04-10-2002, 09:50 PM
What, you're stealing my "whisked"s now? I can't say what Ruth's numbers would be. If he got himself in better condition, maybe he'd be great. But remember Cecil Fielder? He was a whale of a man like Ruth who could hit the ball a mile. But his bat speed wasn't the greatest, and pitchers learned to pitch against him, and he was only a good hitter for a couple years. Players are just smarter now because they know more about the game. Ruth didn't have to prepare because no one else did. Maybe he was a dolt, and if people charted pitches against him, it would have been easier to face him.
"Expansion" pitchers are bad. And yes, there are 3 times as many teams so the talent level is less. But how many more people play baseball than back 90 years ago? While there are more players, the pool of available players is much much greater, so the overall quality of pitchers is still better than it was back then.
Finally, Ruth didn't have to worry about facing 3 different pitchers in 4 at bats. He could go against one pitcher, who was tired after being on 3 days rest for one thing, then pitching 100 pitches already by the 8th inning.
Bonds has to worry about a monster like Randy Johnson throwing 100 accross his body, then a cotrol reliever like Brian Anderson, and then adapt to yet another style in Kim.
"Expansion" pitchers are bad. And yes, there are 3 times as many teams so the talent level is less. But how many more people play baseball than back 90 years ago? While there are more players, the pool of available players is much much greater, so the overall quality of pitchers is still better than it was back then.
Finally, Ruth didn't have to worry about facing 3 different pitchers in 4 at bats. He could go against one pitcher, who was tired after being on 3 days rest for one thing, then pitching 100 pitches already by the 8th inning.
Bonds has to worry about a monster like Randy Johnson throwing 100 accross his body, then a cotrol reliever like Brian Anderson, and then adapt to yet another style in Kim.