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 Sports Business Simulations is proud to host this area designed for SBS Baseball Writer Hodaka Jajita.
Three seasons: Barry Bonds looked his doubters in the eye and took them to yard 73 times in the 2001 season. In the following season he took the batting crown and set an all-time record for walks as if breaking the all-time single season home run record wasn't enough. And for insurance, in 2003, the thirty-nine year old Bonds hit 45 home runs with a .341 batting average, while leading the league in on-base percentage (.529) and slugging percentage (.749).
Three MVP awards: within this span, Barry Bonds proved to be the best player in the history of Major League Baseball. Nearing retirement, Bonds puts up numbers like he's still 25; the funny thing is, at 25, Bonds never produced like he does now. Not even Babe Ruth, with all his World Series rings, can match the fear Bonds puts in his opponents. Once upon a time, the legend of Babe Ruth ruled the history books.
Now, Barry Bonds is rewriting it with his maple wood bat, where at Pacific Bell Park, fans chant "Barry!" as if chanting the Sutra to the great Buddha, Buddha Bonds.
Before this three-year period of domination from 2001 to 2003, Bonds put up good numbers, good enough for the Hall of Fame, but not good enough to sway his most critical observers, the media. Bonds was scrutinized for his arrogance and inability to produce in the postseason while boasting a meager .289 career batting average; his career postseason average was .200 before the 2002 season.
While Bonds' personality is a separate issue, it has been a determining factor as to why he has received so much criticism. One of his most controversial statements was in 2002 when there were talks of another baseball strike. In an ESPN report, Bonds stated that fans would come back even after a strike because "it's entertainment. It will come back. A lot of companies go on strike, not just baseball. And people still ride the bus." It was this arrogance and asininity that has made Bonds an unpopular public figure. But it was his honesty that made his comments tolerable.
He once said in an interview with ESPN's Dan Patrick, "I don't feel I'm that smart" when it comes to non-baseball related issues. Because of this, sports reporters have hoarded Bonds in order to extract a comment that tarnishes his public image. They have been successful.
If we look at most superstar athletes, they receive millions of endorsement dollars from Nike to McDonalds. We see them everyday in television commercials. On the other hand, Bonds has remained unnoted in the marketing world. But what Bonds lacks in the personality, he makes up for it on the field and in the 2002 postseason, Bonds dominated, putting to rest all criticism that deemed him an incomplete player, a player that "chokes" when it really matters. And now, even his harshest critics admit he is history in the making. There are less and less anti-Bonds articles written and more on his record-breaking career.
No player has ever won six MVP awards let alone three in consecutive years. Barry has. On June 23, 2003, he recorded his 500th stolen base, making him the first ever 500-500 (500 homeruns-500 stolen bases) baseball player in history. In fact, he is the only 400-400 player as well. How is it that one player can record and prevail in almost every offensive category and win defensive Gold Glove awards as well? The answer is simple really. It runs in the family.
His recently deceased father, Bobby Bonds, was quite an athlete, and he and Barry are the only father-son tandem to reach the 400-400 plateau. But what sets Barry apart from his father is that he was always surrounded by greatness from a young age, being the son of an MLB player and all. His godfather is Willie Mays, noted as the most complete baseball player in history. Other notables are Willie McCovey, Vida Blue, Juan Marichal, and Orlando Cepeda; all of which achieved a level of greatness sometime in their careers; all of them were San Francisco Giants. Inevitably, this supernatural setting of baseball prominence rubbed off on Barry and in the 2001 season, he blew up.
What makes the beginning of his historical run so amazing is that Barry was already past the typical "prime" age of baseball players. Some say he uses steroids. He says "NO" and even urges major league baseball to test him. Although his body is significantly bigger compared to when he first joined the Giants in 1993, it is unlikely he uses steroids.
First, he has a reputation to protect as a representative of past greats, including his father and Willie Mays; if Barry was found guilty of using steroids, that reputation would be diminished.
Second, it is common for people to gain body weight as they grow older; Barry managed to compensate by implementing a rigorous off-season workout that he is renown for.
Third, Barry doesn't need no stinkin' steroids.
