The steroid brouhaha is it about Bonds alleged drug use or is it about his impending breaking of Babe Ruth's
348281
Barry Bonds is better.  I don't know the statistics but I know that Barry Bonds (according to my dad) was a good young player in the '90's and he was skinny.  He was able to play well and just didn't get that much attention, that's all.  I would say he is a better player because he would've passed Babe Ruth's record even without steroids; it's just that now that everyone knows he took steroids to get attention, he looks bad.  He also to most people looks like all his home runs came from steroids, but 'tis false in my opinion.  He just wanted attention for being big and powerful QUICKLY, so took the short way and did steroids to have immediate attention.  He is still a better player, but just made the wrong choice.  He could've begun to get attention when he was getting closer to the home run record; he already was the sole member of the 400-400 club (400 home runs, 400 stolen bases), and eventually he would've gotten attention and been inducted into the Hall of Fame for his accomplishments; THEN everybody would see how great he was.  But now it's all negative attention.  I repeat, though, that Barry Bonds is a better player.
680547
No....why do you think he can barely walk?  That is the only reason he used steroids was to help with the healing process of his knees.  This steroid thing is getting SOOOOO old!\n\nTo those who defend Bonds and say he never used steroids....I have 2 words for you.  Cream.  Clear.  \n\nUnfortunate, yes, but take the blinders off and face it...whether he knew it or not.  Steroids was in his repertoire and that's a fact.
405229
Bonds in all honesty is one of the games best players, I mean noone ever questions what hank aaron was on when he hit the homers, or babe ruth, I mean steriods have been around for ever, so maybe the babe would sip some rum and shoot up a little riod before game, maybe hank aaron used steriods since he looked like 100 yrs old when he set the record anyway..\n\n MLB baseball is ENTERTAINMENT it is no more a "sport" than Nascar... we pay to watch it, we buy the team logos, we pay the money so our children can have baseball cards, we support it. Would you have watched baseball in the 90's after the strike if Bonds, McGwire, Sosa didnt hit 2000000 homers, would you have watched wwf wrestling if 2 80 lb guys were going at it, NO you wouldnt have, we like BIG THINGS, BIG PEOPLE, and like spending BIG MONEY to show that Bonds did the right thing "if he did anything at all".
651553
Whether Bonds is racist doesn't concern me, but if he cheated using steroids it does.  Aaron and Ruth are both good players.
620113
This subject is being SOOOOOO overblown. I am NOT a Bonds fan, however having played the game from Little League thru College. Hand-eye co-ordination ( which is NOT affected by steroids ) is the biggest factor in hitting...and particularly in hitting Home Runs. What Bonds has done later in his career has much more to do with that and Strike Zone discipline than Illegal Supplements. If you have watched him over his career..He has taken Ted Williams theory to a new level...his swing is so quick that when He has 2 strikes He can ( normally ) foul off pitches in the zone he does'nt like..thereby FORCING the pitcher to throw pitches into areas of the strike zone where Bonds KNOWS He can consistently drive the ball. Either the pitcher comes to him...or He walks...look at the stats.My other concern is ( and no one ever asks this )How many of his homers were hit off PITCHERS who were JUICING as well ? And when push comes to shove...at least he's trying to improve his game...as opposed to guys who take the field high, drunk...or having just beaten their wife.
314729
"Rich" is right.  People go after Bonds now because he might have lied in prejury.  McGuire didn't answer the question if he used steroid.\n\nIt's also about the Babe Ruth record.  Racism?  It's your judgement.  \n\nA lot of people don't like Bonds, because his off-field attitudes.  That matters too.
436367
He is definitely worth it. People totally exaggerate the impact of steroids on the great baseball players. Yes, steroids probably helped Luis Gonzales hit 57 home-runs when he has never hit over 30 in any other season. But steroids have not caused Barry Bonds to hit more home-runs. Go back to his earliest days, and Barry was crushing home-runs. Barry's totals have improved largely because he has become extremely selective (never swinging at anything out of the strike zone), and because he continues to perfect his craft as a hitter. Barry rarely misses a mistake. We are talking about a man who hit over 50 home-runs in a year where he received more intentional walks than ARod received in his entire career...ARod!!!! As for Babe Ruth's single season and career home-run numbers, does anyone complain about the fact these records were made possible by ending the dead ball era? That's right...before 1921, the major league record for home-runs in a season was 16. Do you think athletes all starting doping in 1921? Actually, no. Major league baseball actually changed the baseball, making it travel farther when hit. So yes, Barry Bonds is worthy to break Babe Ruth's career home-run record...and Hank Aaron's for that matter.
