Barry Bonds

I spoke to this issue in my last post. Let me explain a little more why I hate Barry Bonds. He has the

most home runs in a single season and for a career. Some claim he started taking steroids halfway through is career. Could such a thing be possible?

Exhibit A - Most players' statistics are going down in their mid-30's. How about Barry? He seems to have gotten a second wind somehow. If you prorate his seasons, figuring a conservative 550 at bats per season, this is how Barry did starting from age 34 through 40 - Home run totals of 53, 66, 84, 63, 63, 66, 65. Keep in mind that for the first hundred plus years of baseball, no one had hit more than 61.

Exhibit B - Before age 34 (prime years for players), Barry never had a year as good as those from ages 34 to 40. (Also, his early 30's is when others have said he started using steroids.)

Exhibit C - In his last season, at age 42, he hit 28 home runs. (Prorated, it would have been 45 home runs.) How did non-cheaters do at age 42?

Hank Aaron had 10 home runs.
Willie Mays had 6
Babe Ruth retired at age forty. That year he hit 6.
Mickey Mantle had been retired for six years.
Ted Williams - Retired at age forty-one.

Exhibit D - Read "Game of Shadows" sometime. Two people it highlighted in particular were Barry Bonds and a sprinter named Marion Jones. Marion classed up and later finally admitted she had been using steroids. Barry never has classed up. You don't even need to read the whole book. Just the Barry parts. I could just end with their research, but I can't. I have more exhibits.

Exhibit E - His place in the line up. I actually saw him play once. He was a Pittsburgh Pirate. He batted lead off. He was a scrawny player who got on base. Fifteen years later he is a completely different player. He's all bulked up and hitting in the power position in the line up. I can't think of anyone else who has ever completely changed their game like that. I'm pretty sure Babe Ruth never batted lead off.

Exhibit F - Head size. You might say, "Well, a person can bulk up by lifting weights or eating a lot." Granted. But does your head get bigger? Doctors say that can be a side effect of steroid use. His head got twice as big. How does that happen without steroids? Check it out. And while we're at it, check out fellow cheater, Mark McGwire.