Bonds* set to chase Hank and Babe
*However, there is strong evidence that Mr. Bonds was under the
influence of anabolic steroids
He’s just six homeruns away from catching the Bambino and 48
homeruns away from passing up
”
Hammerin’
”
Hank Aaron on Major League Baseball’s All-Time Homerun list.
Bonds* set to chase Hank and Babe
*However, there is strong evidence that Mr. Bonds was under the influence of anabolic steroids
He’s just six homeruns away from catching the Bambino and 48 homeruns away from passing up “Hammerin'” Hank Aaron on Major League Baseball’s All-Time Homerun list.
The question is, will his questionable knee hold up long enough to break baseball’s most prized record?
The other question is will his steroid use forever cloud his achievements, especially now that vivid details of his buttocks injections and pill-popping frenzy have come to the forefront this week in the new issue of Sports Illustrated.
If nothing else, records he currently holds, and any others he might break, will likely contain an asterisk next to his name.
That’s another column. But my thought on this is if Pete Rose doesn’t get into the Hall for gambling, this steroid junkie shouldn’t be allowed under strict guidelines either.
With that said, no matter what, Bonds, regardless of what he ingested, still needed raw talent to know when to unleash on a hanging curve or a 94-mph fastball. Steroids may have bulked him up and bloated his face but his bat speed and hand-eye coordination is a God-given talent that can’t be overlooked.
What his vices may inadvertently do is elevate the accomplishments of Aaron and Babe Ruth. When Aaron played, nobody was taking steroids, and they certainly weren’t doing it in the roaring ’20s when Babe was in his heyday.
In focusing solely on his career numbers and not his number of injections, Bonds should have no problem passing Ruth’s mark sometime in April. But 48 pokes over the fence to break Aaron’s career homerun total is a lot of long balls to hit in a season, even for a young guy with good knees, let alone for a guy who will turn 42 in July while playing with a bum knee that’s in a brace.
If his knee bothers him, Bonds has hinted that he may call it quits after this season. My question is why – especially when there’s something called the American League with a designated hitter rule.
Let’s say Bonds comes up five homeruns short of Hank’s total at the end of the season but his knee is killing him every day. Does that mean he should call it quits after getting so close?
Heck no, but under that scenario he’s hinted that he would.
I say if that happens he should cross the bay for a ceremonial season in Oaktown or go to another American League team and stay there until he breaks the record.
Any American League team would jump on the opportunity to sign Bonds. Look at the increased sales at the gates that he would generate? Look at the souvenir sales, the media hype and television coverage that the Bonds’ quest will generate?
The Giants could be 12 games out of third place this year but when Bonds gets within five of the record it’s going to be hello ESPN and the national broadcasting team hanging on every pitch.
And if he doesn’t do it this year he can next year, whether it’s in a Giants uniform, a green and yellow one across the bay or with some other American League team.
Think about it. In the American League the Giants slugger could just take rip after rip at it.
If he makes an out, he walks back to the dugout gingerly on his sore knee. If he singles, he gets a pinch-runner and if he parks a shot up into the second deck, he can take his sweet time rounding the bases as the cameras flash.
Remember, after he passes Hank’s record of 755, every homerun from there on until he finally does call it quits is a new record.
Can you just imagine the frenzy?
If you’re sitting in the bleachers for one of those games, you’d better be wearing a cup, face mask and a chest protector.
Whether he’s splashing long balls into McCovey Cove or landing them into the Ted Williams seat at Fenway, every one of those blasts will be worth a million more than the last one on eBay.
Remember the lawsuits that were filed in 2001 when Bonds broke the single-season homerun record by belting 73 into the stands?
As he approaches the record, things will get even crazier this year.
Fans in the bleacher seats will have to wear protective armor or get upgraded life insurance policies if they plan on scrambling for any of his homerun shots then.
McCovey Cove will look like U.S. 101 at rush hour.
Think about the scrambles that occur for his home run blasts right now and then square it as he closes in on Hank.
And when he passes Hank, no one will ever know for sure when he’s hit his last one so fighting for each one will be sheer pandemonium.
Although I say that he should suck it up and continue playing until he breaks the record another ending that would surely leave an even more lasting impression would be if he stops as soon as he gets to 754 – one less than Hank Aaron – and says, “No body was better than Hank” and then Bonds just walks away from the game.
Bonds’ ego would never allow that to happen though.
