Bonds finally does it

[1BadBobcat]

I'm growing to believe that most athletes use drugs to enhance their play. This means that I think most of the homers Bonds hit were against pitchers using them. Take a look at Nolan Ryan's legs when he was with the Mets in 69 and again when he was in his 40s. His pants were about to fall off in 69, but were like the leader guitar for Styx's when he hit 40. How about Roger Clemens? So if the pitchers are using them and the hitters are using them, doesn't it even out somewhat? Don't forget the ball is has more hop to it and the stadiums (not 100% sure on this) are smaller than back in the 60s-70s.


But then there's ARod. (A shortstop on pace for 700 HRs?). And Pujols, who has a neck like a Rhino. Is it juice or genetics?


NFL: O-lineman were 270 in the 70s, but are 350 today. Everyone is running a 4.4 40 when 4.6 was blazing in the 70s. We aren't evolving that fast, are we? By the 2100 we'll all look like those brothers on Me, Myself and Irene.

The problem with pitchers vs. hitters is that if they are all on the juice, why then are the power hitting numbers way up but the power pitching numbers are not? It seems like every MLB hitter can jack a ball at any time. Yet if all the pitchers are juiced, why are we not seeing more complete games, shutouts, no-hitters, strikeouts, and 20+ win seasons? I'm sure most players are using something, it's just natural to go after the guys who are putting up big numbers and chasing records, i.e. Bonds. As for Roger Clemens, he has always been a big guy and his workout routines are legendary. And as for A-Rod, he's no longer a shortstop, and when he was, he was not a proto-typical ss. Don't confuse him with guys like Larry Bowa, Phil Rizzuto, or others back in the day when a shortstop was more known as a small, quick guy who turned double plays rather than a big guy who can snare balls in the gap and gun it to first. Shortstop is the one position that has evolved more than any other position on the diamond besides the relief pitcher/closer.

[iaafan]

I'm growing to believe that most athletes use drugs to enhance their play. This means that I think most of the homers Bonds hit were against pitchers using them. Take a look at Nolan Ryan's legs when he was with the Mets in 69 and again when he was in his 40s. His pants were about to fall off in 69, but were like the leader guitar for Styx's when he hit 40. How about Roger Clemens? So if the pitchers are using them and the hitters are using them, doesn't it even out somewhat? Don't forget the ball is has more hop to it and the stadiums (not 100% sure on this) are smaller than back in the 60s-70s.


But then there's ARod. (A shortstop on pace for 700 HRs?). And Pujols, who has a neck like a Rhino. Is it juice or genetics?


NFL: O-lineman were 270 in the 70s, but are 350 today. Everyone is running a 4.4 40 when 4.6 was blazing in the 70s. We aren't evolving that fast, are we? By the 2100 we'll all look like those brothers on Me, Myself and Irene.

The problem with pitchers vs. hitters is that if they are all on the juice, why then are the power hitting numbers way up but the power pitching numbers are not? It seems like every MLB hitter can jack a ball at any time. Yet if all the pitchers are juiced, why are we not seeing more complete games, shutouts, no-hitters, strikeouts, and 20+ win seasons? I'm sure most players are using something, it's just natural to go after the guys who are putting up big numbers and chasing records, i.e. Bonds. As for Roger Clemens, he has always been a big guy and his workout routines are legendary. And as for A-Rod, he's no longer a shortstop, and when he was, he was not a proto-typical ss. Don't confuse him with guys like Larry Bowa, Phil Rizzuto, or others back in the day when a shortstop was more known as a small, quick guy who turned double plays rather than a big guy who can snare balls in the gap and gun it to first. Shortstop is the one position that has evolved more than any other position on the diamond besides the relief pitcher/closer.

My guess is it's the ball, but bad pitchers who throw the ball harder in the same wrong spots aren't keeping the ball in the park. A few extra MPH isn't going to keep HRs down. And we are seeing some strange things from the pitchers, esp. longevity. That's why I mentioned Ryan, not just his leg size, but he pitched forever at 95+ for around 25 years. Clemens had the best ERA of his career last year. Guys like Maddux, Schilling, Johnson, Mussina just keep going. I realize SS has evolved -- mainly due to Cal Ripken, but ARod (he'd be playing SS anywhere, but NY) no matter where he's playing, is not the person you'd expect to be the HR king someday. Maybe a Jim Thome or Frank Thomas, but not ARod. ARod is closing in on some pretty big names after just 13 years. Check this list: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlbhist/allti ... e=0&sort=8 There's about 15 guys who are playing or recently retired that are in the top 50. I don't write that off as a statistical anomoly, and if it holds true on this list, then it speaks volumes about all of baseball.

But were not even talking football. I realize workouts have improved, but if an earlier poster who says he works out a lot thinks Barry Bonds is abnormally big, then he should take a look at the NFL, and college, players in relation to what they were 23-30 years ago.