Barry Bonds and Steroids

[....]

Let's find out what you think on this issue.

Keep in mind, when Barry Bonds broke Mark McGuire's single season Home Run record, his previous best didn't even crack 50.

Is this man on Steroids? You better believe he is. I spoke with a friend of mine who used to be a starting shortstop for a professional baseball team, and he told me, "You don't produce that late in life like that without a little help. I mean look at him...he's huge"

If Barry is proven to use steroids, what should happen to his 'records' which he wouldn't have even approached had he not cheated...?

Never hitting 50 home runs to hitting over 70. No way.

Andy Van Slyke...former teammate of Bonds:

Former major leaguer Andy Van Slyke, who played with Bonds on the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1987-92, told Sporting News Radio on Tuesday he believes Bonds used steroids.

?Unequivocally he?s taken them,? Van Slyke said. ?I can say that with utmost certainty. Now, I never saw him put it into his body, but look ... the physical evidence is there. People do not gain 35 pounds of muscle in their late 30s without a little bit of help.

?When I played with him, I weighed more than him and yet he was still a tremendous player. He still had good power and he was an MVP. The physical facts are the physical facts and when you?re 36, 37, and 38 years old is not when you peak with your home run production.?

[Ficman]

I think the issue of IF he did or not is apparent, take all the records away...

:blink:

[StaticX]

yeah i agree, take em away

[Remote]

yeah i agree, take em away

umm whos to say McGuire didnt use steriods, he made the exact same improvement in his body as bonds did.

Record should stand. The fact is, most fans dont really care that they use steriods, this isnt the early 1900s where fans want to see 1-0 ball games. We want to see more and longer home runs.

[aem4162]

yah...we wanna see monster homers but we don't wanna see drug-enhanced monster homers. take the records away from them.

[....]

umm whos to say McGuire didnt use steriods, he made the exact same improvement in his body as bonds did.

Record should stand. The fact is, most fans dont really care that they use steriods, this isnt the early 1900s where fans want to see 1-0 ball games. We want to see more and longer home runs.

Well, so far, the thread doesn't agree. McGuire was pumping out 40+ and 50+ homer seasons like they were going out of style. Bonds Never did until recently, and in his late 30's!

[devBrian]

I don't care. :)

[Ayepecks]

You can't take away the records, IMO... I mean, you could, but there'd be no point in it. If he did steroids he'll pay the consequences... Trust me, the fans would never forgive and forget that.

[Kurt]

I don't think his record should be taken away.. THC started banned since 2002.. Thats different. If you still using THC then yer gone.. IMO.. :rolleyes:

[Circaflex]

I have said this since the record he broke, there is no way you get that big at the age he is, hes almost all muscle, hes on the juice and now hes gonna be caught, im glad they finally caught him

[Circaflex]

Well, so far, the thread doesn't agree. McGuire was pumping out 40+ and 50+ homer seasons like they were going out of style. Bonds Never did until recently, and in his late 30's!

i completely agree, Mark was hitting 50+ for like 4 straight seasons or something like that, bonds came out of no where, i have a baseball card of him the year before he broke the record and one after he did and hes noticably bigger, muscle wise

[Chad]

A couple things....FIRST..Mcguire was not pumping out 40 and 50 hr seasons. He had ONE 40 hr season and ONE 50 hr season before his two best years. Bonds had 4 40 hr years before his big year, and multiple upper 30s. The last two seasons, Bonds has put up mid 40s in home runs, so it's quite obvious to ANYONE that his record year was something different. EVERY batter had more home runs in 2001 than ever before. Any joe could hit one out. Hell, for well over half the season, he was competing with other guys for the hr title. Once that was established, he was going after the record.

No one here can say if he or anyone else uses steriods, so don't even try to "logically" prove otherwise. So let's say we find out he did use steroids...should his records be erased? No way! If he is found guilty, you could easily guess many others were using. Steroids aren't something one guy uses...if it's used, it's rampant. MLBs stance on steroids, is that if it's illegal to purchase, it's illegal to use. Of course they don't test for it, nor enforce that rule either. The law isn't what is written down on the books. The law is what is enforced.