What enables him to hit 73 homers is his psyche not his physique. "Steroids can't help you hit the ball," he says. This last season, in only 390 official at-bats, Barry hit the ball thirty-four percent of the time. To compare this with the runner-up candidate in the MVP bidding, Albert Pujols had 591 at-bats to hit for .359.
If Barry Bonds had 591 official at-bats, he would have hit 68 homers. Pujols hit 43. An impressive player in his own regard, Albert Pujols lacks what Barry has: patience. With patience, Bonds owns every pitch that is thrown to him. Barry never swings at anything that can't be hit. And there have been many balls that he can't hit.
The reason why Barry has so few at-bats is because he is walked routinely. With 177 walks in the 2001 season, Barry broke the all-time record of 170 set by Babe Ruth. In the next season he broke his own record with 198 walks. His patience allows him to not swing at bad pitches but it's also the opposing pitcher that intends to give Barry bad pitches.
In the 198-walk season, 68 of them were intentional and the 130 "unintentional" walks might as well been intentional too. Bill James in his New Historical Baseball Abstract says, "There is no such thing as a hitter so good he should be routinely walked." Couple the fact that Barry seldom strikes out and hits homers at every eighth at-bat, Bill James is wrong. In the season Ruth hit 60 homers and 164 RBIs, he had 540 at-bats and 137 walks. In the season Bonds hit 73 homers and 137 RBIs, he had 476 at-bats and 198 walks. Babe Ruth hit homers every 11.76 at-bats and wound up with 714 in his career. But the Babe never induced the unintentional intentional walk as much as Bonds.
In a situation when the opposing team cannot, or shouldn't, intentionally walk Bonds (e.g. bases loaded), they pitch to him but give him nothing in the strike zone. It is so blatantly obvious that fans, even opposing ones, will boo when this happens because they want to see a mammoth shot into deep right field. This is why he had 34 less runs-batted-in (RBIs) than Albert Pujols in 2003 because his ability to drive in runs is taken away.
Barry Bonds is the only player that induces the "Bonds' Shift." This is where the opposing team shifts their entire infield to the right side of the field because the left-handed Barry is so renowned to pull the ball that way. The second baseman is in shallow left field and the third baseman is at second. This can be summed up in one word: fear.
If an opposing team would rather walk a player, putting him on base and possibly moving a runner into scoring position, fear is the only thing that comes to mind. When the Giants played the Anaheim Angels in the 2002 World Series, Mike Scioscia, the manager of the Angels, said, "We'll do anything it takes to stop that man from beating us." Fortunately for Scioscia, the Angels beat the Giants.
Despite being intentionally walked in the first inning of every game, Barry had a historical playoff run hitting .356 with 8 homeruns and 16 RBIs, and an incredible .948 slugging percentage. This was good enough for the Giants to make it to the final game of the seven game series.
We must bear in mind that baseball is a team game. The only thing that has eluded Barry Bonds is out of his control, a World Series ring. But World Series rings do not determine the greatness of an individual player. Barry Bonds put together an incredible career and as it winds down, is putting on a show for the ages. He will go down as the greatest player in history. One hundred years from now, they'll show a replay of Barry Bonds' 756th homerun, breaking Hank Aaron's all-time record, and fans chanting "Barry!" will echo through the Hall of Fame.
December 03, 2003
Comments
Hodaka,
You idiot! A person gains WEIGHT as they get older. Particulary as they approach their middle and late 30's. They do not gain MUSCLE at that age. At least not through traditional muscle building processes (i.e. weight training). Men's testosterone levels decrease in their 30's. Testosterone is a driving factor behind muscle building. A 190lb man, doesn't magically become a 240lb (that's right, he's 240, if he's a pound) muscular speciman, seemingly overnight. NOT AT HIS AGE....Idiot!
