Barry Bonds Will Be the Home Run King

Despite all of the ongoing investigations and rumors, Barry Bonds, Major League Baseball (MLB) Outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, is going to hit his 756th home run. Doing so will vault him into the number one slot for all time home runs in the baseball hall of records. Television and radio has bombarded us with should he" or "should he not" get the recognition for this achievement.

The majority of sportscasters and baseball enthusiasts downplay his achievement because of the steroid scandal that has dominated the media in the past few years. Bud Selig, MLB Commissioner, has reported that he will not be present for this historic occasion. I have a question for the sportscasters, enthusiasts and the commissioner. Where were you when Barry's physical stature blossomed and grew and he noticeably bulked up within a couple of seasons. And not just Barry, but quite a few players all of a sudden bulked up and the home run records were being blown out of the water?

During this time in question, baseball was in a slump. Attendance records were at an all time low and still falling. Owners were reporting millions in losses and teams were folding and/or moving their franchises in hopes of achieving a better income. After hundreds of reports and television and radio interviews on the subject, we start hearing of all the home runs that were coming to fruition. Note that home runs are a natural attraction of the average baseball fan. When they go to games, they want to see the home run. They want to go to the game with their baseball glove in hand to catch the ball and be able to take home a souvenir. So now all of a sudden as baseball is in a huge slump and in financial turmoil, home runs begin to climb. What do the television and radio reporters report about? The possibility of a "juiced ball". Or comments on the pitchers mound being raised along with the juiced ball.

Very little to nothing was reported on the possibility that the reason so many players were all of a sudden hitting home runs was equated to steroid usage. Almost everyone from the commissioner to reporters to the fans turned away from that possibility because baseball needed the home runs to survive and to hold fan interest. So here we are today, baseball survived, attendance grew and people are filling the stadiums once again. And did I mention that one of the many players who helped bring baseball back is about to break the all time home run record?

Yes, Barry Bonds will break the record and now the commissioner, some former players, reporters and fans want to say that he should not be recognized because of the alleged steroid usage. Let me say at this point I do not in any way support steroid usage for enhancing performance especially when it is done illegally. I will say, however, that if the subject was avoided to lift baseball out of its slump, then the usage itself should not be pointed at in an individual basis! In other words, point the finger at the man who refuses to be there. I guess they didn't expect a player who is labeled as a 'jerk' to come out as the record holder of the most glamorous record to be held in the game of baseball. Not to mention that the last time I checked, a man is innocent until "proven" guilty in a court of law, not a court of opinion!

So Barry, I know you're reading this, This Bud's for you! Thank you for the excitement despite all the negative reporting. I've seen your multi-talent performance and will give it all the respect it deserves. Just like Hank, home runs are not the only aspect of your game and talent. Multiple Golden Gloves and lasting memories of spectacular plays! If the asterisk appears in the record book, Mine will be whited out. I will not single out one person for the allowance of alleged usage just because a record is about to be broken. No, I will place the asterisk next to the commissioners resume instead for allowing it then turning and running as if he had nothing to do with it. And if the asterisk is there by Barry's record, I suppose the record book writers will be very busy for the next few years placing hundreds of asterisks by the hundreds of other enhanced players involved in bringing baseball back.