There You Have It America; Bonds Didn't Knowingly Use Steroids, Now Stop Judging

You know what Barry Bonds was convicted on yesterday? For being tricky.

Good Job America way to waste everyone's time and money and let a bunch of sports columnist convict the man on hearsay.

Bond's was convicted of Obstruction of Justice, but on the other 3 counts of steroid use he was found completely innocent. Know what came out of this trial? nothing that everyone didn't know. His trainer lied to him about what he was using and he didn't know what the cream was.... good job court.

Everyone can say what they want about Barry Bonds but you can't say that he knowingly cheated the game of baseball. It's an outrage that the public is still going to convict him, that he still won't be allowed into the Hall of Fame, and that baseball as a sport are going to put up a wall during the "Steroid Era" up and not let these great players in. A damn shame.

In case you don't know Barry Bond's credentials here they are:
1. Holds record for most MVP awards (7) and consecutive MVP awards (4) (1990, 1992-93, 2001-04)
2. Holds records for most home runs in a season (73)
3. Holds records for most walks in a career (2,512)
4. Holds record for consecutive seasons with 30 homeruns (13).
5. Only player in 400 home run and 400 stolen base club
6. Only player in 500 home run and 500 stolen base club
7. 14 time all star (1990, 1992-98, 2000-04, 2007)
8. One of four players in 40-40 club (40 home runs and 40 stolen bases)
9. Holds record for most consecutive seasons with .600 slugging percentage or higher (8)
10. 5-time SF Giants Player of the Year (1998, 2001-04)
11. 14-Time All-Star (1990, 1992-98, 2000-04, 2007)
12. 7-Time Baseball America NL All-Star OF (1993, 1998, 2000-04)
13. 3-Time Major League Player of the Year (1990, 2001, 2004)
14. 3-Time Baseball America MLB Player of the Year (2001, 2003-04)
15. 8-Time Gold Glove winner for NL Outfielder (1990-94, 1996-98)
16. 12-Time Silver Slugger winner for NL Outfielder (1990-94, 1996-97, 2000-04)
17. Led the Major Leagues in home runs (1993, 2001)
18. Led the NL in batting average (2002, 2004)
19. Led the NL in on base percentage (1991-93, 1995, 2001-04, 2006)
20. Led the Major Leagues in slugging percentage (1990, 1992-93, 2001-04)
21. Led the Major Leagues in extra base hits (1992-93, 2001)
22. Led the Major Leagues in on base percentage (1992, 2001-04)
23. Led the NL in runs (1992)
24. Led the NL in RBIs (1993)
25. Led the NL in walks (1992, 1994-97, 2000-04, 2006)
26. Led the NL in intentional walks (1992-98, 2002-04, 2006)
27. Led the NL in runs created (1992-93, 2001-02, 2004)
28. Led the Major Leagues in total bases (1993, with 365)
29. Led the Major Leagues in runs created (1993, 2001-02, 2004)
30. Led the NL in games (1995)
31. Led the NL in extra base hits (1992-93, 2001)
32. Led the NL in at bats per home run (1992-93, 1996, 2000-04)
33. 3-Time NL Hank Aaron Award winner (2001-02, 2004)
34. Led the Major Leagues in batting average (2002, with .370)

Pretty fucking impressive. He's a legend to the game and the fact that John Q. Public and Baseball Writers can dismiss this trial and say petty arguments like "his head grew" or "look it him from his rookie year to the year he broke the record" are just uninformed people.

So to all the Bonds haters out there...... Suck a dick

Chipper Jones To Retire

Reports are coming out that Chipper Jones will announce later today that he will retire at the conclusion of this season. Chipper is now 38 years old, and only has 3 HRs on the season. He has been an incredible player for the Braves and will be missed, but I think he is doing the right thing here.

The question now is whether or not Chipper Jones is a Hall of Famer. I am kind of on the fence in this one. So, I turn the question to you guys...

Is Chipper Jones a Hall of Famer?

La Russa's Real Motives For McGwire As DH

I found this very interesting...

"Yesterday we talked about how Mark McGwire will begin the next stage of his baseball life as hitting coach of the Cardinals, but Tony La Russa might have more in mind.

La Russa told the Contra Costa Times that he might even consider using McGwire as a pinch-hitter. To wit: "If we're in contention, we'll put him on the roster Aug. 31. It's a nice little dream," said La Russa. "Is it likely? Probably not. I don't think it's a zero possibility."

