Your thoughts on Barry Bonds

[Greg McCary]

Hank Aaron was a childhood hero of mine. Living in the Atlanta area I had the change to go and see him hit a few out. So I really have a problem with Barry Bonds breaking the record. I feel the steroids helped him extend his career giving him a shot at the record. I would like to hear what everyone else thinks as Barry closes in on the record.
Greg

[livin4lax09]

I think he's a fraud. He doesn't deserve to be in the hall of fame, he's a cheater, and he's not even polite.

one of my favorite editorials stated "remember when those two college students ran alongside Aaron when he broke the home run record? The only person running alongside bonds will be trying to trip him."

[adina]

Don't follow baseball at all. Not even sure who Barry Bonds is

[swmdrayfan]

Initially I was put off by his whole attitude. Now I just don't care. I've been a Yankee fan all my life, but always appreciated the talents of non-Yankee ballplayers. That said, after the whole steroids controversy, I began to take a different perspective. I don't plan on spending a lot of time thinking about Barry Bonds.

[Asylum Steve]

I would like to hear what everyone else thinks as Barry closes in on the record...

Well, no sense really getting into it, as this is an argument that no one can win, but FWIW, Bonds has always been one of my favorite players, and he continues to be.

To single him out as a player who knowingly used steroids without absolute proof, during a time when MLB's rules did not specifically prohibit it (not to mention that it was not even tested for) and condemn and crucify him for it as the "villian of all villians" is, to me, a bit hypocritical.

I guess that being a lifetime baseball fan, and knowing the skill it takes to play (let alone hit home runs) at the Major League level, my guess is that using steroids would be a huge roll of the dice for a ballplayer, with as much chance of wrecking a career as helping it.

IMO, much more of a chance of causing injuries and shortening a career than prolonging it...

For the record, Bonds has a lifetime .300 batting average, and a lifetime fielding percentage over .980. Those are Hall of Fame numbers, and no way steroids made those as high as they are. Raw strength does not help your hand-eye coordination one bit.

Obviously, even if he was using years ago (as we seem to be learning many of the star players were), he's now cleaned up his act. And my oh my, he still seems to be hitting homeruns.

One reason. It's skill, not drugs...

[masdog]

Bonds isn't the only one being singled out for this. He's just the most visible right now because he is still in the game, on the verge of breaking the record, and part of the BALCO scandal that ties steroids to a variety of sporting events.

Mark McGuire is also in the frying pan. He should have been a first ballot admission to the hall of fame, but his testimony in front of Congress on the steroids issue hurt his chances of getting into the Hall.

[mwfanelli]

It doesn't really matter to me. Bonds bulked up tremendously over one off season, much more than exercise alone could have done. That's when his stats went up. But so what? Hank and the Babe know (here and in the afterlife!) that their numbers are based on real skills whereas Bonds is a fraud regardless of how many other players are/were using steroids.

I mentioned once that steroids and other enhancers should be legalized. But that caused such a massive controversy I won't bring it up again!

[JSPhoto]

Bonds, and ANY athlete using steroids should be banned from playing and banned from any possibility of hall of fame mention.
Baseball has always had double standards, funny they ban Rose for gambling but allow Bonds and others to continue playing.
If you can't do it without steroids you don't belong in the game!

JS

[JETA]

I for sure think he's a fraud, but here are the things that cross my mind.

Supposedly he took them when sterioids were not illegal. So does that make it right?

While talented, aren't his numbers skewed because he did take steroids?

I'd be interested to see his homerun stats during the time he was supposed to be taking them. How do they vary to his homerun stats of today while drug free?

[Asylum Steve]

I'd be interested to see his homerun stats during the time he was supposed to be taking them. How do they vary to his homerun stats of today while drug free?

I think you'll find there's not much difference, which backs up my point that strength is not the most important factor when hitting homeruns. Any drop off in Bonds' HR production over his career can be easily connected to his rash of injuries.

BTW, he currenty has 11, which leads the National League...

[Xia_Ke]

Bonds, and ANY athlete using steroids should be banned from playing and banned from any possibility of hall of fame mention.
Baseball has always had double standards, funny they ban Rose for gambling but allow Bonds and others to continue playing.
If you can't do it without steroids you don't belong in the game!

JS

+1. You read my mind.

And while we're talking baseball... GO

[JSPhoto]

I for sure think he's a fraud, but here are the things that cross my mind.

Supposedly he took them when sterioids were not illegal. So does that make it right?

While talented, aren't his numbers skewed because he did take steroids?

I'd be interested to see his homerun stats during the time he was supposed to be taking them. How do they vary to his homerun stats of today while drug free?

Legal? I don't know of any time that steroids have been legal for enhancing performance. It was an unwritten rule for years, and has been banned from athletes in the US since the Olympics started banning them officially. That leaves any records that Bonds has or will get in doubt.
I still stand by my statement that Bonds and anyone else who uses or used steroids should be banned from the game and the Hall of Fame.

JS

[Beamer]

I like Bonds, and will be cheering when he breaks the record. I'd bet I could give most all of you all the steroids and enhancers in the world, and you would be lucky to hit a pop fly at the Major League level.

