Barry Bonds quest for HR record

[Chalupa]

So why is Greg Anderson still in jail???

[Soulstation1]

F!@# Bud Selig

[RDK]

I haven't been following this all too closely, but surely nobody believes that Bonds is still on steroids, right? I know comparisons are shoddy because of age, but how do his more recent stats stack up against his "steroid years" on 98-2005 or whatever?

[sheldonm]

I haven't been following this all too closely, but surely nobody believes that Bonds is still on steroids, right? I know comparisons are shoddy because of age, but how do his more recent stats stack up against his "steroid years" on 98-2005 or whatever?

I would say it's doubtful that he is currently on steroids. Dan is the man with the stat book, he can help you out.

m

[Dan Gould]

I haven't been following this all too closely, but surely nobody believes that Bonds is still on steroids, right? I know comparisons are shoddy because of age, but how do his more recent stats stack up against his "steroid years" on 98-2005 or whatever?

I would say it's doubtful that he is currently on steroids. Dan is the man with the stat book, he can help you out.

m

Actually, all I've got is access to Baseball-reference.com.

Steroids allowed him to bulk up at an extreme rate during the offseason after the 1998 season. He was inspired to do so due to the popularity of Sosa and McGuire and Bonds' belief that they were not nearly his equal as players. That extraordinarily extreme muscle gain in a short period of time is regarded by experts as a hallmark of steroid use/abuse and aside from his connection to BALCO and Greg Anderson and his testimony regarding what he put in his body, it is one of the prime pieces of evidence against him.

Now, as to the question of whether he uses steroids now, I would say that it is immaterial. Steroids do not have the same effects that say, alcohol has. Alcohol in the body creates inebriation and the physical effects are well known. Steroids don't have to be present in the body for the effect of steroids to be felt. Bonds didn't hit his home runs specifically during the time he was in the middle of a steroid 'cycle'. It is the long term effects of the steroids he used that taints his statistical accomplishments.

Once he used steroids, bulked up, and as a result started hitting homers at an impossibly high rate, he didn't have to continue to use steroids to reap the benefits of his cheating. IMO, all of his home runs are suspect ever since he started to juice. Steroids aren't necessary to maintain strength, after all.

[trane_fanatic]

Why is the author's e-mail (at the end) gmitchell? Hmm...

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/ne...t_id=1003621797

Barry Bonds' HR Record Tainted by Elbow 'Armor'?

By Michael Witte

Published: August 06, 2007 10:45 AM

NEW YORK (Commentary) Beyond his alleged steroid use, Barry Bonds is 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” may have 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 (largely unexplored) 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.

2) The apparatus locks at the elbow when the lead arm is fully elongated because of a small flap at the top of the bottom section that fits into a groove in the bottom of the top section. The locked arm forms a rigid front arm fulcrum that allows extraordinary, maximally efficient explosion of the levers of Bonds' wrists. Bonds hands are quicker than those of average hitters because of his mechanical "assistant."

3) When Bonds swings, the weight of the apparatus helps to seal his inner upper arm to his torso at impact. Thus "connected," he automatically hits the ball with the weight of his entire body - not just his arms - as average hitters ("extending") tend to do.

4) Bonds has performed less well in Home Run Derbies than one might expect because he has no excuse to wear a "protector" facing a batting practice pitcher. As he tires, his front arm elbow tends to lift and he swings under the ball, producing towering pop flies or topspin liners that stay in the park. When the apparatus is worn, its weight keeps his elbow down and he drives the ball with backspin.

5) Bonds enjoys quicker access to the inside pitch than average hitters because his "assistant" - counter-intuitively - allows him to turn more rapidly. Everyone understands that skaters accelerate their spins by pulling their arms into their torsos, closer to their axes of rotation. When Bonds is confronted with an inside pitch, he spins like a skater because his upper front arm is "assistant"-sealed tightly against the side of his chest.

6) At impact, Bonds has additional mass (the weight of his "assistant") not available to the average hitter. The combined weight of "assistant" and bat is probably equal to the weight of the lumber wielded by Babe Ruth but with more manageable weight distribution.

At the moment, Bonds' apparatus enjoys "grandfathered" status. Similar devices are presently denied to average

major leaguers, who must present evidence of injury before receiving an exemption.

Bonds has worn some sort of front arm protection since 1992. In '94, a one-piece forearm guard was replaced by a jointed, two piece elbow model. In ‘95 it got bigger and a small "cap" on the elbow was replaced by a "flap" that overlapped the upper piece and locked the two pieces together when the arm was elongated. In '96, the "apparatus" grew even larger and so did the "flap."

