball harder....why would a player bother taking them? It makes them stronger,making them hit harder. I don't believe a baseball player is going to take them for really any other reason. They MUST have an affect,or like I said,they wouldn't bother with them.

I do believe he is a good athelete without steroids. He never needed tham. Ken Griffey hasn't taken them,and while he isn't where Bonds is now,he still is working his way upon the top 10 list of home runs.

BNonds attitude doesn't help much.

[5stringJeff]

Bonds is tainted, pure and simple. Any "record" he may end up holding should have a big huge asterisk next to it, with a footnote that says, " 'ROIDS!"

[krisy]

Bonds is tainted, pure and simple. Any "record" he may end up holding should have a big huge asterisk next to it, with a footnote that says, " 'ROIDS!"

Exactly,Jeff. It just doesn't seem genuine or "real".

It bothers me for Hank Aaron that this guy will break his record,but not in a fair way.

My husband and I were watching the home run derby last night and saw an interview with Bonds(he didn't participate in the derby). He seemed nice enough,but I know he gets pretty nasty when the roid thing is brought up.

I wonder....isn't it obvious to a players teamates and coaches when they suddenly start to buldge that they are taking steroids? Maybe they don't want to interfear in someone elses life,but one would think they would want to help with the problem. The Reds brought up a guy named Josh Hamilton this year and he is a young,on fire athelete. Apparently he has been here before and messed it all up drinking and doing some kind of drugs(not roids). The Reds have a support system for him(someone in the oprganization) and his wife also travels with him on the road sometimes.

[manu1959]

there are pitchers in the hall of fame that spit on the ball, cut the ball, sand papered the ball.....cheating is part of baseball.........

[eighballsidepocket]

Old Hank Aaron did it minus steroids, Babe Ruth did it minus steroids.

In fact old B.R. did it while carousing, smoking, drinking, having a pretty good porch hanging over his belt, too. The guy was a walking time bomb of arterial plaque, yet with all that he was barely beat in total H.R.'s.
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Hank Aaron, an unassuming man, did it gradually, quietly, but did it without, life extending drugs. Seems like mostly clean living, and great genetics.

Bonds on the other hand, in recent years has physically continued his prowess beyond his years. It's common knowledge the Barry B.'s head size, physically has grown to steroid proportions, he's been past normal retirement age, but steroids has moved him ever closer to breaking Hank Aaron's H.R. record.

When it comes, I can't look at bond's record without seeing an invisible asterick "*" by the record.

I also think that the commissioner of baseball is a weenie for not confronting bonds. The Comish........claims that pro baseball is the most stringent, and regulated pro sport in the country in respect ot drug monitoring................What a load of or sack of........you know what!

We need a Comish of baseball, that will take a hard stand as was done with Pete rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson.....etc.

By the way, "Field of Dreams" put backwoods hick, Shoeless Joe Jackson and his other Black Sox buddies in this dreamy light of innocence, yet if one read the book (Black Sox) or details of the infamous White Sox that had the World series in the bag, I can't possibly see this Hollywood saga (Field of Dreams) as anything but an attempt at syrupy, tearing-eyed clemency towards men who, though underpaid, would have ruined the respect, and aura of pro baseball if not punished/disciplined for manipulating one of America's greatest past times.
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Barry Bonds * - All Time Home Run Leader *