BONDS... BARRY BONDS

[Scott]

Ok guys, what do you think about Barry Bonds and his quest to overtake Hank Aaron?  Does anybody think he deserves an asterisk or something to denote his involvement in the BALCO scandal?  Do you think fans outside of SF will recognize him as the all-time HR king?  Curious to hear your thoughts - I'm a big baseball fan.  GO BRAVES!!!

[Tyler]

I think Bonds is an extraordinary baseball player, regardless if he took drugs or not.  I personally can't stand the way he plays baseball now.  I understand he's older, but can't he at least try to run out an infield ground ball?  He doesn't pull a groin when he chases down a fly ball.

Anyways, back to the subject.  If he can do it, I say good for him.  90% of the hard part about hitting a home run is actually hitting the ball.  There isn't a drug that I know of that will help you connect with the ball better or have the right type of swing to hit the ball out.

[David]

I have mixed feelings on this issue.   I think that barry bonds is the greatest player of my generation and  even though we all know the record is tainted, I would still put him in the HOF and I still recognize his ability.  I loved watching him play for a long time growing up.    Pre steroids he was a much better all around player than he is now.

Steroids don't help him hit a baseball, they only help him hit one further if he connects.   Plus, I think villifying him when a lot of minor leaguers, high schoolers, collegians and other MLB players were also juicing is wrong.   Personally, I loved it when barry hit 73 and supported him up until the reports in the game of shadows.

[BaldRob]

I have no mixed feelings on the issue...

Barry Bonds always has been and always will be an a$$hole, liar, and a cheater...  Don't give me that crap of "I didn't know what the trainer was using"...  If he should "break" the record, I personally don't think he should be mentioned anywhere in the record books.

And before anyone goes and says I'm just a Bonds hater, I personally have no respect for ANYONE that juiced up... Sosa, McGuire, Giambi, Palmero, etc

[schro]

I have no mixed feelings on the issue...

Barry Bonds always has been and always will be an a$$hole, liar, and a cheater...  Don't give me that crap of "I didn't know what the trainer was using"...  If he should "break" the record, I personally don't think he should be mentioned anywhere in the record books.

And before anyone goes and says I'm just a Bonds hater, I personally have no respect for ANYONE that juiced up... Sosa, McGuire, Giambi, Palmero, etc

I'm really beginning to think that BaldRob & I are twins separated at birth, of course I got the good lucks and brains (not sure what the gene pool passed on to my long lost twin). Is Bonds a good hitter? He's phenomenal, steroids doesn't improve your batting eye. Living in the Bay Area most of my life (and still in NorCal), I've seen Bonds deal with the local media. He could be the biggest A-Hole walking the face of this planet. I would love to see him sustain a career ending injury one homerun shy of passing Aaron  (notice I said career ending, not life debilitating). He's a liar & a cheat. Plus he's a member of the SF Giants  .

God, I hate Bonds and the Frisco Balco Boys.

[wpruitt]

Anyways, back to the subject.  If he can do it, I say good for him.  90% of the hard part about hitting a home run is actually hitting the ball.  There isn't a drug that I know of that will help you connect with the ball better or have the right type of swing to hit the ball out.

Being a Braves fan, I hate to see Hammerin' Hank's record broken.  I had the chance to meet him once.  A super nice, quiet, low key sort of guy. 

Tyler, You are correct.  The drugs do not help your swing or the ability to hit the ball.  They do, however, offer the ability to hit it further - which makes it a homer. 

If he does it, it will not be legit.  Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth did it ON THEIR OWN!

Just my two cents.

[Tyler]

Don't get me wrong.  I hate Bonds and the Giants just as much as anyone else.  I'm a Dodgers fan.

Though, I don't agree with the more muscles helps you hit home runs theory.  Sure, you do have to have some muscles to hit it out, but as long as you have enough (which every guy in the majors has) then it gets down to the angle of your swing.  When I was in high school I weighed 150 pounds and could hit the ball out of the park (360 ft plus) fairly easily.  The thing is, you have to have the right swing to do it.

Simple physics says that force=mass x acceleration.  Most of the acceleration comes from the legs and hips, not the arms or upper body.  If you watch Bonds, he has very good acceleration through the hips.  Always has.  The thing that's different from his early days is the path that his bat head takes.  It's very similar to how Griffey swings, just slightly more level.  The thing of it is, Bonds just connects more than Griffey does.  A-Rod has a very close swing also, but is even a little more level than Bonds, so he hits more line drives.  Gwynn was the ultimate line drive hitter with very little wasted motion in his path to the ball.

Do I think they should throw all of his records out if he gets caught juicing, for sure!  Will they catch him, probably not.  As for how he'll be received, people are going to think it sucks if they don't like Bonds - which most people don't. 

[KALBO]

Short and sweet...if he has an ounce of class, he should tie the record and retire immediately.