It seems to have remained relatively the same until -- interestingly— 2001, the year of his record 73 home runs, when an advanced model appeared made (apparently) of a new material. It had softer edges and a groove for the flap to slip into automatically at full arm elongation. More important, the upper half of the machine was sculpted to conform more comfortably to the contours of Bonds' upper arm. Since 2001, the apparatus seems to have remained relatively unchanged.

Several years back, baseball was rightfully scandalized by the revelation that Sammy Sosa had "corked" his bat. The advantages conferred by the Bonds "hitting machine," however, far exceed anything supplied by cork. Ultimately, it appears the Bonds "achievement” must be regarded as partly the product of “double duplicity" -- steroidal and mechanical.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Witte (gmitchell@editorandpublisher.com) is a well-known illustrator whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Time, Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal and dozens of other publications. The New Yorker recently wrote a piece about him and his study of mechanics, and he is presently a paid consultant to a major league team on mechanics. He appeared on network TV coverage of the 2003 World Series, providing cartoon sketches of some of the action.

Edited August 7, 2007 by trane_fanatic

[Aggie87]

But....but....you've succumbed to the media's witch hunt!

[Lyin' Wolf]

But....but....you've succumbed to the media's witch hunt!

What if if one hunts witches because there are witches to be hunted????

[Tim McG]

I haven't been following this all too closely, but surely nobody believes that Bonds is still on steroids, right? I know comparisons are shoddy because of age, but how do his more recent stats stack up against his "steroid years" on 98-2005 or whatever?

I would say it's doubtful that he is currently on steroids. Dan is the man with the stat book, he can help you out.

m

Uh-huh.

Let me remind that Dan also confuses loud cheering and photograph taking by rival ballpark fans with [strange as it may seem] booing. He cannot tell the difference between what actually happened [i watched the game] and what the lying media jackals say. They said he was booed and that the ballpark was empty. Both are bald faced lies.

Now I suggest you think about that before you buy into anything he says, OK?

Just sayin'.

[Tim McG]

#756!

The best there is...ever.

[Tim McG]

And you know the hell of it is...?

I had tickets for tonight's game, but gave them to a friend because I had to attend a seminar for my job today.

Go figure.

Edited August 9, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Big Wheel]

*

[RDK]

Asterisk or not, congrats to Bonds for such an amazing feat.

[Lyin' Wolf]

Heard about the record this morning.....

Emptiness

Melancholy

Sadness

Wish it could have felt differently.

[Chalupa]

Asterisk or not, congrats to Bonds for such an amazing feat.

How can it be "amazing" if it's tainted??

Heard about the record this morning.....

Emptiness

Melancholy

Sadness

Wish it could have felt differently.

I'm fucking ecstatic. Now hopefully Selig and the rest of the MLB powers that be will be shamed into getting a real anti-doping policy with rigorous testing procedures.

[Jazzmoose]

Good; it's over. Now we can forget it.

[Dan Gould]

Good; it's over. Now we can forget it.

Precisely.

Our long, national nightmare is almost over, and we should be thankful.

No more minute-by-minute updates.

No more Giants games on TV.

No more sell out crowds, no more press conferences, and no more attention given to an AARP roster floundering in last place with no hope for the future.

Let the true countdown begin.

The blessed day when he does his perp walk.

[Matthew]

Well, he broke the record, and I must admit, I find no joy in this event either. What I found interesting is the players reaction to Bonds. When Aaron broke the record, you saw the Dodgers being happy for him, Lopes, Russell, Cey, all the Dodgers (well, maybe not Downing) you could tell they were thrilled for Aaron. The Washington players kept their distance, I saw no joy from them in the least. Maybe they wanted to be loyal to Frank Robinson, who supposedly has great disdain for Bonds. I also had to laugh about Bonds telling the fans how wonderful they are, etc., yeah, right, that's why he lives in L.A., because he loves the Bay Area so much.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Matthew

[Aggie87]

*

[Aggie87]

#756!

The best there is...ever.

Not by a long shot. Being a record holder and being the best are not one and the same.

Bonds doesn't even hold the world record for home runs anyway. He's just the U.S. record holder, for the time being.

edit - Another thing - Aaron (and Sadaharu Oh, based on my personal observation) were more rounded ball players. Bonds USED to be more well rounded (or 5 tooled or whatever you call it). For the past 5+ years (same time frame that he grew abnormally), all he's been about is trying to hit home runs. That's not a team baseball player, that's just a guy with one sole purpose. That takes away some of the appreciation I have for him as well, regardless of whether he juiced or not.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Aggie87

[sheldonm]

*

...nice! to the cheater!

m

[Aggie87]

Sham? Maybe. Shame? Definitely

Bonds holds the home run record, but he's no hero

by John Donovan, SI.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds had just unloosed a wickedly hard swing Tuesday night, the ball already lining its way deep toward the stands in right-center field and into its place in baseball history, when he dropped his bat, thrust both fists into the cool night air and stood, tall and unmoving, for all the world to see. Immediately, we all were forced to deal with a question that we've been wrestling with for years.

