Bonds granted final wish
After a publicity push on his behalf that would make the most ambitious Hollywood star blush, in which the team beat the drum throughout the last homestand for fans to get on the internet and vote “often” for Barry Bonds to make the starting All-Star team, the controversial left fielder and sometime slugger made the starting All Star lineup for the game to be held next week in San Francisco.
Everyone is mopping their brows with relief — the team management, the hot dog vendors, and most of all, the television networks. For what would the Home Run Derby contest be without Bonds hitting in his home park? Would Bonds even deign to attend the event if he were not granted the status of starting outfielder?
Maybe not. So you can bet there were plenty of those last-minute votes cast, allowing him to squeak past Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs. Who cast them? Well, each fan was allowed to cast up to 25 votes on the internet, and they identified you by your email address. So basically, if you had the patience (or plenty of motivation), you could cast as many votes as you wanted for the player of your choice.
So everyone’s happy. The Giants’ management gets to hold the All Star Game in their almost-still-new ballpark, featuring their marquee player, and there’s not a spot on him. To quote his lawyer: Barry Bonds is clean.
This PIECE OF CRAP should not be in baseball, much less at the all star game. If only the commisioner had the balls to kick him out.
Greatest hitter of all time.
Greatest hitter of our time.
Babe Ruth is the greatest hitter of all time. The Babe hit homers once every 3.5 games; Barry is averaging once every 3.9 games.
Here are some other lifetime stats for Babe Ruth (Bonds in parentheses).
RBI 2,213 (1,970)
Batting Average .342 (.299)
On-base percentage .474 (.445)
Slugging average .690 (.605)
On-base plus slugging 1.164 (1.053)
On top of that Babe Ruth had a 94-64 (.671 winning pct) record as a pitcher, with a career ERA of 2.24 and a WHIP of 1.16. He threw 107 complete games and saved 4.
Comparing Ruth and Bonds is - sadly for fans of the historical game - comparing apples and oranges.
Ballpark size, strength of pitching staffs, introduction of the modern relief pitcher, constitution of the baseball, bat shaping, and on and on and on…
We can only dream about comparing the two head-to-head…
But I have to agree; you can only safely say best hitter of OUR time. What you may also say, though, is that Bonds may be the greatest all around PLAYER of all time.
Yes, I realize that comparing athletes from different eras is fraught with unresolvable issues.
And in the same apples to oranges vein, I nominate Willie Mays as the greatest all-around player in baseball history.
I agree with your nomination of Willie Mays… if he was playing with the same advantages that Bonds has, I’m positive that he’d top him in just about every offensive and defensive category.
Sadly unprovable, but entertaining to discuss!