[schro]

Short and sweet...if he has an ounce of class, he should tie the record and retire immediately.

I never thought of that....great idea.
However, we are dealing with one of the biggest pricks of our generation. He would never do that.

[BaldRob]

I have no mixed feelings on the issue...

Barry Bonds always has been and always will be an a$$hole, liar, and a cheater...  Don't give me that crap of "I didn't know what the trainer was using"...  If he should "break" the record, I personally don't think he should be mentioned anywhere in the record books.

And before anyone goes and says I'm just a Bonds hater, I personally have no respect for ANYONE that juiced up... Sosa, McGuire, Giambi, Palmero, etc

I'm really beginning to think that BaldRob & I are twins separated at birth, of course I got the good lucks and brains (not sure what the gene pool passed on to my long lost twin). Is Bonds a good hitter? He's phenomenal, steroids doesn't improve your batting eye. Living in the Bay Area most of my life (and still in NorCal), I've seen Bonds deal with the local media. He could be the biggest A-Hole walking the face of this planet. I would love to see him sustain a career ending injury one homerun shy of passing Aaron  (notice I said career ending, not life debilitating). He's a liar & a cheat. Plus he's a member of the SF Giants  .

God, I hate Bonds and the Frisco Balco Boys.

You got the "good lucks and brains", I got the good looks, charm, and penis size!!   

I'll agree with Arnie on this one, but go one better... if he has one milliliter of class, he'll get within one of the record and retire.  But, as my brother from another mother has said, Bonds is THE colossal prick of our generation and wouldn't do it.

From various articles on ESPN.com and other sporting venues, I really don't think he'll get in the HOF unless he's totally cleared, which will never happen!  Good riddance Bonds... have a nice, tainted life!

[Sooner Steve]

Short and sweet...if he has an ounce of class, he should tie the record and retire immediately.

Shorter and sweeter.  Retire one home run shy of the record.  Then I might say he has class.

[PBurke]

this is a good one. being a father of athletes, i miss the classy guys that kids looked up to. the jordans, byrds, aarons, etc. some of these dumbasses that play sports these days drive me crazy. i don't want my kids looking up to bonds or T.O. or anyone like that. although these guys may be very talented athletes, they need to learn how to be MEN as well. if their name is not in the papers, they throw a hissy fit and do dumb crap to get publicity. just pisses me off. as for barry in the HOF? hell no. it takes more than home runs to get there. you should be judged on your merit as a PROFFESIONAL athlete as well as your talent/records. hell pete rose can't be there because he gambled on a game. if he wants to lose his OWN money, then so be it. he was one of the best ballplayers ever. but barry makes MLB look bad for a different reason and therefore should be laughed at when it come to the HOF.

[Paul]

As a high school coach, I can't disagree with anything negative that was said about Bonds or any athlete that portrays a negative image about baseball or professional sports to kids.   But the precedent has already been set by an athlete who was a frequent substance abuser of alcohol and down right obnoxious by some accounts of the day.....The Babe and his faults came in an era that was far less tolerant.

[KALBO]

I have no mixed feelings on the issue...

Barry Bonds always has been and always will be an a$$hole, liar, and a cheater...  Don't give me that crap of "I didn't know what the trainer was using"...  If he should "break" the record, I personally don't think he should be mentioned anywhere in the record books.

And before anyone goes and says I'm just a Bonds hater, I personally have no respect for ANYONE that juiced up... Sosa, McGuire, Giambi, Palmero, etc

I'm really beginning to think that BaldRob & I are twins separated at birth, of course I got the good lucks and brains (not sure what the gene pool passed on to my long lost twin). Is Bonds a good hitter? He's phenomenal, steroids doesn't improve your batting eye. Living in the Bay Area most of my life (and still in NorCal), I've seen Bonds deal with the local media. He could be the biggest A-Hole walking the face of this planet. I would love to see him sustain a career ending injury one homerun shy of passing Aaron  (notice I said career ending, not life debilitating). He's a liar & a cheat. Plus he's a member of the SF Giants  .

God, I hate Bonds and the Frisco Balco Boys.

You got the "good lucks and brains", I got the good looks, charm, and penis size!!   

I'll agree with Arnie on this one, but go one better... if he has one milliliter of class, he'll get within one of the record and retire.  But, as my brother from another mother has said, Bonds is THE colossal prick of our generation and wouldn't do it.

From various articles on ESPN.com and other sporting venues, I really don't think he'll get in the HOF unless he's totally cleared, which will never happen!  Good riddance Bonds... have a nice, tainted life!

Thought about putting that in my post, but with the type of person he is...believe he would at least tie it and thinking of himself, if he were to step down after that...he could win back some support. The way the game is played today, with athletes not playing through some injuries like back in the day of Hank Aaron, it's an unbreakable record for the honest athlete. Bonds could retire happy with a tie and the record not in jeopardy. I love the game of baseball, but Bonds makes me sick!