Bonds is not the best player, ask yourself these questions, better yet look at a Baseball encyclopedia and think about these factors: Babe Ruth played 3 positions, has many pitching records, and of course is the greatest hitter. (records do not lie, do they not, Barry, ever try reading ?) Here is my reasoning about the latter, first of all they had no "armor", not even a helmet, Bonds would never be gutsy enough to do that, secondly, the pitching has been watered down now for most of his career, (high e.r.a's) thirdly, the Babe hit all his home runs when nobody else was doing it, everybody hits home runs now, leading me to beleive that maybe it isn't as hard as it used to be. Lastly, hitting is all he works on, likes to do, and should be all he is credited with, "Being a good hitter," yes, I said a good hitter, he deserves recognition for that, but not all the other. Ask yourself this too, Did Babe Ruth have all the benefits of legal or illegal steroids, an abundance of food, vitamins, fitness trainers? Of course, he didn't ,so if it was harder to hit home runs,( and be a multi position player way back then when pitchers really threw at you, keeping you from leaning out over the plate) without all these advantages, how in the world is Bonds the greatest player? No one is going to forget all about Babe Ruth, Barry, at least not the" real baseball lovers." Barry Bonds you area fake, conceited, over-rated, spoiled,(I dare you to hit without a helmet) self-seeking, and a big part of why baseball is deteriorating. All you care about is your own hype. "Have fun dreaming Barry, keep living in your imaginary world."
jennifer
As to the claim that Bonds is the greatest player, I say, " How many positions does he play," oh, that's right, only one. Who played like a little leaguer in the World Series last year? ( Bonds, sometimes didn't even know where to throw the ball, looked completely lost and let the ball drop in for a hit simply because he was clueless as to how to play it. Never got a decent jump, if you don't beleive me count all the times Mike Scioscia sent the runner from first base and they scored!) In case you don't know, this hardly ever happens except with the biggest imaginary Pre-Madonna in baseball history. Rest easy Babe Ruth a loser like Bonds will never steal your limelight or ever be the Baseball icon you are, even in his dreams. Enjoy watching a loser blow his own horn!
jennifer
Aren't hamstring injuries really common among steroid users? I've heard that around.
I don't want to think he uses steroids (I love Barry and agree with your praise of him), but I also think that the change in physique is a little bit "unnatural"-looking...
This is a well-plotted and thorough article. The only point of which I find peculiar is the steroid thing. Maybe it's not testosterone, but he must be enhancing with some powerful stuff. His head is huge, which I've heard indicates growth horomone. I'm not saying he's the only one, and even if the guy wants to play for a team whose been known to beat on superior competition with their bats, the guy still has to hit the ball, a none to easy task if that's little league I'm remembering right now. He's like watching a freaking video game. As close as anyone to claiming best ever, for sure.
Well, first...
I do think Women should be able to use steroids, because they're going to do so first, and second, it's necessary to be able to reach a higher level of athletic performance.
I am stating that some drugs are "almost" steroids.
Lastly, I believe that Barry Bonds did not use illegal drugs but he did use legal substances that increased his performance. He did this for economic gain.
Does this diminish his status as "One of the greatest?"
No.
Keith and Zennie, I thank you both for commenting, somewhat, on my topic.
As for your Barry is the greatest hitter, baseball player, or athlete of our generation (yes, you have used all three categories), why don't you just say he is? I understand your reasons for wanting to limit your argument to the last 20 years, but come on, be a man and just state it if you say you want to! Hahahaha, now, I'm just playin' with you but seriously, I'm not ashamed to say he is the greatest player of all time, hands down. Statiscally, he will reign king (except for pitching stats) and the way he hits balls out of the park...come on, no Babe Ruth could have done that, even with supplements...hell, even with steroids, the Babe would never have been able to KILL the ball like Barry does.
And while I'm ranting, I'll say that to put pitchers in the same category as everyday players is stupid. Pitchers are not players, they're pitchers and that's why they get a Cy Young and not an MVP.
Hey, I can appreciate history...Babe Ruth, Koufax, DiMaggio, Mantle, but I appreciate watching history in the making more. Screw them old-timers...they got nothing on Barry. Take pride in our generation by saying it is the best! Yeah, so there are so many looming variables: steroids, corked bats, juiced balls, etc. And while I'm at it, I'll say that players in the first 40 years of baseball were not athletes but just that, players. Baseball players. Tell me I can't outrun Babe Ruth around the bases.
