Whitey's Take On Bonds

There seems to be a disagreement amongst the baseball analysts on Barry Bonds. I've heard everybody and his brother tell us what they think Barry has done. Clear, cream, 'roids, whatever you have heard, he has never tested positive for any of them. In this country you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. People come down on one side or the other; this is where I come down on Barry Bonds.

When I look at Barry Bonds' full body of work I think he's one of, if not the best, hitters in baseball history. Barry went 13 seasons (1992-2004) hitting at least 33 home runs. During this time he had a batting average below .300 only three times. Only in his rookie year did he strike out over 100 times, averaging less than 70 per year over his entire career. So as baseball statistics go, he's pretty good. With his father, Bobby Bonds, a cousin in one Reggie Jackson, and a godfather in Willy Mays you could say he has good baseball genes.

The thing that raises my eyebrow, as well as other's, is that 2001 season where he hit 73 bombs. He spiked that one year from the high 40's, hit 73, and then back to the high 40's. His stats for that year are gaudy. From 2002 until his injury plagued 2005 season he was intentionally walked 249 times. So that said, it's a legitimate argument to say he was doing something. What? I don't know.

What I do know is that he has the best eye hand coordination that the game has ever seen. Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, by far. There is nothing that can make your eyes better at picking up a 90 mph, two seam fastball traveling less than 60 ft. If there were, somebody would be selling it on an infomercial. That's skill, and Barry is the best at it.

I've heard this line countless times: "That ball was just foul." It's not when Bonds is at-bat. He keeps his hands in and drives the ball. Just ask the pitcher he has the most homers off: Greg Maddux. Maddux has a pitch that cuts back over the plate on the inside corner, under the hands of the left hand hitters. Granted, they have both been around a while, and they've been in the same league all their careers - but still - the hitter that can keep that pitch fair has great hands. Maddux has lived and died with that pitch. I would know, I'm a big fan. So for me to invoke Maddux to defend Bonds will spin a few heads. Most likely the Professor's.