tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post354227854553886848..comments2024-02-09T08:07:26.090-08:00Comments on Dodgy At Best: A Word About Bonds: Can We All Calm Down Now?Kanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02959256951835399304noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-88438593712946119882007-08-08T21:46:00.000-07:002007-08-08T21:46:00.000-07:00Ahh, Moin- always pissing on my parade :). Of cou...Ahh, Moin- always pissing on my parade :). Of course my arguments are dubious- just check the title of the blog, Good Sir.<BR/><BR/>Just kidding, dude, well said as always. Hope all is well.Kanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02959256951835399304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-55448037367350343092007-08-08T21:12:00.000-07:002007-08-08T21:12:00.000-07:00I hate to say it, but it's not a given that ARod w...I hate to say it, but it's not a given that ARod will break Bonds' record.<BR/><BR/>He is on great pace, but he is STILL 250+ HRs away. That's more HRs than Kirk Gibson and Don Mattingly have hit in their entire career. More HRs than David Ortiz have hit thus far in his career.<BR/><BR/>For ARod to hit 250+ HRs in the next 6 years, he'll have to average 40 HRs a year. If he signs with the Red Sox, I can see it, but if he stays with the Yanks, it'll be EXCEEDINGLY difficult. There has only been 2 instances of a right handed Yankee hitting over 40 HRs. Joe DiMaggio and ARod 2 years ago (he's about to make it 3).<BR/><BR/>Keep in mind, "barring injury" is a pretty big modifier. Griffey Jr. had 438 at 30 and nobody could have imagined the injuries he went through. Jimmie Foxx was the youngest man to 500HRs, but his career fizzled next season. So it's not nearly the slam dunk you've made it out to be.<BR/><BR/>Lastly, about Josh Gibson. I agree with you that he could have been the greatest HR hitter of all time (considering he was a catcher!). Saying that he hit 800 to 1000 HRs against "better" competition is quite dubious. <BR/><BR/>First of all, he hit either 115 HRs in 510 official Negro League games or 146HRs in 501 games (depending on who you ask). Meaning had he played in say, 2750 games, he was on pace to hit 800HRs or so. But the rest of the games he played were generally barnstorming games against rather rag-tag teams. Also, while I do believe the best Negro League players were just as good as, if not better than, the best MLB players of the era, I would be very hesitant to say that the league was better overall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-53919944189042704252007-08-08T10:00:00.000-07:002007-08-08T10:00:00.000-07:00LD-Corrected- thanks.OMAA-For me, the jerk argumen...LD-<BR/><BR/>Corrected- thanks.<BR/><BR/>OMAA-<BR/><BR/>For me, the jerk argument gets old fast. Character is not a pre-requisite for accomplishment or success. Yeah, it kind of sucks that he's not a nicer guy, but that's not really relevant to his numbers/accomplishments. Ty Cobb was a despicable human being, but his accomplishments are still celebrated to this day. And don't get me started on Babe Ruth- lionized as the greatest sporting hero in America, when in reality he fucked 10 women in every city, was a drunk, and the epitome of a self involved me first bad teammate, etc, etc- the press back then covered for his ass, but anytime after the 1960s he would have been exposed, vilified, and run out of the game as the paragon of shame. Think PacMan Jones to the power of 100.<BR/><BR/>Good point on Oh. I didn't go with Oh because the reaction to that line of argument is usually that the league in Japan is much weaker than MLB. Of course, instead, I went with a dude who hit them against arguably better competition than the MLB, but whose actual number has no way of being verified. Ah, the vagaries of post-midnight blogging. Either argument can certainly be made.<BR/><BR/>DCT- Paul's Boutique lyric reference = tip top. Been loving that line since I was a wee lad.Kanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02959256951835399304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-9966977103816432742007-08-08T08:13:00.000-07:002007-08-08T08:13:00.000-07:00Hey ladies in the place I'm callin' out to yaThere...Hey ladies in the place I'm callin' out to ya<BR/>There never was a city kid truer and bluer<BR/>There's more to me than you'll ever know<BR/>And I've got more hits than Sadaharu OhAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-2732667931725573612007-08-08T06:49:00.000-07:002007-08-08T06:49:00.000-07:00I know that my major beef with Barry is that he is...I know that my major beef with Barry is that he is a world class jerk. Tainted record? Yes. But I would venture to say that they all are except for Cal Ripken's consecutive game streak.<BR/><BR/>I, like Kanu, think this one won't last more than 10 years. A-Rod may even break the verified world record for home runs. As Garrett constantly reminded me this morning, Bonds is not the home run king. Just of MLB. Josh Gibson is not verified, but the homeruns of Sadaharu Oh are. He hit 868 in Japan. I think that mark will also fall to ERod.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-36649717246117968042007-08-08T06:35:00.000-07:002007-08-08T06:35:00.000-07:00A-Rod just turned 32, not 30. I still think he'll...A-Rod just turned 32, not 30. I still think he'll annihilate Bonds' record, but it also wouldn't suprise me if it took a little longer. He plays a taxing position (even moreso if he leaves the Yankees and moves back to SS), and there's no recent comparison that can be made as to how his body might age/break down (recent comparables are during the steroid era, so who knows how useful they might be).LDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08416468186977171781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-21852235209574912562007-08-08T06:26:00.000-07:002007-08-08T06:26:00.000-07:00Please please please make it stop. I had no tv, in...Please please please make it stop. I had no tv, internet, or newspaper at home for a week post-move and the total absence of whinging about Bonds was a great relief. <BR/><BR/>People act like Bonds has somehow tainted the American dream by cheating in the American pastime. I'd argue that toleration of a star cheating because they are successful is endemic to daily life, so presumably Bonds is vilified because he's the visible embodiment of a type of person people hate and don't have to worry about firing them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com