As for the rest of the 'Big Z' argument. Even Z has changed his ways. The argument that started on my blog and has transferred to this blog was that Women should use illegal steroids. Somehow Z is arguing that nutritional supplements are the same as illegal drugs. Barry's use of nutritional supplements are not the same as illegal drugs and any confusion thereof blurs the very line we have been arguing over...
The 'Big Z' and I will continue to argue so long as we continue to misquote one another. I have yet to argue whether Barry is the best hitter of alltime, although it is an argument that I would love to have.
So why not begin now...
I do believe that Barry is the greatest hitter of our generation. He combines the power of McGuire and the contact ability of Tony Gwynn. However, I am still unable to label him the greatest of alltime due to my age and lack of knowledge of pitchers from earlier generations. Until someone creates a time machine that allows me to travel back and watch Babe Ruth and the pitchers he faced, I will be unable to label Barry as the greatest hitter of alltime.
Willie Mays and Hank Aaron faced the likes of Koufax, Drysdale and Gibson. All hall of famers, and all known as some of the greatest pitchers to have played the game. But do they compare with our modern day hall of famers such as the Big Unit, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.
Which brings me to my final point of comparing the generations. I come from a long line of baseball fans. My Grandfather grew up in New York as a Yankee fan. He even saw the Babe play, as well as other great Yankees such as Lou Gehrig. However, till the day he died he stated the greatest player he ever watched play the game was Joe Dimaggio. My dad grew up a Brooklyn Dodger Fan. He watched Jackie Robinson play. He also saw other players of that generation such as Willie Mays. Yet, my dad always contended that the best player he ever watched play was a pitcher named Sandy Koufax. He said that the six year stretch where Koufax won 4 Cy Youngs was the greatest stretch of play he had ever watched a player have. My dad said that Greg Maddux came close when he won 4 straigh Cy Youngs. And I think that he would have reconsidered had he been able to watch Barry's last three years.
The point is that it is not completely possible to compare the generations. By the way, I hear that Sadaharu Oh was a fairly good player as well...
Well, as usual, Keith only picked up half of my argument. Let me fill in the other part.
I did not say that Bonds absolutely used steroids, but he has used "performance enhancing" drugs, by his own admission. To remind the public, the "bar" recording what a steroid is and is not, is being moved such that there's more permissiveness.
I also did not imply that Bonds practice diminished his feats in any way. Indeed, Bonds used tools available to improve his play and as a result increase his earnings from his salary and endorsements.
Remember, Bonds was not even in the "notable" catagory of endorsements until his home run record chase. Now, his name ecilipses that of Mark McGuire, who was also the focus of an investigation regarding performance-enhancing drug use.
I still don't see what's wrong with that, given the economics that drives it. But that's for the other blog column, ran by Keith.
As for this one, Bonds as carved his place, and as I think about it, he doesn't need a "ring" to claim the throne of "Greatest Hitter Ever."
As I stated in my first response, there are going to be people who I left off my list. That includes soccer players such as Mia Hamm who is the alltime leading scorer in international play. Track star Carl Lewis, who was once the worlds fastest person and won golds in multiple olympics even though the US boycotted the 1980 games. Greg Lemond and Lance Armstrong in cycling. Mark Spits won 7 golds... The list continues.
Athletes who compete in individual sports, such as golf, track and tennis, are measured by victories. The same should hold true in team sports. I do realize that in team sport, victories are harder to earn. Specifically in Football and Baseball where an individual is unable to guide a team to victory by himself. However, Micheal Jordan took average teams and made them champions. Barry Bonds is the reason that Jeff Kent hit 37 homeruns two years ago and only 22 last year. Bonds is the reason that the Giants won 100 games. Using the thought that victories are not necessary to determine greatness would place a player such as Ricky Davis, who averaged over 20 points a game last year, would be a great player. But as the saying goes, somebody has to score on a bad team.
So the answer may lie in how an athlete compares with other athletes of the same generation. Is the difference between Bonds and the number two player in MLB during the same period greater or less than that of Babe Ruth and the second best player of his generation?
