As most baseball fans probably have heard, there is much question as to whether Giants Left Fielder Barry Bonds will sit out the 2005 season, or perhaps retire completely. In addition to the controversy over steroids, Bonds has a knee injury, and claims he is physically and mentally exhausted.
At 703 homeruns, Bonds is only 53 homeruns away from breaking the fabled all time homerun mark set by Henry Aaron of 755 homeruns. Henry Aaron has always been one of my favorite baseball players of all time, and not just because he played for my Atlanta Braves. Hank played the game with an aura of style, grace, and class rarely seen in baseball nowadays. Those who follow baseball, and know it's history, are aware of the deplorable racism that Henry had to endure while chasing Ruth's then all time mark of 714 homers. Henry was a wonderful hitter and all around player who truly set an example for all.
Anyone who has followed the history of baseball is aware of the character of George Herman "Babe" Ruth. Mr Ruth, while amassing an amazing homerun total for that time, was an inveterate womanizer, addictive gambler, and food addict, whose main attraction was that he played for the Yankees, the greatest baseball team at the time, and could hit mammoth homeruns.
Iam a believer that records are made to be broken. I would be fully supportive of the idea of Bonds breaking Aaron's homerun record, had the whole issue of steroids not arisen. One has to wonder, if in addition to the age, and the faitigue, if Bonds may not intentionally retire now, so that if he were to play another year or two, and get close to, and then break Aaron's homerun record, that upon doing so, he would not get the recognition that Henry did, because of the whole steroid issue. Were Bonds to retire now, he would still be 3rd on the all time homerun list in baseball behind Mr Ruth and Mr Aaron. Based on the numbers, Barry is a first ballot election into the baseball Hall of Fame, again clouded by the issue of steroids.
I personally hope Bonds doesnt retire. I remember feeling happy on the day Mark Mcgwire broke Roger Maris' single season homerun record back in 1998, which has since been broken by Bonds. I say, to get to 756 would still be something for the annals, as new records are always good. However, I find the whole timing of Bonds' announcement very interesting. I think that he will either rehab his knee injury, and come back this year, or he will probably retire, and not play again. The whole "faitigue" issue may be one thing, but by retiring now, he doesnt take a chance on having one of his usual 40 to 50 homerun seasons, getting close to Aaron's record, and then, if he breaks it, have to answer to the whole issue of whether his homeruns were hit honestly. I'm not a psychic, but my feeling is, for many reasons, Barry Bonds has played his last game as a major league ballplayer. Only one fan's view.
Mitch
At 703 homeruns, Bonds is only 53 homeruns away from breaking the fabled all time homerun mark set by Henry Aaron of 755 homeruns. Henry Aaron has always been one of my favorite baseball players of all time, and not just because he played for my Atlanta Braves. Hank played the game with an aura of style, grace, and class rarely seen in baseball nowadays. Those who follow baseball, and know it's history, are aware of the deplorable racism that Henry had to endure while chasing Ruth's then all time mark of 714 homers. Henry was a wonderful hitter and all around player who truly set an example for all.
Anyone who has followed the history of baseball is aware of the character of George Herman "Babe" Ruth. Mr Ruth, while amassing an amazing homerun total for that time, was an inveterate womanizer, addictive gambler, and food addict, whose main attraction was that he played for the Yankees, the greatest baseball team at the time, and could hit mammoth homeruns.
Iam a believer that records are made to be broken. I would be fully supportive of the idea of Bonds breaking Aaron's homerun record, had the whole issue of steroids not arisen. One has to wonder, if in addition to the age, and the faitigue, if Bonds may not intentionally retire now, so that if he were to play another year or two, and get close to, and then break Aaron's homerun record, that upon doing so, he would not get the recognition that Henry did, because of the whole steroid issue. Were Bonds to retire now, he would still be 3rd on the all time homerun list in baseball behind Mr Ruth and Mr Aaron. Based on the numbers, Barry is a first ballot election into the baseball Hall of Fame, again clouded by the issue of steroids.
I personally hope Bonds doesnt retire. I remember feeling happy on the day Mark Mcgwire broke Roger Maris' single season homerun record back in 1998, which has since been broken by Bonds. I say, to get to 756 would still be something for the annals, as new records are always good. However, I find the whole timing of Bonds' announcement very interesting. I think that he will either rehab his knee injury, and come back this year, or he will probably retire, and not play again. The whole "faitigue" issue may be one thing, but by retiring now, he doesnt take a chance on having one of his usual 40 to 50 homerun seasons, getting close to Aaron's record, and then, if he breaks it, have to answer to the whole issue of whether his homeruns were hit honestly. I'm not a psychic, but my feeling is, for many reasons, Barry Bonds has played his last game as a major league ballplayer. Only one fan's view.
Mitch