403354
First of all let me tell you about Barry Bonds, since hes been in baseball he will never win a world series for the fact he thinks of himself. In Pittsbugh it was proven and now in San Fransico it continues to show, Both ways huh he can have it both ways and he will still be a loser, drugs or no drugs. Did you ever hear him say anything about breaking Hank Arrons record dont think so all is is saying is how he wants to break Babe Ruths record, wonder why can you take one guess why
719614
Bonds is 41 away from Aaron. On his current pace Bonds would need at least three years to make Aaron's mark. His health is questionable and age is getting the best of him. Not to mention he isn't taking steroids very likely now! So I would say no but it is possible and no I hope he doesn't. He and others like him who have used these drugs have tarnished the great game. Babe's only drug was a cigar and bottle of JD!!
514519
Man give the guy a break.\nYes he did take steroids, but steroids arent gonna help you with how you swing the bat!\n\nAnd no, I'm not a Bonds or Giants fan, I'm just tired of everyone jumping on the guy and saying how he doesent deserve the record and blah blah blah.\n\nRecords are meant to be broken.
420301
no way...it is a tainted record and bonds is out of favor. In the long run, 10-20 years it will die down some and records will be considered, but for now....look out below!
306069
If McGwire were still playing, he'd likely have the same steroid cloud over him that Bonds does.  While Bonds being a jerk certainly contributes to his being "hassled", most of the trouble is based on the belief that he has not achieved his records fairly.
241630
Since Bonds violated no baseball policies on steroids and has never failed a steroids test since their inception in the league, baseball can not and should not take action against him.  Frankly, it is baseball that is ultimately to blame for Bonds' flagrant use of them.  If the league had a reputable commissioner instead of an owners' "yes" man, this would have likely been a dead issue 10 years ago.\n\nHowever, Bonds will not escape punishment--at least in the court of public opinion.  This poor excuse for a competitor pumped his body full of every kind of performance-enhancing drug available, all the while claiming he would never do such a thing.  His outright lies will  (I hope) convince baseball fans that he is not worthy of our praise or attention, let alone induction into the Hall.  I cannot imagine sportswriters, who Bonds has ignored, berated, and lied to, ever voting him in.
635215
I've said it several times and I'll say it again -- using steroids was not illegal when Bonds illegediely used steroids.  Furthermore, pitchers are strong and better now... something that can't be said about the days when guys like Babe Ruth played.\n\nFurthermore, steroids have brought the game back to where it is today.  Without the HR race between Mcguire and Sosa, baseball would still be a lame sport (after the strike of 94) that it had been.\n\nBonds did not do anything wrong, according to the then-current rules of baseball.\n\nTo answer the question -- no.  The A's or any team for that matter, should not throw up a gimme.  He needs to earn it, like he did with numbers 1 through 713.
238458
I believe Barry...is a lying cheat.\n\n"I've read what was reported," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, told The Associated Press. "Barry is looking forward to playing this year and the improved health of his knee and being as productive as he's ever been."\nSounds like someone avoiding the question.\n\nQuote from the book:\nHe claimed in testimony that he didn't know what Anderson was giving him. "At the end of [the] 2002, 2003 season, when I was going through [a bad period], my dad died of cancer ... I was fatigued, just needed recovery you know, and this guy says, 'Try this cream, try this cream,'" he said. "And Greg came to the ballpark and said, you know, 'This will help you recover.' And he rubbed some cream on my arm ... gave me some flaxseed oil, man. It's like, 'Whatever, dude.'" \nLater, Bonds said: "You know me, I'm 39 years old. I'm dealing with pain. All I want is the pain relief, you know? ... I never asked Greg," according to the excerpt. "When he said it was flaxseed oil, I just said, 'Whatever.' It was in the ballpark ... in front of everybody. I mean, all the reporters, my teammates. I mean, they all saw it. I didn't hide it ... . You know, trainers come up to me and say, 'Hey, Barry, try this.'"\n\nThat sounds like a health conscious person to me...\nI mean I put stuff into my body all the time not knowing what it is...Stop kidding yourself Barry.
348926
If Bud tries to suspend Bonds, he in essence will be exposing himself because in the steroid era where numbers were so inflated, Bud decided to ignore the sudden inflation of numbers to pay homage to the almighty buck.  Homers put asses in the seats, and for Bud to finally decide now to investigate alleged steroid use would virtually be exposing himself and high ranking MLB officials as corrupt and sullying the integrity of the game. Bud is just as much of a disgrace to baseball as Bonds is.  To turn a blind eye to an issue such as steroids promotes cheating, which is what Bonds is allegedly doing.  Bud should suspend Bonds, and then step down as commissioner.  Players that cheat using steroids do not belong in baseball; commissioners who rank revenue ahead of integrity also do not belong in baseball.
534993
I don't think he is on steroids.  Perhaps the fact that he is a nice guy has something to do with this.  Granted, so is McGwire, but I think the fact that Bonds is basically a jerk and Sosa could be one as well (not to mention the corked bat incident) makes people wonder and suspect about the overall ethics of a person.