Will Bonds break record now with new steroid testing in place?

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Posted By: ramram

You think he can go cold turkey and stay healthy/strong enough to break the record now that MLB has finally got a steroid policy with some teeth in it?

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Posted By: qualitycards.com

I suspect he will still break the record. He will now get a ton of more at bats since pitchers won't walk him as much. He still has a great work out regiment and he's not that far off from Aaron. If he was 100 off the mark that might be another story.

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Posted By: Scott Elkins

Too close not to.

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Posted By: fkw

Bonds will hit 50..... bat .370..... win another MVP...... and still hasnt lost a pound of weight since 2003. He wont shrink like some of the others because he works out harder than any other. Bonds has improved into the best hitter of all time because he knows how to wait for his pitch and the BB doesnt bother him as much. He wasnt on juice of any type last year and dominated as usual, and now he has Alou to bat behind him. The Giants will have a much stronger team this year, and they just missed playoffs by 1 game last year. Besides Alou they added the best fielding SS all time (to go with best fielding 1st baseman), and a solid closer for 1st time in 3 years.

Can you tell Im a Giants Fan Frank

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Posted By: john/z28jd

The Giants really are set up for a 1 year run.I think Grissom,Alou,Bonds and Vizquel all have one good year left and they have to make the most of it this year.They also added a gold glove catcher in Matheny

Should be a good race in the west just like last year.

To answer the initial question,Bonds is too close not to get it,hes definitely playing the next 2 seasons he said,and even if he somehow doesnt get it in that time frame he will be close enough where he will play one more year to get it.

You have to remember,and i truely believe this,if he walked as much as a normal baseball player and didnt have any help then he would probably have hit the same amount of homers as he has hit just over more at-bats. 750 walks in the last 4 years,even subtracting 80 walks a year means he lost a seasons worth of at-bats.

I dont think steroids helped his home runs as much as it helped his HR per AB average,on base percent and walks record.Assuming 10 homers were helped enough each year then its not hard to believe he could hit 40 extra homers in the 430 at-bats he lost because he was pitched around.He also plays in a difficult home run hitters park,imagine if he were a member of the Astros[since minute maid/enron field opened] or Rockies this whole time

His documented workout routine is also phenomenal and i dont expect it to decline,and would actually believe it to increase because of the controversy.Im sure he wants to prove the doubters wrong,i dont expect much of a decline if any in his game this season except less playing time,meaning more frequent rests.

I wouldnt be surprised to see the league as a whole down alot in homers due to the new testing.

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Posted By: jay behrens

They already had testing implimented last year and Bonds was most likely clean or has moved on to the next thing that can't be detedcted. Either way, short of a career ending injury, he will break the record one way or another and wouldn't be surprised to see him try for 800 if he still in top form. I suspect his ego is big enough that he wants to put the record far enough out that A-Rod will really have to work for it if he wnats it.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

A-rod? If Sosa continues to perform as he has throughout his career, he will surpass Aaron's record at a younger age than Bonds will.

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Posted By: Jason

I think Bonds will do it. MLB claimed they were cracking down and it was announced that Bonds was clean on a random steroid test.

His plate discipline and bat control are not really going to change I believe.

This guy is going to put up a few more monster years before he's finished methinks.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Gilbert,i think Sosa is almost done.He had his worst season since 1992 last year and alot of the time he looked bad.I think Sosa has his eyes set on Reggie Jacksons strikeout record but im not sure he has at least 180 more homers in him,he is 36 right now

I think Arod will also be the man to beat Bonds eventual record.He has about 380 homers and hes not quite 30 yet,of course he needs to put up better than the 36 homers he hit last year in over 600 at-bats because soon all that playing time in the infield will catch up to him,shortstops dont exactly have the longest shelf-life and he played that position for 8 years,thirdbaseman arent much better.If his hearts in it,he should be able to do it tho and put up staggering career numbers in the process

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Posted By: ramram

I think Barry will start struggling later this year when it all starts to catch up with him. He'll probably stagger to the record by next year but then you can probably write the record in ink. I don't think A-Rod or anyone else will set a new record....not without the 'roids. The days of supermen are over.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

If youre saying Bonds will finish with say approx. 770 why do you think no one else could come around and top that.With smaller stadiums,watered down pitching and better training methods,even if its not Arod or Sosa,somebody could come around to beat that.Aaron wasnt a great home run hitter,he was a very good one that played an extremely long time.I think unless Bonds keeps going as if he wants to put it out of reach then nothing is impossible.If he just barely beats it then you never know how long it could last,theres some pretty small stadiums out there now.

Once someone gets close to the record tho,most teams would let him stick around,even as a DH and even if he embarrassed himself in the process just to get those last homers because of what it would mean when accomplished

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Posted By: jay behrens

Some of you really seem to overrate the value of steroids. Do they help? Probably. But all you have to do is look at the admitted users; Canseco, Caminiti, Giambi and nothing those players has done indicates that it helped their plate disipline the way Bonds' discipline has improved the time he has been accused of using steroids.

Bonds has a plate discipline the likes of which has never been seen. Not even with Ted Williams. This is what will get Bonds the record. Not whether or not he is juiced up and able to hit the further.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: Glen V

Interesting article on steroids from Outside magazine. Seems like lots of people don't really know what steroids can do - this might give you more insite: http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/200311/200311_drug_test_1.html

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Posted By: Pcelli60

Are you kidding? His numbers might just catagorize him as the greatest of all time!..Dont get me wrong, i'm no Bonds fan by any means. But to suggest this new policy will deter him is laughable...

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Posted By: Anonymous

Would Bonds break the record if the new steroid testing had been in place?

There being a wee bit of difference beween putting in a legitimate testing system when a player has 10 home runs as opposed to starting when he already has over 700 (And, yes, I understand that there are board members who beleive that steroids has no effect whatsoever on home run production and, if anything, Bonds would be at about 950 home runs right now if he hadn't been taking steroids).

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Posted By: Julie

that if Bar-ry's home run production now slows down, the steroids made the difference. Answer: No, probably not..

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Posted By: Rhys

He will decline. All the talk about his workout regime is funny because THAT is where steroids helps you. It does not make you stronger, it allows you train harder and longer. That is why Bonds can have such an amazing workout schedule. Without the juice he wont be able to workout nearly as much.

Also, just because Bonds tested clean last year means nothing since the types of steroids and performance enhancers he was probably on were not detectible anyways.

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi Frank,
I love your optimism about the Giants........,But it makes me want to send you my Cubs hat. See you at Wrigley during the National, and a few more times this year. Be well Brian



PS I hope Maddux is pitching.