Now, however, people are questioning motives. The conspiracy theorists -- we use such phrases as the highest of compliments -- at the New York Daily News speculate that La Russa is actually buying time for McGwire to get into the Hall of Fame. By pushing back the initial vote on Big Red another five years, more time will pass and we'll get all weepy and come to terms with our own conflicted love affair with the steroid era ... or something along those lines (ESPN)."

I hate it, but I have to admit it is a smart move. If they can delay the vote for the Hall of Fame McGwire has a much better shot at getting in. All the numbers are there, but it is obviously the whole steroids thing that is holding him back. I don't think he should get it, but I am also very against steroid use. Still, you got to admit that this is an ingenious plan.....if it's true.

And You Didn't Vote for Roberto Alomar Because...?

I guess I didn't think much of it. I figured Alomar was a lock to be inducted into the Hall this year. 26.3% of Hall of Fame voters disagree.

You need 75% of votes to get into the Hall. Andrew Dawson got 77.9%. Alomar got 73.7%.

Why?

Dawson had 50 more hits than Alomar. 2,774 to 2,724. And that was in 4 more seasons. Dawson had a career .279 average, Alomar a .300 career mark. Dawson's OBP, the hot new stat for Hall of Famers, was .323. Alomar's was .371. Dawson was the better slugger, with 438 HRs, but his slugging percentage was only .039 higher than Alomar's. And weren't homeruns recently devalued?



Roberto Alomar has a higher OPS, by .006 points.

Oh, and Alomar was a second baseman. They're typically not supposed to be great hitters. Recent All-Stars like Utley and Pedroia have perhaps made us forget that.

Dawson hit .186 in minimal playoff experience. Alomar hit .313 with a .381 OBP in 58 postseason games. He scored 32 times and had 33 RBI. He has 2 World Series rings. He hit .480 with 6 RBI in the 1993 World Series.

Maybe Andrew Dawson's defense gave him the edge. He won 8 Gold Gloves. Alomar won 10.



There was a time when people asked if Roberto Alomar was the best 2nd baseman ever. And there are still very few people ahead of him on that list. He dominated the 90's and dominated his position.

In an era dominated by inflated biceps and homerun totals, Alomar actually played baseball. He worked counts, he hit for average, and hit doubles when pitchers made mistakes. He played defense, he stole bases. He was the Ultimate #2 hitter for those mighty Indians offenses of the mid 90's.

He scored 1,508 runs, had 2,724 hits, 504 doubles, 80 triples, 210 HRs, 1,134 RBI, 474 SBs, a .300 career average. 371 career OBP, .814 OPS, and 4,018 total bases. And he did all this as a 2nd baseman.

I know the Hall is so worried about inducting guys on their first ballot, and that's supposed to mean something. But I have two things to say to that.

#1: Alomar is a first-ballot HOFer
#2: A Hall of Famer is a Hall of Famer is a Hall of Famer, it doesn't matter which ballot they're on

-The Commodore

Why Fred McGriff Is A Hall Of Famer

I know this is coming out of nowhere but let's take a second to bask in the greatness of Fred McGriff and why he should be a Hall Of Famer. He has 493 homeruns, 7 short of the end all, be all 500, but that shouldn't effect or affect (I refuse to learn the difference) his candidacy for being a HOF. McGriff's best years came before the long ball was a normal event, and when 35 home runs were the equivalent to 50. From 1988-92, McGriff had four seasons with an adjusted OPS-plus of 153 or better, more than anyone else in either league. Both of his two home run titles came in that span 89-92. He finished in the top four in his league in home runs, OPS and home run ratio in all five of those years. You know how many other players can say that? None. McGriff ripped off seven straight 30-homer seasons from 1988-94, that may not seem like much of a streak now a days, but considering there have been 11 streaks that long since then. At the time, the only players in history who had hit 30-plus at least seven years in a row were Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Eddie Mathews, Mike Schmidt, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron and Ralph Kiner and they are all in Cooperstown. So does all of this mean he's a lock into the Hall Of Fame, absolutely not. But give credit, where credit is due, because if Jim Rice is in, the Crime Dog should be in too.

Plus he has an awesome swing.

Rickey Henderson's Hall of Fame Speech

Way better then Rice's...

Jim Rice Hall of Fame Speech

Still don't see him as a Hall of Famer, but it is his day in the sun, so here is his speech...