09-18-2004, 07:16 AM
I was pissed off for about 20 minutes after I heard Michael Kay mention during the Sox-Yanks game that Bonds had hit number 700, because fucking Sportscenter decided to have some douchebag blather on for 10 minutes about how great Bonds was, and then showing every other important HR of Bonds, except for his 700th. Then they switch to fucking college football, which I fucking despise. Then, they start covering EVERY OTHER FUCKING GAME except the Padres-Giants.
And then I finally got to see it. I don't think 700 holds much weight with the general public as 73 does, because breaking a single season record in such a popular stat catagory as HR seems to attract more flash in the media than a career long path toward a plateau that only two men have reached in the MLB. But, to the baseball fans, even those who don't follow the sport every day during the season, 700 is pretty important. 300-500 is the usual HOF range, when combined with some decent fielding and some respectable batting stats. But this man has been able to surpass all of these other great home run hitters, specifically McGwire, that came into the league during his tenure, and even surpass baseball's greats.
People saw this guy McGwire, and in him they saw the embodiement of what a slugger was; merely a man who hits HR, and nothing else. But with guys like him, its kinda 50/50; he's either gonna hit a HR, or he's gonna get out.
Bonds is so above that. The odds are stacked against the pitcher every time he steps to the plate, because he can see a good pitch to hit, and can make a pitch turn into the hit that he wants more often than any other player. In terms of average, he's having a better season than he did when he hit 73, but he's only hit 42. But his OBP is enormous because of all those walks he gets now, but its not just from pussy managers like that douchebag in Arizona; it's also because the dude can see pitches. This is not some guy like Soriano, swinging everything toward the fences, and striking out. We're talking about a patient hitter, who not only can hit HR, who not only can get the base hit, who not only can intimidate pitchers, but can make pitchers work, and draw the walk. If Bonds had a real RBI producer behind him, he'd kill statistics in runs scored.
And he keeps getting better. 98 and 2004 are Bonds's best seasons thus far, and he's now 40. And we know Bonds would get pitched to more often if there was a threat behind him in the lineup. That's just a quick recipe for 756 right there. But what can two years do to a player, at 40 years old? Do we feel he can produce even more in the next two years than he does now, or does he go on a decline, 30 a year? It's so crazy that 30 hr would be considered an off year for a player, but for Bonds, thats what it would be.
Bonds is 40, and he's in his prime, meanwhile, everyday, I hear how Bernie can't field no more cause he's old. He's 36! We have a player out there, at the age of 40, batting .374, hitting 42 HR, and playing in the NL, while Bernie, the staple of the Yanks for 10 years, is permitted to slow down because he's 36. Bonds sets a new bar for players.
I'm still not willing to say that Bonds is the better baseball player than Ruth, and that hangs on the fact that Ruth was a pretty good pitcher, in an age where there were no relievers, and pitchers were workhorses. Pitching is just so much more important of a baseball skill than fielding; you are the one iniating any play that might occur on the field, which means you have more control of the game than any other player. I will say that Bonds is the better batter, and the better fielder, but Ruth could have probably played any position he wanted.
And then I finally got to see it. I don't think 700 holds much weight with the general public as 73 does, because breaking a single season record in such a popular stat catagory as HR seems to attract more flash in the media than a career long path toward a plateau that only two men have reached in the MLB. But, to the baseball fans, even those who don't follow the sport every day during the season, 700 is pretty important. 300-500 is the usual HOF range, when combined with some decent fielding and some respectable batting stats. But this man has been able to surpass all of these other great home run hitters, specifically McGwire, that came into the league during his tenure, and even surpass baseball's greats.
People saw this guy McGwire, and in him they saw the embodiement of what a slugger was; merely a man who hits HR, and nothing else. But with guys like him, its kinda 50/50; he's either gonna hit a HR, or he's gonna get out.
Bonds is so above that. The odds are stacked against the pitcher every time he steps to the plate, because he can see a good pitch to hit, and can make a pitch turn into the hit that he wants more often than any other player. In terms of average, he's having a better season than he did when he hit 73, but he's only hit 42. But his OBP is enormous because of all those walks he gets now, but its not just from pussy managers like that douchebag in Arizona; it's also because the dude can see pitches. This is not some guy like Soriano, swinging everything toward the fences, and striking out. We're talking about a patient hitter, who not only can hit HR, who not only can get the base hit, who not only can intimidate pitchers, but can make pitchers work, and draw the walk. If Bonds had a real RBI producer behind him, he'd kill statistics in runs scored.
And he keeps getting better. 98 and 2004 are Bonds's best seasons thus far, and he's now 40. And we know Bonds would get pitched to more often if there was a threat behind him in the lineup. That's just a quick recipe for 756 right there. But what can two years do to a player, at 40 years old? Do we feel he can produce even more in the next two years than he does now, or does he go on a decline, 30 a year? It's so crazy that 30 hr would be considered an off year for a player, but for Bonds, thats what it would be.
Bonds is 40, and he's in his prime, meanwhile, everyday, I hear how Bernie can't field no more cause he's old. He's 36! We have a player out there, at the age of 40, batting .374, hitting 42 HR, and playing in the NL, while Bernie, the staple of the Yanks for 10 years, is permitted to slow down because he's 36. Bonds sets a new bar for players.
I'm still not willing to say that Bonds is the better baseball player than Ruth, and that hangs on the fact that Ruth was a pretty good pitcher, in an age where there were no relievers, and pitchers were workhorses. Pitching is just so much more important of a baseball skill than fielding; you are the one iniating any play that might occur on the field, which means you have more control of the game than any other player. I will say that Bonds is the better batter, and the better fielder, but Ruth could have probably played any position he wanted.
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uicide: Gotta stop lending her my damn laptop...