Finally, in regards to my list of the greatest athletes of this generation, there are numbers to back it up. Gretsky has twice as many carreer points of any other player to play hockey. Rice has scored 70 more touchdowns than any other player and has nearly twice as many receiving yards. Michael Jordan is the alltime scoring average leader and has more MVPs, First Team NBA, First defensive team awards than any of his contemporaries. And Barry Bonds has over 100 more homers than anyone who played during the years he has played. Over the past three years, the difference between Bonds' slugging percentage and the second place finisher is the same as between number 2 and number 100 in slugging...
However, the difference between Bonds, Rice, Gretsky and Jordan is that Bonds does not have a ring.
I'm sorry, I meant to say,
"Excelling in one person's specific sport makes him/her a great player not a greatER athlete than the next."
Winning may measure a player's greatness but not his/her athletic ability.
That whole "athlete" category is too ESPNish and pretty myopic.
Isn't greatest PLAYER good enough? Excelling in one person's specific sport makes him/her a great player not a great athlete. Too many variables between each sport.
And how could you leave out great soccer players from your list? Pele? Ronaldo? Beckham?
Being a big Barry fan, I would like to argue that he is the greatest baseball player ever. The reason that I feel compelled to limit the argument to the past twenty years not only has to do with my age, but with the change in the game. We don't know how fast Cy Young pitched. Nor Sandy Koufax or any other number of hall of fame pitchers. And as great as Mickey Mantle may have been, I have trouble believing that a drunk could hit in today's league.
We do know that when Babe Ruth played, players had to hold off season jobs. This limited the amount of time they could spend training. I do not know enough about hockey to talk about it, but when looking at the three other athletes I have listed, Bonds, Rice and Jordan, each is known as the hardest worker in their respective sports. Bonds works out nearly everyday during the off season and was named by Esquire the magazine as the hardest worker in all of sports.
When it comes to athletics, to quote Vince Lombardi, "Winning isn't everything, it is the only thing."
So yes, winning is a measure of a players greatness. As is longevity. Bo Jackson could have been the greatest running back of alltime, but he got hurt. Though not his fault, still not enough to make the hall of fame. For that very reason I hesitated and therefore did not include such athletes as Kobe Bryant, Shaq and Tim Duncan. Terrell Davis won superbowls, MVPs and even rushed for over 2000 yards in one season, but since he only played for 7 years, his hall of fame credentials are lacking as are any arguements that he is one of this generations best athletes.
You could argue that any number of players had the greastest season of alltime, Roger Maris, but that too do not make one the greatest athlete of alltime.
Terrell Owens is an athletic specimen. He is built unlike any other wide receiver. However, any argument stating that Owens is even in the same league as Jerry Rice is greatly flawed. Owens drops too many passes. Owens is unable to fight for the ball when it is thrown into coverage (to understand, watch any Randy Moss highlight). And Owens is an inconsistant route runner. Rice excelled at all the above.
Finally, the 'Big Z's' attempt to cross over articles by bringing steroids into the Bonds argument is again flawed. Bonds has denied using steroids. Bonds has not tested positive for steroids. While Bonds' body weight has increased 35 pounds from age 21 to age 38, he is not alone in gaining weight during these years. Michael Jordan weighed 190 pounds at age 21 and 220 at age 38. Kobe Bryant put on 20 pounds in one offseason. Shaq weighs nearly 50 pounds more than he did when he entered the NBA.
In comparison with average America, a person of Bonds size at age 21 should have weighed 183 pounds. And by age 39, this same person would have gained 20 pounds and weigh 203 pounds. Bonds, a person who trains daily, gained 35 pounds during the same period. Hardly a dramatic change. And hardly enough evidence to convict him of steroid use without a positive test.
To find out how you compare to the average American, check:
http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
I think I'm just replying because I'm used to debating Keith. But, I'm not sure winning championships should be considered part of the primary measure of "best athlete."
I do offer that Barry is a "performance enhanced" athlete, considering the drugs he's used. I see nothing wrong here, as it has an economic benefit, but it's important to note.
Now, returning to the matter of "best athlete," I offer Gale Sears, of the Chicago Bears, who never won a "ring" yet is generally considered one of the best running backs in NFL history.
