FanHome - View Single Post - Asterisks, windbags & fools in high places

nanwynnfan · 08-05-2007, 08:31 PM

"The public can observe the evidence at hand, and it doesn't need a trial-tested burden of proof..."

... and THERE is the rub. If we are to reserve the right to judge a player and mark indelibly his reputation for future generations, I say we MUST demand a standard FOR OURSELVES, as judges, at least as demanding a burden of proof level at trial. If we don't subject ourselves to such a standard, we are lying hypocrites.

At this point, I would demand NOT a George Mitchell finding or a reem of notarized depositions from trainers and drug-dealing nutrition experts to judge Bonds as guilty. I would demand a smoking gun proof, right from his veins, and in the present, to condemn him.

Why? Because the level of judgement, epithet, condemnation and assumption against him, by the uninformed but offended masses, has become so voluminous and vituperative, that their collective credibility as valid judges has gone to zero, for me.

Is he a nice guy? From what I hear, no. Does he work hard at his craft? From the various articles I've read, his weights, stretching and muscle-group specific routines are grueling sessions, sometimes three hours in the morning followed by a break, then followed by three hours more. I believe that it was Garry Sheffield who lasted less than 10 days trying to adopt the regimin and then abandoning the attempt as just too rigorous and demanding.

Considering the two men who should be the focal point of this thread, I wanted to revisit, for the last time, a comparison of performance between them; but this time I stacked it ALL in favor of Henry Aaron.

1959: Henry Aaron, age 25, a career season:

AB 629; TPA 693; TB 400; OB% .401; RC 161 HR 39; HR/AB 1 every 16.13 AB
Aaron's 161 RC in 693 TPA = 23.23%, a rarefied seasonal level of production that almost matches the career numbers for Ted Williams and Babe Ruth and does match Lou Gehrig, career.

2007: Barry Bonds, age 43 [and presumed to be under such 'roid scrutiny that non-compliance would be suicidal]

AB 261; TPA 377; TB 175; OB% .493; RC 71; HR 21; HR/AB 1 every 12.42 AB
At age 43, Bonds 71 RC in 377 TPA = 18.83%, below his own 21%+ career total, but better than Aaron's career production @ 18.58%.

08-05-2007, 08:31 PM	#44 (permalink)
nanwynnfan Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,579	"The public can observe the evidence at hand, and it doesn't need a trial-tested burden of proof..." ... and THERE is the rub. If we are to reserve the right to judge a player and mark indelibly his reputation for future generations, I say we MUST demand a standard FOR OURSELVES, as judges, at least as demanding a burden of proof level at trial. If we don't subject ourselves to such a standard, we are lying hypocrites. At this point, I would demand NOT a George Mitchell finding or a reem of notarized depositions from trainers and drug-dealing nutrition experts to judge Bonds as guilty. I would demand a smoking gun proof, right from his veins, and in the present, to condemn him. Why? Because the level of judgement, epithet, condemnation and assumption against him, by the uninformed but offended masses, has become so voluminous and vituperative, that their collective credibility as valid judges has gone to zero, for me. Is he a nice guy? From what I hear, no. Does he work hard at his craft? From the various articles I've read, his weights, stretching and muscle-group specific routines are grueling sessions, sometimes three hours in the morning followed by a break, then followed by three hours more. I believe that it was Garry Sheffield who lasted less than 10 days trying to adopt the regimin and then abandoning the attempt as just too rigorous and demanding. Considering the two men who should be the focal point of this thread, I wanted to revisit, for the last time, a comparison of performance between them; but this time I stacked it ALL in favor of Henry Aaron. 1959: Henry Aaron, age 25, a career season: AB 629; TPA 693; TB 400; OB% .401; RC 161 HR 39; HR/AB 1 every 16.13 AB Aaron's 161 RC in 693 TPA = 23.23%, a rarefied seasonal level of production that almost matches the career numbers for Ted Williams and Babe Ruth and does match Lou Gehrig, career. 2007: Barry Bonds, age 43 [and presumed to be under such 'roid scrutiny that non-compliance would be suicidal] AB 261; TPA 377; TB 175; OB% .493; RC 71; HR 21; HR/AB 1 every 12.42 AB At age 43, Bonds 71 RC in 377 TPA = 18.83%, below his own 21%+ career total, but better than Aaron's career production @ 18.58%. Last edited by nanwynnfan; 08-05-2007 at 08:50 PM.