Bonds vs. Babe

[antiimperialist]

[Counciltucky]

1. Perhaps...

But Babe also had the advantage of opposing pitchers not looking at the tape on him, looking for holes in his swing via video. Not to mention *possibly* diluted pitching due to more teams.

And I call myself a Yankee fan...

[Captain Hilts]

2. Babe couldn't watch tapes of his own swings, get decent medical treatment...

that would have prolonged his career, more debilitating day games, etc.

There's really no comparison. Bonds is a great hitter. No doubt about it. But he's hitting against weaker pitching, but stronger late inning pitching, etc.

[Counciltucky]

4. Very true.

Not to mention the fact that Ruth didn't face non-white pitchers.

I just worry that Bonds will always be looked down upon because he used steroids. There have likely been MANY hitters who used steroids, none who have put up Bonds' numbers.

[Captain Hilts]

5. He was a great hitter before BALCO....

A great player.

But the greatest home run hitter ever? Well, his stats there just don't make sense.

He'd of been a hall of famer if he'd retired in '98.

[Counciltucky]

9. Well if he gets enough homers...

...then the title "greatest home run hitter ever" is somewhat justified.

Of course there'll always be the debate due to generational differences -- and these will never result in a wholly agreed-upon consensus -- but in a strict numbers perspective, it'd be justified.

Assuming nobody breaks the single-season home run record before Bonds retires and he hits at least 22 home runs, there will be a strong argument for him being the greatest home run ever. He'll never be looked upon with the same adoration as Babe Ruth (nor should he necessarily be looked upon as such), but the end results wouldn't lie.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Actually, I don't agree. The way Bonds' numbers have gone UP...

in his late 30s is just freaky.

Steroids will not make a bad hitter into a good one. But they will help a good one hit home runs. This is what happened for Bonds.

He's a great ball player by any standard. But he cheated on the late-career home run stats.

[bmbmd]

6. Twice as many teams

but doubled American population, plus the addition of Latin America, Japan, Caribbean, etc.

[Auggie]

3. Ruth had a lot more protection in the lineup

I'd still take the Babe over Bonds -- any day.

[bmbmd]

7. Babe is the candidate

I would most like to have a beer with.

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

8. Bonds is a CHEATER!

He ought to stuff his pumpkin head where the sun don't shine! He does not belong in the same league as the Bambino as a human being or a baseball player.

If the HOF voters have any integrity whatsoever, neither McGwire, Sosa, nor Bonds will ever get the honor. Each of them deserves nothing but contempt.

Post - 1994 baseball is a travesty. The owners and the selfish cheaters have utterly ruined a century-old sport and it will, due to all the asterisks associated, never be the same. I'll never forgive any of the gutter-dwellers who brought MLB to this pass

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Of course the Babe was a better player overall

How many batters has Barry Bonds struck out?