Barry Bonds Just Wants Your Love

Posted by: Avinash on Thursday, June 21st, 2007

It wouldn’t surprise us if by the time we came back from Europe, Barry Bonds has hit #756. It would also not surprise us if we came back and he hadn’t made extra bases since we left. Either way, we’re pretty indifferent as to what exactly this guy does. If he’s still sitting on 750 somewhere in August, we’ll probably wait for that inevitable live feed on ESPN (you know, that network in which only the Yanks and Sawx, A-Rod, steroids, and Clemens exist in terms of baseball) for his every at-bat, give him a cheer at 755 and 756, and then go on with our lives and hope the man retires swiftly. That’s about as much as we care about the Bonds saga.

But we know Giants fans care, so here’s a sampling of some of work related to him this past year.

Is There A Chance Barry Bonds Doesn’t Break Hank Aaron’s Home Run Record? [Fan IQ]

“We have all dreams. Some are truly important, life changing types. Run a marathon. Fancy job, home in the ‘burbs, what have you. For others, like me, you wish for Barry to somehow slip up on the way to the home run title.

After his impressive April, I decided to confront the fact he’d like break the record sometime right about now actually. “Let’s just get this over with.”

But now Bonds is hampered by shin splints and has only hit one home run since May 9th. News like that is music to a Bonds-haters ears. Despite the fact he’s clearly struggling and injured, he insisted he’s playing

“I won’t go on the DL,” Bonds said. “Don’t count on seeing me on the DL — ever. I won’t let myself. I will work hard. I will play through it.”

So much for that wishful thinking, but this recent slump does have me considering the possibility, while slim, that he doesn’t break the record this season. A baseball fan can dream.”

Well gee, that was a downer. Let’s see if we can find something else.

Does Barry Really Owe The Hall Of Fame Anything? [Deadspin]

The Bonds Ruins America stories kicked off this morning with Bonds making it clear that he’s not going to just give away his memorabilia to the Hall of Fame.

“I’m not worried about the Hall,” the San Francisco slugger said during a recent homer drought. “I take care of me.”

We’re not sure why Bonds should be blasted for wanting to make sure he benefits from his own successes — it’s not like those who have caught his home run balls have been impersonating Tim Forneris themselves — and, frankly, the people who run the Baseball Hall of Fame always pull this “hey, what about us?” routine anytime the public consciousness suits them. Remember Dale Petroskey? He’s the head of the Hall who famously banned Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon from a celebration of Bull Durham because their anti-President Bush comments “could put our troops in even more danger.” (We still find it amazing Petroskey has a job after that, actually.) When it comes to Barry Bonds and Dale Petroskey, we choose to root for neither.

A little better. Barry Bonds is now on par with an idiot. We’re getting to better territory.

Barry Bonds Takes Steroids…Baseball-Approved Ones [AOL Fanhouse]

Bonds said his legs were hurting because he had stopped taking prednisone, which is prescribed to treat arthritis. So what exactly is this prednisone? Apparently it’s a non performance-enhancing steroid that’s baseball approved. Prednisone however, is banned by the Olympics and the World Anti-Doping Agency, for many reasons — namely, because people consider it cheating.

The WADA uses three criteria in assessing whether a drug should be put on the prohibited list, [WADA committee member Dr. Gary Wadler] said. One is whether it enhances performance; Wadler does not believe prednisone does, although many athletes “believe it works,” he said. The other two criteria are more to the point in the case, he said. According to the WADA, prednisone involves a significant risk to health if used on a systematic basis, and it violates the spirit of the sport by giving some athletes a significant, pain-reducing advantage over others.

Asked if he thought athletes were cheating if they disobeyed WADA rules on prednisone, Wadler said, “Yes, I do think it’s cheating. … Clearly we know that corticosteroids have been abused with very large doses.”

So right now it seems like prednisone is a hazard to Bonds’ health despite being considered a healing medicine. Luckily for concerned purists, it is not deemed a performance-enhancer. But if prednisone gives a “significant pain-reducing advantage over others,” then does that mean Barry Bonds is cheating? Moreover, does baseball need to rethink its policy on allowing prednisone use?

There we go. At least both are on equally bad footing. As good as we’ll get.

(Image from CBS News)



Topics: Bay Area, Sports

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