I probably should post about the NFL Draft, but I don't really feel like it, so I'm not going to.Instead, I want to write about an issue that is flying under the radar while the world talks about Barry Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's home run record.
I can't disagree with anyone who complains that Bonds' 756th home run will be tainted with doubts (or head-shaking certainties, as the case may be) about how he achieved it and the 755 before it.
But I would like to pose the question, which is the greater baseball travesty: Bonds reaching 756 home runs or Sammy Sosa hitting number 600?
Bonds, at least, is an extremely talented baseball player. As I wrote in an earlier post, he's a Hall of Famer, with or without steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. He doesn't deserve the home run record, but like him or not, Bonds deserves recognition as a great baseball player.
But then there is Sosa, who has stealthly climbed to fifth on the all-time career home run list. Fifth! This ahead of Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Mike Schmidt. I find that an apalling achievement for a guy who, in my books, has never been a very great baseball player. (Check out the all-time leaders for strikeouts!)
Again, you will never hear me say that it's a great -- or even good -- moment for baseball when Barry Bonds breaks the home record this season. But when Sammy slams his 600th and does his ridiculous little dance down the first base line, you can bet that the baseball gods will have never felt so mocked.
3 comments:
theres some pretty good ball players on that strikeout list, but i do agree that slammin sammy is definitely overrated.
on a sidenote, how bout an article about my warriors, lets hope they can finish the job
You want to write it? I can set you up to do a guest post.
hook it up, ill do it
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