Fact is, he's talented. Fact is, their is no proof he took them. Fact is, he will break the home record.

Is he polite? No...but he isn't required to be either. The real fools are guys like Kirk Schillings who opens his mouth with out thinking, and makes a fool of himself.

Beamer

[drg]

There was another BIG drug scandal in MLB in the early 1980's. It was called Cocaine. MLB didn't consider it illegal either at that point. Problem was, just like steroids, cocaine was illegal.

There are legal medical uses of incredibly powerful steroids such as cortisone and prednisone. They are legal when prescribed by a Medical Doctor for a particular therapeutic use.

The steroids in question that the Ballplayers are 'alleged' to have used are not legal. Against state and federal law, just like cocaine.

Look at the damage done to the Bash Brothers (McGwire and Canseco) and their 'advanced training methods' that resulted in Mark McGwire hiding from the public and Canseco becoming a poster boy for, well pick something.

There are a some very interesting legal cases in ILLINOIS where I live that are directly related to BALCO. I.E. an industrial chemist who in exchange for leniency in sentencing has turned over all his records regarding BALCO to the FEDS. Much of the 'active' ingredients used by BALCO in their products were made just outside Champaign, IL it seems.

Bonds has done some thing, the evidence is clear in terms of his behavior(on and off the baseball stage), his physical changes and the short time in which they occured, his associations with a lot of now convicted people,and his continuing unwillingness to publically test. Sammy Sosa (now in the heart of Texas) got beat on by the press and had several memorable moments and behaviors as Bonds. Sosa isn't a second generation ballplayer with a revered and beloved parent. No pass for Sosa. Shouldn't be one for Bonds either.

[JETA]

Legal? I don't know of any time that steroids have been legal for enhancing performance. It was an unwritten rule for years, and has been banned from athletes in the US since the Olympics started banning them officially. That leaves any records that Bonds has or will get in doubt.
I still stand by my statement that Bonds and anyone else who uses or used steroids should be banned from the game and the Hall of Fame.

JS

Maybe illegal was the wrong word. It was my understanding that steroids were not addressed as right or wrong in MLB. It is now, but I thought during the time that Bonds may have taken them it wasn't against, written or addressed (etcetcetc) in MLB.

Like Pete Rose and gambling. It was a written rule wasn't it?

[mwfanelli]

Maybe illegal was the wrong word. It was my understanding that steroids were not addressed as right or wrong in MLB.

Would doing a Rush with OxyContin be OK just because MLB doesn't explicitly ban it? Illegal is illegal, the league should not turn a blind eye felonies just because their rules don't mention them.

[JETA]

Would doing a Rush with OxyContin be OK just because MLB doesn't explicitly ban it? Illegal is illegal, the league should not turn a blind eye felonies just because their rules don't mention them.

Of course not!!!!!!!!!! I'm just trying to figure out MLBs stance on such things. I don't agree with it at all, especially the hypocrisy! Give me a friggin' break and reread what I said and asked. I'm wanting to know MLB stance and how they come to their decisions because I do NOT know. Asking questions and wondering isn't condoning. :idea:

You'll also have to edcuate me as to what "doing a Rush" is.

[mwfanelli]

You wrote: "Maybe illegal was the wrong word." It was not, steroids ARE illegal for bulking up. Less eye rolling might help you be clearer.

Rush Limbaugh is an OxyContin drug addict (along with other illegally obtained pain killers). He also denied it for a while before the evidence piled up and he went to "rehab", the favorite meeting place for the rich and famous.

[JETA]

You wrote: "Maybe illegal was the wrong word." It was not, steroids ARE illegal for bulking up. Less eye rolling might help you be clearer.

Rush Limbaugh is an OxyContin drug addict (along with other illegally obtained pain killers). He also denied it for a while before the evidence piled up and he went to "rehab", the favorite meeting place for the rich and famous.

Oh whoooooops. My reply to JS should have been "legal" in response to his question. I'm just trying to understand the MLB rules because what little I do know they do not make sense & seem a bit contradicting.

I'll keep my eyerolls in place.

Thanks for explaining Rush to me. :thumbsup:

[JSPhoto]

Actually the baseball rules on the subject is in very plain English, and it has been since the 40's or 50's. If it is illegal under US and or state laws it is illegal in baseball, therefore steroids are and have been illegal. Granted some are legal under a DOCTORS care, but then they fall under the same laws that prescription medications do. The stuff Bonds used do not fall under perscriptions and therefore ARE illegal.
As already mentioned there is only one way Bonds could have gotten the way he did in such a short time, and his failure to take drug tests just goes to prove his guilt, and his "taking the 5th" also proves it.
If those in charge of the MLB had any brains at all they would force him and ALL players to take the tests and when they confirm steroid use ban all of them who test positive from baseball and the hall. But we all know the MLB has lost control of things, and won't enforce their own rules...... and team owners won't either.
If Bonds were smart, he go away on his own like McGwire and vanish from the public eye.
OJ should too, I hope more people start banning these people from their establishments, not a one of them are good examples to kids!