Brent on Bonds

Fans in opposing parks have made their feelings known: They've thrown syringes at him. They've held up signs with asterisks on them. There was even a banner that read "Babe Ruth Did It With Only Hot Dogs And Beer."

He's admitted that chasing Babe Ruth--and by extension in pursuit of the all-time home-run record in Major League Baseball--has been very difficult the closer he gets to surpassing him. As of today, Barry Bonds has 713 home runs. Babe Ruth at 714. Henry Aaron sits at 755.

See, baseball fans have this love affair with Babe Ruth. He's bigger than the biggest of games. His trade to the Yankees pretty much started their run of World Championships that occur about every three years on average. They even call Yankee Stadium "The House That Ruth Built."

He's a lovable character. The media portrayals are of this happy-go-lucky guy who had the physique of everyman...he hardly looked like a world class athlete...and there are all sorts of newsreel shots of The Babe visiting sick kids in the hospital.

Bonds is the opposite. Even before the stuff about steroids, he was known for being surly with the media. He's generally not revered as being a good teammate. He's usually been about the money. He's easy to dislike, and he's made it easy for people to dislike him.

But I'll say it: Barry Bonds is more talented than Babe Ruth.

See, Barry Bonds played in an era where pitching was much more specialized and training is much more available from little league on up. He regularly faced pitchers who throw low-90's the whole game, not to mention that starters pretty much go six innings now...turning the game over to one-inning specialists...so he faces four pitchers a game. Oh, and by the way, those pitchers are all highly paid and do this gig year round.

Not the case in the olden days. Starters tended to go the distance, often throwing close to 200 pitches a game. Those players often held jobs in the off season to make ends meet. In fact, they tended to view the intentional walk as dishonorable, and often disdained it. Barry Bonds has been intentionally walked with the bases loaded...and in fact, holds the major league career record for walks.

And another thing: If memory serves correctly, he's innocent until he's proven guilty. Major League Baseball's execs, who have fallen in love with the home run and their superstars, seem to have a minor problem on their hands: He has never been accused of failure to comply with the league's substance abuse policy. They looked the other way when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were chasing Maris...so they have no right to distance from Bonds in what should be his moment.

An incredible moment it is, too.

Say what you want about hitter-friendly ballparks and juiced baseballs and diluted pitching and playing 9 games a year in Colorado and everything else...(the Babe never had to finish in Anaheim, fly back to New York, arriving at 3AM and play the afternoon matinee at Yankee Stadium, and he enjoyed a steady diet of Tiger Stadium & Fenway Park, to boot)

Steroids or no...

...you still gotta hit the baseball.

And he's hit it hard 713 times, abiding BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW of Major League Baseball.

There should be no asterisk.

He's better than the Babe. Better arm. Better speed. Better bat. During an era when there are more talented players top-to-bottom on every major league roster and pitching staff.

So, I hope you get 714 soon...and 715 after that...hopefully in Houston this week. And I only wish you had the respect you deserve on that accomplishment, Barry.

You won't. But you should.

And it's easy to see why other teams pitch around you constantly.

But, to be honest, I hope you don't pass Hank Aaron.