How good is Barry Bonds? For real?

[imb]

I guess we can assume that his old ass isnt on steroids anymore, right?

 

Well, he's first in the majors in OBP (.457), by far, despite only hitting .261. (112 walks!)

 

He also has hit 24 homeruns in 337 at bats.

 

The guy is unbelieveable, how much longer can he do this?

[Chocolate Milk]

I love how the media is like, "He sucks this year! He's only batting .250!!!"

[RichHillIsABeast]

He isn't on steroids anymore b/c he can still hit? I'm not sure about the logic of that statement.

[soccer10k]

The guy is unbelieveable, how much longer can he do this?

 

Hopefully not long enough to pass Aaron.

[rynefan]

I hate to see him pass Aaron, but as far as "is he great," that depends on what you deem great. If it's getting on base, then he's great. If it's about a home run threat every time up, he's great. If its about being a complete player, not so great.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

He isn't on steroids anymore b/c he can still hit? I'm not sure about the logic of that statement.

 

Who said that?

 

The assumption that he isn't on steroids anymore is based on the stricter testing.

[WrigleyField 22]

I guess we can assume that his old ass isnt on steroids anymore, right?

 

Well, he's first in the majors in OBP (.457), by far, despite only hitting .261. (112 walks!)

 

He also has hit 24 homeruns in 337 at bats.

The guy is unbelieveable, how much longer can he do this?

 

With the help of DH I say he could do it for two more solid years. Anything after that he would probably see a steady enough decline to not be worth it as a DH.

[UMFan83]

Obviously Bonds has always been a great hitter, pre and post steroids. I think that his numbers are pretty damn good considering his age and the shape that his knee is in.

 

But while Bonds has always shown an amazing eye and pitch selection, you gotta think the aura of Barry Bonds has caused many pitchers to pitch around the slugger.

[RichHillIsABeast]

He isn't on steroids anymore b/c he can still hit? I'm not sure about the logic of that statement.

 

Who said that?

 

The assumption that he isn't on steroids anymore is based on the stricter testing.

 

The OP was ambiguous. That's why I used a question mark in my post.

 

I guess we can assume that his old ass isnt on steroids anymore, right?

[WrigleyField 22]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

[Jazz]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

 

to me it goes like this

 

The earliest he could have possibly started using was mid to late 2000. That year he had a .688 the highest of his career to that point, and had a .730+ SLG after the all star break in 00'.

 

From 2000-2004 He used on and off (unknowingly or knowingly i won't get into). After his injuries and the Balco Investigations, he was off them completely, he hasn't used since.

 

Barry Bonds is one of the most if not the most patient hitters of all time, whether or not you think the steroids inflated his power numbers dramatically, he deserves recognition based on that fact alone. 232 walks (.609 OBP) in one season. That's insane.

 

Before he was "using", based on how he would have fared in his roid years, he would have still made enough of an impact to be considered for the hall. I'd place him at about 450-550 HR's.

 

i guess we will never no though.

[chuckywang]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

 

I think the drop in power numbers is due to the fact that nobody can slug .700+ every year. He's still slugging .534 this year. That's a great percentage.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

My bad, RichHillIsABeast. I missed the question mark.

 

But while Bonds has always shown an amazing eye and pitch selection, you gotta think the aura of Barry Bonds has caused many pitchers to pitch around the slugger.

 

Definitely.

[CuseCubFan69]

I wouldn't assume he isn't on steroids/HGH. Baseball has yet to catch a player this year in MLB and no way is every player on the level and Bonds has the stuff before so how can we know he isn't doing it again?

[Mark Priors Calves]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

 

to me it goes like this

 

The earliest he could have possibly started using was mid to late 2000.

 

IIRC, according to "Game of Shadows", Bonds starting using roids after the 1998. He saw watch McGwire and Sosa were doing and wanted to get in on the action.

[Guest]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

 

I think the drop in power numbers is due to the fact that nobody can slug .700+ every year. He's still slugging .534 this year. That's a great percentage.

He's also lost around 100 points on his slugging this year simply due to the drop in his batting average. If he were still hitting .350, his slugging would be around .650.

[Guest]

I wouldn't assume he isn't on steroids/HGH. Baseball has yet to catch a player this year in MLB and no way is every player on the level and Bonds has the stuff before so how can we know he isn't doing it again?

Cuse,

 

Bonds is under such intense investigation by the feds that I really don't think he could get his hands on the stuff anymore without being caught.