What do you think of Barry Bonds now? What do you think of the new home run king?

After years of streaking toward this moment, more rapidly in the past few seasons than anyone had thought humanly possible, Bonds finally arrived on the summit he had so desperately sought with his typical bang and bravado. The Giants' controversial slugger crushed a fifth-inning, full-count fastball from the Nationals' Mike Bascik to the deepest recesses of AT&T Park, a superhuman 435 feet away, to supplant Hank Aaron at the top of Major League Baseball's list for most home runs in a career.

The San Francisco fans, so loyal and forgiving, went wacko when No. 756 pierced through the night. Fireworks popped over McCovey Cove as Bonds made his accustomed slow trek around the bases. He touched home plate, the record now all his, thrust his gloved fists again skyward and held them there as his 17-year-old son, Nikolai, embraced him.

Bonds then waded slowly into a subdued group of teammates, bowed and blew kisses to the crowd, greeted his family, hugged godfather and Giants great Willie Mays and thanked the fans at AT&T Park in a brief on-field ceremony. A few minutes later, after one last nod to the fans in left field, Giants manager Bruce Bochy pulled Bonds from the game.

And now, we are left to reflect on the man, the moment and the significance of it all. Bonds has millions of fans, as his selection to this year's All-Star game indicates. His supporters are vocal and relentless. But there are millions of fans today, too, that are completely, radically disgusted at baseball and at the idea of Bonds, of all people, holding this important record. They call him a cheat. They call him a disgrace. They call this whole thing a sham.

Think about that and what that means. Even if Bonds' record is not a sham -- and an overwhelming body of evidence points to the fact that's exactly what it is -- Bonds as home run king is, without any doubt, a shame. The most magical number in baseball, the most recognized record in sport, now belongs to a 43-year-old man who has broadly split the baseball-loving public.

"If they feel that way, I feel for them," Bochy said of the Bonds' critics. "I feel this is a time to celebrate. I would hope that everybody that loves this game and has a passion for it would celebrate. I think it's time to move on."

We can argue -- baseball fans have been at it for years -- the relative merits of the performance-enhancing drug charges that Bonds has been sidestepping for years. The tirelessly reported and researched book Game of Shadows paints a picture of a man obsessed with getting the same kind of attention and adulation that former slugger Mark McGwire received during the great home run chase of 1998, and one who went chemical to achieve it. It's almost impossible to read that book, written by two investigative reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle, and come away with the impression that Bonds wasn't into a lot that he shouldn't have been into.

But even giving Bonds every benefit of the doubt, the new record-holder has been way less than we expect of our best, way less than what we should get. Record holder? Absolutely. Hero? Not in a million years.

At best, Bonds has made a lot of stupid, arrogant choices, associated himself with exactly the wrong type of people, played stupid when it served him best -- c'mon, Barry, flaxseed oil? -- and shown no regret for any of his actions. At best, as comedian Chris Rock told Bob Costas recently, Bonds has pulled a fast one.

At worst, Bonds has blatantly worked around and above the game's current drug policy and ignored the spirit and intent of baseball's rules against performance-enhancing drugs when they weren't enforceable. At worst, he took the drugs even though he knew he shouldn't, tried to hide that fact and cheated his way to this record.

The best is not good. The worst is reprehensible. Is this the man that baseball fans want holding the most glamorous record in sports? A surly, sometimes outright mean cuss of a player who also has been, at times, hated by his teammates, at odds with the players' union, nasty and condescending to fans and a disaster as a family man?

"This record is not tainted at all. At all," a defiant Bonds said in a postgame press conference. "You guys can say whatever you want."

There's no choice now, of course, when it comes to recognizing the new record holder. Bonds has a grand jury holding a possible indictment for perjury over his head. His former trainer and overly loyal friend, Greg Anderson, convicted of steroids distribution and money laundering, sits in a prison cell for refusing to testify about Bonds before the grand jury. Yet when the record books come out next year, Bonds' name will be atop the list, scot-free and asterisk-free.

Shortly after he was pulled from Tuesday's game, to another loud ovation from the crowd of more than 43,000, Bonds was caught by television cameras on the bench in the Giants' dugout. Most of his teammates were in the field or standing against the rail next to the field. Bonds sat, with no one near him on either side, staring blankly into space.

It was a poignant scene and completely fitting for the moment. The new home run king, on top of his world, all alone with his thoughts.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Aggie87

[Soulstation1]

i wish i had caught 756.........

i'd be debt free in less than a month

:rsmile:

[Soulstation1]

FWIW

i have 2 1987 Topps Cello Packs with Bonds on the front

i'll take $1000 for the pair, postage paid..lol

[RDK]

How much just for the gum?