[MistaT40]

I fail to see why the big deal is about whether Bonds used steroids or not. The only reason they are making such a big deal out of him particularly is because he is one of the best batters in baseball and maybe one of the best players in baseball history (MVP for that matter) and being the best always puts u under the spotlight.

Indeed even if he did use steroids which we cannot assume he did until the facts are proven, there are tonnes of other baseball players out there who use it most likely e.g. Sosa, Rivera, Giambi those are a few to name. Every big batter could be possibly using it as Canseco said and even Wells said that in his book.

As to whether his records should be taken away (Bonds that is), I don't think that has anything relevant to whether he used steroids or not. One of the things in baseball is that being strong doesnt give you HR. It is your ability to see the ball and connect with it. I give a amateur league batter......a good batter too...steroids and make him stronger, does that mean he will be batting 40+ HRs in the major leagues? Most likely not, because you have to be a skilled batter to get those contacts.

McGuire is not completely clean for all those saying he is better than Bonds. He did use a questionnable supplement which is a form of Steroid. It does make him stronger and recover faster so it does not make him cleaner than Bonds (if Bonds is proven to have taken steroids) if u are questionning HRs and who is a better batter.

I still think Bonds is a more skilled batter.

[CatnipOligarchy]

Barry Bonds is a loser. He used steroids. McGwire used Andro. Andro is not illegal. But its more than that guys. People liked Mark McGwire. The general public doesnt think too much of Barry Bonds. He's historically been a dick to fans and media, and is constantly showboating. Sheffield is in the same situation.

[IlliniPi]

2000: 49 home runs

2001: 73 home runs

I think something's missing there. I never really respected Bonds as a player, just because he always seemed to have this 'chip on his shoulder' after he jacked one out. ESPN even use to stop in the middle of the game and show Bonds at-bat just to see if he'd hit a home run. Please... :rolleyes:

[-=SD=-]

I think he took them, why else would you have them sent you? :p

Anyways, if they can prove it, then take them away but I doubt they will do anything..

[Bizkit]

If they take away the record, people will still say that he did it. You can erase it from the book, but not from history.

[Chad]

Barry Bonds is a loser. He used steroids. McGwire used Andro. Andro is not illegal. But its more than that guys. People liked Mark McGwire. The general public doesnt think too much of Barry Bonds. He's historically been a dick to fans and media, and is constantly showboating. Sheffield is in the same situation.

How mature :rolleyes: The fact is, you don't know. But it seems like you already have your false opinions about him anyway. Reasoning with you won't do any good. Bonds IS NOT a showboater. Just because he shuns the media people think he's a jerk. Again, a case of just assuming he's guilty of something. Just because your view of Bonds isn't favorable, doesn't mean everyone agrees with you. I would wager that the majority of real baseball fans (are there any here?) are big supporters of Bonds.

Again people...there isn't even any hint that Bonds used anything. "Oh his trainer was charged with distributing drugs"...doesn't change a thing. Just put your jealousy, or however you justify it, aside and get over it.

[....]

I would wager that the majority of real baseball fans (are there any here?) are big supporters of Bonds.

Again people...there isn't even any hint that Bonds used anything.  "Oh his trainer was charged with distributing drugs"...doesn't change a thing.  Just put your jealousy, or however you justify it, aside and get over it.

I would take that bet any day and twice on Sunday. Bonds is hardly well liked in the baseball world by fans AND players (I do have a few contacts). Hardly.

No hint that Bonds used anything? Why was he taking them from his trainer? To throw away when he got home? Why the sudden increase in his numbers? At such a late age?

Yeah, you need skill to hit the ball. But he already had that skill. The steroids improved that skill. He went from a above average player to great. (All time best is a HUUUUUGGGEEE reach, IMO.)