[Guest]

I wouldn't assume he isn't on steroids/HGH. Baseball has yet to catch a player this year in MLB and no way is every player on the level and Bonds has the stuff before so how can we know he isn't doing it again?

Cuse,

 

Bonds is under such intense investigation by the feds that I really don't think he could get his hands on the stuff anymore without being caught.

\

 

Really? I don't believe that for a second.

[CuseCubFan69]

I wouldn't assume he isn't on steroids/HGH. Baseball has yet to catch a player this year in MLB and no way is every player on the level and Bonds has the stuff before so how can we know he isn't doing it again?

Cuse,

 

Bonds is under such intense investigation by the feds that I really don't think he could get his hands on the stuff anymore without being caught.

 

Sorry Tim but I think the whole thing is a farce. I think the pressure has been off him and he has gone back to what he knows...cheating.

[frostwyrm]

I wouldn't assume he isn't on steroids/HGH. Baseball has yet to catch a player this year in MLB and no way is every player on the level and Bonds has the stuff before so how can we know he isn't doing it again?

Cuse,

 

Bonds is under such intense investigation by the feds that I really don't think he could get his hands on the stuff anymore without being caught.

He could get it. He may also have a stockpile somewhere.

[treebird]

if he wanted steroids, all he'd need to do would be to call ryan howard

[Guest]

Perhaps I'm being naive here. But I think:

 

1) Barry wouldn't do any old steroid or HGH after doing the designer stuff for so long.

 

2) The man is dogged night and day by media and has federal investigators looking into just about every part of his life, his associates, etc.

 

3) Any of those guys above would LOVE to nail him with any evidence of wrongdoing. Heck, many members of the media wouldn't even require hard evidence before they came out with allegations if they could catch a whiff of him still on the drugs.

 

4) Maybe I'm just underestimating the ease with which the "high end" steroids and HGH can be obtained without traceability, but I don't think it's that easy with the attention he's currently receiving.

[goonys evil twin]

Perhaps I'm being naive here. But I think:

 

1) Barry wouldn't do any old steroid or HGH after doing the designer stuff for so long.

 

2) The man is dogged night and day by media and has federal investigators looking into just about every part of his life, his associates, etc.

 

3) Any of those guys above would LOVE to nail him with any evidence of wrongdoing. Heck, many members of the media wouldn't even require hard evidence before they came out with allegations if they could catch a whiff of him still on the drugs.

 

4) Maybe I'm just underestimating the ease with which the "high end" steroids and HGH can be obtained without traceability, but I don't think it's that easy with the attention he's currently receiving.

 

I think it's probably very easy for him to get the designer stuff right now. He's not going to have Fed Ex delivering packages from from Mexico like your run of the mill player might try, but he could get them easily.

 

 

As for Barry's selectivity, it's easy to walk a ton when nobody comes close to the strike zone. He has great judgement, but not nearly as good as his walk rate suggests, due to all the intentional and pseudo intentional walks.

[soccer10k]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

 

to me it goes like this

 

The earliest he could have possibly started using was mid to late 2000. That year he had a .688 the highest of his career to that point, and had a .730+ SLG after the all star break in 00'.

 

From 2000-2004 He used on and off (unknowingly or knowingly i won't get into). After his injuries and the Balco Investigations, he was off them completely, he hasn't used since.

 

Barry Bonds is one of the most if not the most patient hitters of all time, whether or not you think the steroids inflated his power numbers dramatically, he deserves recognition based on that fact alone. 232 walks (.609 OBP) in one season. That's insane.

 

Before he was "using", based on how he would have fared in his roid years, he would have still made enough of an impact to be considered for the hall. I'd place him at about 450-550 HR's.

 

i guess we will never no though.

 

After the 1998 season Barry Bonds had 411 HR's. He also became a member of the 400HR/400SB club during the season. Up to that point he had won 3 MVP awards. Barring a career ending injury, he likely would have hit 500 HR's and still could have stole 500 bases as well. He would likely have been a first ballot HOFer without the roids which is what makes him (likely) doing roids so much more confusing. He didn't need to. I read the book "Juicing the Game" by Howard Bryant and in there he stated something along the lines of "steroids can make an average player good and a good player great, but what affect will steroids have on a great player?" Barry Bonds is the example of that. They make the great player superhuman.

[kroth1342]

Do you guys think the drop in power numbers is due to his age, lack of steriods, or both?

 

I don't know, but a .991 OPS ain't bad.