Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron's homerun record last night - honestly I think it's a shame that a cheating asshole like Bonds even gets the chance. The only reason why he continues to play is because it is good for baseball and MLB is chicken to press charges and have a blackmark on their aport in a time when we should be hooked on baseball.
My opinion of Bonds goes back quite a while. Although he was a good athlete when he was young, he was no Griffey. Hell, even Bobby Bonilla was more highly touted than Bonds when he was younger. I remember his rookie Topps card and the other players on the Pirates in 1987 - Van Slyke, Bonilla, Levallier, Drabek, etc. Bonds really didn't jump off the page back then - yes, he was highly touted, but he wasn't exactly great. Quietly he emassed a great 7 or so years in the league - but still no one was amazed by his HR feets. Seems strange that in the mid to late 90's he broke out as he did.
There is just way to much evidence you have to overlook to enjoy Bonds tying (and eventually breaking) Aaron's record. I wish Bonds had just retired one HR less than Aaron - I think he would have redeemed himself in a lot of sports fans eyes. It would have made him tolerable again, and shown that he respected one of the greatest records in all of sports.
What I want to know is - who the hell is pitching to Bonds? Why would anyone want to be known as the guy giving up a legendary HR? And who would ever blame a pitcher for walking Bonds 5 times a game? Seriously? I would respect a pitcher more if he said - "you know what, I respect the game of baseball and it's history and I will not give Bonds a chance to disrespect it on my watch." Personally I'd love to see a guy throw at his head - yeah that's right - I said it. I think Bonds has been babied too much and should get the kind of disrespect that he has shown the game. Ok, scenario time - bases loaded, two run lead, Bonds comes up with the record on the line - what do you do? Dead honest here, I'd walk/hit Bonds. Seriously. I would never hold it against a pitcher (and who would) if he did this to preserve a record. Obviously Clay Hensley didn't think so (although he did walk him 3 times after he hit the tying HR).
For everything I have said above, it really doesn't matter because no one will actually say that Bonds holds the record because of the asteric. Plus, in 5 or 6 years from now we'll be watching Alex Rodriguez break Bonds' record and go on to break the 800 HR mark before he's probably 37! ARod hit #500 last nigth as well, and it is obvious that this kid is probably the greatest athlete the game has ever seen. He's 32 and with 40 HRs a year for 5 years that would put him at around 725, setting him up to outlast Bonds by the time he's 37 or 38 years old.
For the record I am not an ARod fan. When he became a Yankee I really turned on this guy. I think he alienates teammates and is just an ass, but that said he is a hell of a talent. I think AROd does get a bad rap sometimes. The media is mostly to blame for this as they will uncover every stone to try and drag something up. For instance that story about ARod with the stripper - that picture taken could have been a fan trying to get his autograph, or it was taken at a specific angle that made it look like he was with her - who cares. Keep his personal life out of the media. Hell, if Babe Ruth had that kind of spotlight on him 100 years ago the sport would have been finished. I'm not sticking up for ARod, but he gets a bit of his bad rap due to the media.
Ok, so the big question....would I like to see ARod manning SS for the Red Sox next season (if he opts out of his contract after this season)? I think he will opt out because the Yankees are Jeter's team (rightfully so), and I think he would like to go to a fresh team and help them build a contender. Is that the Sox? Probably not. I think the Cubs would be a better fit - and ARod would become a saint in Chitown if he could help the Cubs win the WS. That said, yes, I'd love to have ARod on the Red Sox. He's a hitting machine and is very decent defensively. Moneywise he sells tickets (which is not an issue in Fenway) and jersey's and memorabilia, but he isn't worth $20M. No one is. But if Manny and others are getting $20M a year, then ARod is worth $25M. He'll probably get $30M a year - which is another reason why I don't think that the Sox will sign him. If Lowell leaves the Sox, I could see Lugo sliding over to 3B and Arod filling the SS hole. I don't think that the difference in salary between Lowell and Arod ($16M/year) is worth the production difference - +20 HRs, +20 RBIs, +20 SBs, even average, even defense, even 2Bs, even runs - but the Sox do have the money to spend.
I would rather the Sox invested in a young stud of another sort - trading a couple of prospects for Miggy Cabrera or a stud young pitcher. They also need to start looking for a catcher as Tek can't keep up this pace of 130 games a year at age 37.
Well, that is all I have on this - more thoughts on other stuff soon.
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