[aem4162]

i'm a real baseball fan and i NEVER liked bonds

[threetonesun]

His father was an amzing player, he was taught by Willie Mays, considering all that chnaged about his game was his ability to hit homeruns (his steals didn't change, nor did his batting average), I don't see how he *obviously* was taking steroids. And comparing him to other MLB players is a joke, they have to be some of the least in shape athlestes in the world (outside of pro bowling).

[imtoomuch]

Let's find out what you think on this issue.

Keep in mind, when Barry Bonds broke Mark McGuire's single season Home Run record, his previous best didn't even crack 50.

Is this man on Steroids? You better believe he is. I spoke with a friend of mine who used to be a starting shortstop for a professional baseball team, and he told me, "You don't produce that late in life like that without a little help. I mean look at him...he's huge"

If Barry is proven to use steroids, what should happen to his 'records' which he wouldn't have even approached had he not cheated...?

Never hitting 50 home runs to hitting over 70. No way.

Andy Van Slyke...former teammate of Bonds:

I said the same thing a few years ago. Bonds was a good homerun hitter, but he wasn't great. Then one summer he gains 50 pounds of muscle and hits a ton the next season. Something just isn't right.

[Remote]

I said the same thing a few years ago. Bonds was a good homerun hitter, but he wasn't great. Then one summer he gains 50 pounds of muscle and hits a ton the next season. Something just isn't right.

You people have it sooo wrong.

Read this great article on espn, then jump off the bandwagon.

Is it steroids or sour grapes?

[Chad]

I would take that bet any day and twice on Sunday.  Bonds is hardly well liked in the baseball world by fans AND players (I do have a few contacts).  Hardly.

No hint that Bonds used anything?  Why was he taking them from his trainer?  To throw away when he got home?  Why the sudden increase in his numbers?  At such a late age?

Yeah, you need skill to hit the ball.  But he already had that skill.  The steroids improved that skill.  He went from a above average player to great.  (All time best is a HUUUUUGGGEEE reach, IMO.)

You'd take that bet and you'd lose it. Like I said, there's no proof at all he got anything from his trainer. Nothing. Just your speculation. What sudden increase in numbers? He had ONE great year. It was nothing like McGuires huge jump.

And the last point....steroids DO NOT help you hit the ball. If you think that is true, you've never played baseball, because it's just rediculous. They cannot help you see the ball better, they cannot help you take better swings. Like I said earlier, Bonds was already hitting 40 hrs per year. If you go by the arguement you people are using, EVERYONE in baseball used steroids in 2001, since practically everyone was hitting more home runs than they had previously in their career.

It amazes me how insane you people are. Just because a guy doesn't like talking to the media, and showed some confidence in himself early on in his career, you don't like him. 6 mvps don't lie people. If Willie Mays will back this guy, I have no problem doing so. Greatest player ever? Maybe not yet, but once he gets that home run mark....yes. And Bonds NEVER gained 50 lbs of anything in one summer. He has progressively gotten bigger the past 5 or 6 years.

And to piggyback on Remote's post, read the espn article.

[....]

You'd take that bet and you'd lose it.  Like I said, there's no proof at all he got anything from his trainer.  Nothing.  Just your speculation.  What sudden increase in numbers?  He had ONE great year.  It was nothing like McGuires huge jump.

Pay up. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4432582/ I would tend to believe the Feds than your blind favoritism.

That one great year? Bonds goes from 49 Home runs to 73. That's 24 more home runs. McGuire never had a jump like that. McGuire was flirting with 60 the two years before. 52 in '96, 58 in '97, 70 in '98 and 65 in '99. Had McGuire stayed healthy his entire career, Bonds would still be chasing him.

And the last point....steroids DO NOT help you hit the ball.  If you think that is true, you've never played baseball, because it's just rediculous.  They cannot help you see the ball better, they cannot help you take better swings.  Like I said earlier, Bonds was already hitting 40 hrs per year.

I never said it made him hit better. It made him stronger, therefore more home runs. In fact, I agreed with you by saying that he had the ability to hit the ball. It improved that skill by adding power.