Keith,
I see your point. But I am arguing he is the best player in history based on his stats. History includes the past 100+ years the game has been played. My argument can easily be rebutted, and therefore justifies its written existence. No doubt, Barry is the best baseball player of this generation, but even then, people will find reasons why he is not.
About your best athlete discussion:
It seems your criteria for determing "best athlete" is based on individual and/or team success. But what exactly is your definition of best athlete?
In my opinion, it's impossible to say who is the best athlete because each sport is so different, and therefore each player is built differently. If anything, Bo Jackson might have been the best athlete because he dominated in both sports he played during his short professional tenure. It's hard to determine the athleticism of a professional player because stats and public image mar it. Can't we say a triathlete or some track and field athlete is the best athlete in our generation?
The only problem with your list of top 4 athletes is that they all played professional sports and had an good amount of team success (i.e. championships), except for Barry. If we are talking pure athleticism, then Terrell Owens blows Rice away. Kobe Bryant can be argued to be just a good an athlete as Jordan, and he has the rings to back it up. Etc., etc.
Bottom line, the "best athlete" criteria is too open-ended and pretty much impossible to determine.
I am not a baseball fan, but your article kept me engaged and interested.
It's nice to see Bonds' greatness not celebrated in a final championship title (for example, a world series ring), but in the work that is his career.
And I liked how you showed this athlete to be succesful, and in his prime, later in life.
It would also be interesting to read more about his personal history, such as his relationships with Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds.
When you watch Barry, you are watching history. It is no longer an argument as to whether Barry is the best player in baseball, ARod please sit down. And it is no longer an argument as whether Bonds is the best player of a generation. The question is...
Is Barry the best athlete of this generation?
First, I must state that this discussion must be limited to the past 20 or so years. Why? Well, I never saw Jim Brown run. I never saw Willie Mays play centerfield. I never saw Wilt Chamberlin score 100 points. I did not see one of Bill Russell's 13 championships. Never saw one of Babe's 714 homers, nor Hammerin' Hanks 755. George Miken played for the Lakers when their name actually made sense. Jesse Owens ran in front of Nazi Germany. Jack Nicholas won his last of 18 majors at the 1986 Masters. Bobby Jones' pictures are only offered in Black and White. Billie Jean King beat Riggs in 1973. And Muhammed Ali lost to the toothless Leon Spinks in the 70's.
With that, I offer you the breakdown of the best athletes of this generation.
Football:
Jerry Rice owns every receiveing record including yards, catches and touchdowns. He has won MVPs and Superbowls.
Joe Montana won 4 superbowls and never threw an interception in any of them. Multiple MVP's as well.
Brett Favre won three straight MVPs and a superbowl.
Ronnie Lott redefined the safety position and is the hardest hitter to have played the game.
Emmitt Smith is the alltime leading rusher, won 3 superbowls and is second on the alltime touchdown list.
Basketball:
Michael Jordan won 5 MVPs and 6 Championships.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar won 6 MVPs, multiple championships and still has the most dominant shot in the history of Basketball.
Magic Johnson won multiple MVPs and Championships.
Larry Bird won multiple MVPs and Championships.
Karl Malone won multiple MVPs, will beome the NBA's alltime leading scorer and will win his first championship this year.
Baseball:
Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson have each won multiple Cy Youngs and atleast one championship.
Other Sports:
Pete Sampras won 13 grandslams.
Martina Navratilova won 58 grandslams while playing against the likes of Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Tracy Austin, Billie Jean King and others.
Tiger Woods has won 8 majors.
Cheryl Miller dominated women's hoops and supposedly her little brother Reggie on the home court.
Wayne Gretsky dominated hockey like none other winning 9 MVPs.
While I am sure there are others who I have left off the list.
I cannot argue for Barry being the best player of this generation until he is done playing. Until Barry breaks Hank Aaron's record and possibly wins a championship, on my list of best athletes of our generation, I place Barry fourth.
1. Michael Jordan
2. Wayne Gretsky
3. Jerry Rice
4. Barry Bonds and ready to move up.
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