bonds

Barry Bonds hit home run number 715 today. He hit it off of Byung Hyung Kim which is extremely fitting, given Kim's history of giving up home runs. However, in lieu of the scandal which is leading every city in America (with the exception of San Francisco) raining loud boo's down on Bond's head, it is important that this be properly understood.

Barry Bond's could have used steroids...I'll submit, he did use steroids. However this has never been proven. This supposed use of steroids however, should not taint his staggering numbers. There are players who have tested positive to steroids, and yet still do not achieve the same success as Bonds. Jason Giambi is a perfect example. In his early career when he played for the Athletics, he was a great hitter. He tested positive for steroids, cried on camera, apologized, came back after a suspension and he is still a great hitter. He is not a better hitter now, then he was then. Assuming that he is off steroids now, there was never any great rise in production. His numbers even dipped during the early Yankee years when he tested positive for steroids. However great a hitter Giambi is, he has never even approached the dominance which Bond's carries.

Another player who tested positive for steroids is Rafael Palmeiro. Evidently, according to long time teammate Will Clark, this use had been going on for years. Palmeiro is a member of the 500 HR club, however he has also played for 19 seasons. In those 19 seasons Palmeiro hit 569 home runs. In those same 19 seasons, Barry Bonds hit 704. Perhaps, steroids had something to do with teh power explosion, however to dismiss a number such as 715 because of steroid allegations is ignorant and a disservice to one of the game's greatest players.