Questions for Bonds haters

[BobbyRoberto]

A few questions to the many people who seem to really hate Barry Bonds:

If you believe he took steroids previously, do you think he's still on steroids, this year also, despite MLB's drug-testing policy that has been in effect since spring training, 2003?

If you don't think he's on steroids now, will you give him some credit for being a damn good hitter, considering the way he's hit the ball this season (without being on steroids)?

And if he's not on steroids this year, and still hitting the crap out of the ball, doesn't he deserve credit for his past accomplishments, because maybe he is one of the greatest hitters who's ever lived with or without steroids?

[CubsFan7724]

Do I think he was on steroids? Yes. Do I think he is still on steroids? Yes. The MLB testing plan isnt strong enough to discourage people. You basically get slaps on the wrist until about the 4th offense I think. Its not like he gets tested everyday. If he gets caught one time, he goes to some program thing that informs about steroids. Oooh, very strict. Also, the 2003 testing had no punishment whatsoever. Do I think he is still a great hitter? Yes. He has great bat speed, and steroids dont heighten your reflexes. They dont increase your plate vision. If hes hitting the ball like this without steroids in this year, then he learned to hit better than before. If he was on steroids before though, I think that diminishes is accomplishments a bit. He could settle this all by taking a public test, but then the union would be all over him, due to the fact fans and the media would demand other players take tests also. So its really hard to prove if Bonds is on steroids or not.

[Amazinz]

Of course he deserves credit and yes he's a great hitter but I think you're assuming most fans hate Bonds because of the steroids. I don't. I think most people hate Bonds because of comments like this:

"And if it does happen, the only number I care about is Babe Ruth's. Because as a left-handed hitter, I wiped him out. That's it. And in the baseball world, Babe Ruth's everything, right? I got his slugging percentage and I'll take his home runs and that's it. Don't talk about him no more."

How can he direspect the game of baseball and then expect fans to respect him back?

[blankman]

Taking a public test NOW wouldn't mean anything about his past numbers, only this year's. With the various masks out there today even if he was on steroids he could possibly pass the test anyway.

I personally believe he's on steroids this year and has been in the past. He's still a phenominal hitter, but not Ruth. And yes steroids would diminish his records.

You seem desperate to hear someone say no, I don't think he's on steroids and he's the greatest player ever. I don't understand why.

Again, this is my opinion. I feel reasonably sure that he along with Giambi, Sheffield, Javy Lopez, Sosa etc are/were on steroids, proving it is the difficult part.

[blankman]

"And if it does happen, the only number I care about is Babe Ruth's. Because as a left-handed hitter, I wiped him out. That's it. And in the baseball world, Babe Ruth's everything, right? I got his slugging percentage and I'll take his home runs and that's it. Don't talk about him no more."

This is exactly why I dislike, but not hate Bonds. It is nearly impossible to compare today's numbers to today's given all of the changes in the game. IMO Ruth is still by far the better player. Compare his numbers to his contemporaries for evidence. He outhomered WHOLE TEAMS in his day, not to mention he could have been a HOF pitcher had he continued to pitch.

just my 2 cents

[JamesBond007]

I have some questions of my own. I'll even provide my own answers.

Is/was Bonds on steroids? I don't know

Do I care? NO

Bonds could hit 1000 HR and i still won't respect him like the players who played the game back when the game was pure. He could double Ruth's career HR total and still wouldn't be half the player Ruth was. For Bonds to make that comment was asinine .

[kentx12]

Do I think Bonds is on steroids? Yes.... Do I think Bonds is 1 of the greatest players I have ever seen? Yes...
Bonds was great when he 1st came up in the bigs. He was fast, and could hit. If he had never taken roids "which I believe he did" he would still have been 1 of the games greatest just in a different way. He has no reason being mentioned with the names Hank Aaron and the Babe though. It is an injustice to the guys who played before him and busted there buts to be able to do what they did for someone to take roids and have a unfair advantage. Please remember this is only my opinion everyone has 1.

[Zito is God]

Ok, I am not a Bonds hater. I only hate the personality of Bonds, I love him as a player. My friend asked him for an autograph once and Bonds told him it would cost him $50 (no joke), now why would Bonds need $50 from a kid? Just to be an ass. Anyways, I do think hes on steroids and I do think the policy isn't strong enough to hold people off of steroids so i do think he still uses them but i still think hes a great hitter. Steroids just grow his muscles, they don't help him hit. If I started taking steroids and never played baseball it wouldn't matter how much I could bench, I still wouldn't be able to hit off of major leaguers (or AA itchers for that matter ) It still takes skill.

[mtarail]

It is nearly impossible to compare today's numbers to today's given all of the changes in the game. IMO Ruth is still by far the better player. Compare his numbers to his contemporaries for evidence. He outhomered WHOLE TEAMS in his day, not to mention he could have been a HOF pitcher had he continued to pitch.

just my 2 cents

Isn't this a little hippocritical? You say it's impossible to compare era's and then bring in a bunch of stats from another era to show that Babe is better? LOL.

The fact of the matter is that Babe changed the game of baseball singlehandedly more than any other player. The game of baseball was not centered on home runs before Babe came along. Does that mean Babe was better? Not necessarily. You can make an argument that Bonds achievements are equally great. 1st, defensively Bonds has 8 Gold Gloves, putting him in a 3-way tie for third all-time. He was also at the vanguard of the modern phenomenon of base stealing power hitters. He's the only member of the 500 home run, 500 steal "club."

Who is better? I don't know, because I don't know any reasonable way to try to compare the gaudy accomplishments of both players.

[jeffc_76]

I like Bonds although it's disappointing when he says things like that. That just shows he has a chip on his shoulder and makes him more of an outsider to the casual fan. But I think he's the best pure hitter in the game probably within the past 10-15 years, maybe more. I still think it's inconclusive whether or not he took steroids. Do I think he's taking them now? No way!!!! Not with the federal case (pun intended) the government is making out of it these days. He definitely can't get anything from his former trainer anymore and he has to know that the feds could eventually get a subpoena demanding some sort of test so that would discourage getting it through another source, not to mention that buying it is illegal and he would have to be afraid they're watching him like a hawk. If it eventually looks like he did not get THG from BALCO through his trainer, I think that's a very good indication that he did not take steroids. Think about it, if he was taking them before the issue started getting a lot of attention last year, why wouldn't he take advantage of a new steroid that couldn't be detected when he could discretely get it through his trainer? If he was taking them before, I think it's safe to say that he took THG and I think the opposite is also true. All of that said, I think it's a lot more likely he took and/or is taking HGH (human growth hormone), not steroids. As far as I know, there isn't currently a test for it and I don't think it's banned by MLB as it is NOT a steroid. HGH would better explain the odd reports you hear that his head/neck is bigger than it used to be. If he does take it, I don't blame him at all. I'd take the stuff if I could since it's believed to have beneficial anti-aging effects. Maybe he'll play into his late 40's and then we'll know for sure.