Letters

Enablers surround Bonds

As Barry Bonds passes Hank Aaron, I am mildly amused at the superficial angst displayed by the press. Let’s be honest and rank the responsible. First, the players – all of them, even the innocent ones who said nothing. By the way, I believe it was the second-tier players that are more responsible for sullying the game, magically going from .260 averages, 15 HRs, 60 RBIs and $300 grand to .310 averages, 35 HRs, 110 RBIs, and $6.5 million. And there were hundreds of them. They, more than any, drove ticket prices out of a lot of family’s budgets. But it’s the press that I disrespect the most. Second in responsibility to only the players, they knew all along. Now, they pretend to come to baseball’s rescue, riding white horses. But their horses have mud on them, slung by their own riders. Next come the team and league officials, who silently let steroids take over, laughing all the way to the bank.

Michael Wiman

Deer Park

Bonds has every advantage

In response to your story “He’s a Jerk …” on 8/5/07:

I can’t get over the glory heaped on Barry Bonds these days. He’s a jerk and he also doesn’t deserve the credit for the all-time homer record as being a “great feat,” which it isn’t anymore. Barry has played in the best hitting era in the history of baseball. Entering the 500 home run club used to be the most exclusive baseball club in all of baseball. Well, not anymore. In the first 130 years of baseball the “club” had only 14 members. Now, in a scant 15 years, it has eight more with three more active players probably entering next year. And now Barry is having an easy time breaking the all-time home run record. Here’s why I think batters are much better off since the ‘70s:

“The modern-day umpire calls a much smaller strike zone. I think batters get an extra “strike” or two for each at-bat that is now called a ball. It’s just another chance to hit it out.

“The average stadium outfield fence is 50 feet shorter than the old stadiums. The monuments in left field at Yankee Stadium used to be “in play” and now they are well behind the outfield fence. A homer only has to travel 80 percent as far to be a homer.

“Body armor … some doctor must have approved of this because of an elbow injury once and now everyone uses them. A batter is never afraid of an inside pitch with that on. And don’t forget batting helmets are a recent rule change too. These guys look like hockey players compared to old-timers.

“Speaking of inside pitches, nowadays, (Don) Drysdale and (Bob) Gibson would be ejected from every game for “throwing inside.” That fear factor a batter used to have just doesn’t exist anymore.

“The pitching mound has been lowered and gives the pitcher less “power” to the plate now.

“Now, as a batter, you can call timeout during a pitcher’s motion to the plate. This is a relatively new concession the umpires have given batters. It used to be a bug in your eye, too much time – all that didn’t matter. The batter had to be ready.

“There is now a proliferation of so many more poor pitchers. Used to be a three-man rotation with only 20 teams that’s 60 pitchers total. Now it’s 150 pitchers, a five-man rotation from 30 teams.

“Modern-day players have six more games played each year.

Bonds has it easy: smaller strike zone, shorter fences, body armor, no dusting off batters, lower mound, timeouts while in the pitching motion, poorer pitchers and more games. He would barely have hit 500 homers by now if he played 30 years ago.

A record is a record, however – it’s just doesn’t have the same “greatness” attached to it anymore. No matter what different arguments there are, it exists without an asterisk as do all the home run records. Aaron was vilified as not meeting Ruth’s standards 30 years ago. Each era has its differences and makes the records lesser or greater. The former is the case with Bonds and make no mistake – it’s still his record until the unforeseen future when we have metal bats, computer umps and other hidden drugs to make athletes superhuman.

Paul Hersey

Spokane Valley

Griffey, Rodriguez may be next

While baseball fans are a little stunned that Barry Bonds finally broke Hank Aaron’s 755 home run career record, let’s all agree that it’s a remarkable accomplishment, with or without Bonds’ alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. Even after Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career mark and added 40 dingers to it to finish his career, I think the consensus was that if Hank could break Ruth’s record, no such “unbreakable” mark was untouchable from any great player who stayed reasonably healthy over a long career. Cal Ripken Jr. later proved this by shattering Lou Gehrig’s “Iron Man” streak.

As it now stands, two former Seattle Mariners have a good chance at becoming the next long ball king. Ken Griffey Jr. will have close to 600 homers by the time this season ends and his ex-teammate Alex Rodriguez will be at somewhere around 510. My guess is that Bonds will keep playing a while longer and will shoot for a career mark of 800 before he retires. That number is attainable by both Griffey and Rodriguez if they continue their careers without debilitating injuries. If so, we in the Northwest can take some pride in our ex-M’s having had a part in this most glamorous and sought after record in baseball history.

Simon Roloff

Spokane

Think of the children

Thanks for showing our children that obnoxious cheating drug users are worthy of big headlines. You validate that honesty and integrity are not important, or even necessary, as long as you have athletic talent. How do you explain that to your children? What does it say about your editorial decisions?

Bill Brooks

Spokane

Look to Japan for champ

I am curious about Bonds’ achievements in hitting home runs. I look at how many times he walked and how many intentional walks. Now, are the fences closer than in Japan? Sadaharu Oh had 868 home runs in 22 years with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants. I look at the pitchers who have come from Japan and they throw hard. I hope Bonds’ record is not tainted by drug abuse.

Dave Nightser

Spokane Valley

Letters policy

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