OleMissCub

I remember that, but it wasn't a few years ago, that was a LONG time ago. That had to be 1998 or something. Wow, my sense of time is apparently awful. I thought it was from 2001-2003 range, but you're right, it was June of 1998. heh, 1998 was just a blind guess on my part. Cool.

I remember that, but it wasn't a few years ago, that was a LONG time ago. That had to be 1998 or something.

Could explain his very rapid decline. He went from being 4th in MVP voting to being completely useless within two years.

Listening to MLB on XM today, I probably heard three or four former players say the exact same thing. That is what bothers them most about the steroid thing.

....green font? you don't think people have cheated in pretty much every era of the game? Is that what I said? He said ALL your heroes were cheaters too. Mantle, Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks?

Speaking of juicers...

....green font?

You don't go out of your way to be a tool though. Your snarks, as with most posters on NSBB, are usually provoked.

I think the dampness in the air certainly helped some of those pitches...

I think he's a no doubt first ballot guy. Kinda funny that he is an average season (for him) away from equaling Jim Rice's entire WARP3 total. Ichiro is at 73.8 right now and Rice's total after 16 seasons was 80.2.

Indeed, he averages 228 hits a season. Some others with over 200 per season: Cobb: 224 Sisler: 222 Joe Jackson: 216 Simmons: 214 Lajoie: 212 Hornsby: 210 Gwynn: 209 Puckett: 209 Combs: 208 DiMaggio: 207 Jeter: 207 Terry: 206 Gehrig: 204 Frisch: 202 Traynor: 202 Medwick: 202 Nomar: 201 Boggs: 200 Pujols: 200

I definitely do not like all that body armor he wore either. I think the Bonds-armor thing is symptomatic of a problem in baseball today, which is that pitchers have been essentially castrated from pitching inside for fear of automatic ejection. It'd also be nice to see the umps call the rulebook strike zone. From the 2008 MLB Rule Book: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/strikezone.jpg

No kidding. I'd take a horrific Andruw over a less than mediocre Gathright any day of the weak. At least with Andruw there is a slight chance he might figure out how to hit a baseball again.

No doubt about it. If Maris did what he did in 2000, he'd be guaranteed to be cast as a juicer. Look at his HR totals in the two years before and after he hit 61: 16 39 61 33 23

What hat will he be wearing? http://tvbythenumbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/new_york_yankees_hat_1.jpg His plaque will start off saying "The first designated hitter to reach 500 HR"

Personally I think that whopping 5.4 WARP3 that he brought to the Phils last year is worth 18m per...

That bothers me a bit too, but of course there are a few main reasons, justifiably or not, for the disparate treatment between the sports, especially football and baseball. - Baseball is more a game of individual achievement as opposed to football, so scrutiny on the individual will always be greater in baseball than football. This principle manifests itself most clearly as regards the achievement of "sacred" records. - In baseball, it is not a requirement that you be bigger, stronger, or faster than the next guy in order to excel. Athleticism is a huge part of the game, but not nearly as much as in football. It's far more difficult to be great in football with athletic mediocrity as opposed to baseball. Since you don't have to be impressive physically in baseball, there is more of a stigma attached when the player separates himself from the field in that regard. Another way to say it is that there is a greater range between a juiced baseball player and a non-juiced one as opposed to a juiced football player and his non-juiced counterpart. However, the purpose of pointing that out isn't to say that the effects of steroids is greater in baseball than football because I don't think it is. As I said earlier, football is more about being bigger, stronger, & faster than in baseball, so getting the edge physical is going to be more crucial in football. My point was merely to show why there is a disparate treatment as regards to the public stigma. just my opinion of course

Completely unprovoked flames are OK apparently.

Kevin Brown is another I think.

This is pretty lame. Perhaps it was my naivete or my desire that some modern hitting legend not be tainted, but I was really thinking A-Rod was clean.

Hot Stove is one hell of an outstanding show.

I don't really picture Braun as a 200 hit guy at any point in his career, so he is going to have to have a solid 17 season career. Yes, he's really more of a 500 HR club guy than a 3000 hit one.

get some more middle infielders

Damnit I wish he was commish.

Aside from those previously mentioned, I think that barring an unforeseen injury, Pujols has a real good chance at getting there. He averages around 185 hits as is, and is already above 1500. A fair shot could also be given to Jimmy Rollins who is at just under 1500 right now. Like Pujols, Rollins is under 30, fairly durable, and averages around 185 a season. Given that players have better health these day and thus longer careers, it isn't at all unexpected that Pujols and Rollins could play another 10 years. Before his injury this year, I would have given a fair shot to Todd Helton as well. He's at around 2000 right now and is 34 years old. But it is still unclear how much of an impact his injury will have on the remainder of his career. I don't think it is unreasonable that Carl Crawford could get there one day. He'll only be 27 next year and has over 1100 hits so far and averages around 180 a season. So he's at about the same pace as Pujols and Rollins. Miggy Cabrera could be another candidate. He'll still be only 25 on opening day next year and already has over 1000. However, his work ethic is so questionable that I think it is highly unlikely he'll last even another 10 years. Jose Reyes could also get there if he lasts another 10 years at around his current pace. That's about as far as I'm willing to look into the crystal ball, but if I had to choose who was going to get there, I'd place money on A-Rod, Jeter, Damon, Pujols, Ichiro, and Rollins. I think it is very likely that Damon will be the first member of the 3000 hit club to not make the Hall of Fame.