Oh, by the way...

Barry Bonds hit home run #756 last night, giving him sole possession of number two on the all-time list comfortably behind Sadaharu Oh who checks in with 868.
"Oh's record doesn't count," you say?
"He played in Japan," you mention?
"The Yomiuri Giants don't play in the National League," you point out.
Whatever, I say. Check out these facts:

1. Led the League (the "League" is プロ野球 or Puro Yakyū or Nippon Professional Baseball) in home runs fifteen times, including thirteen straight seasons.
   
2. Led the League in RBI's for thirteen seasons.
   
3. He was a five-time batting champion and won the Japanese Central League's (NPB is split into the Central and Pacific League's, like the National and American) batting triple crown twice.
   
4. While Oh was there, the Yomiuri Giants won eleven championships.
5. Oh was named the Central League's Most Valuable Player nine times and was an All-Star team eighteen times. [SOURCE] (I have seen various versions of these numbers, like he was an All-Star 20 times, but you get the idea.)
   

That's pretty good. "Yeah, but he played against inferior talent." I hear you. I just don't believe you. At last glance, Ichiro is pretty good. Daisuke Matsuzaka ain't a bad pitcher by any means. Hideki Okajima has an astronomical ERA of 1 this year. Are you trying to tell me that Dennis Springer, Rick Vanden Hurk, and Mike Bacsik make Barry Bonds' number more legitimate? Bonds hit HR's 71 and 72 off Chan Ho Park (admittedly, South Korean) in 2001. And who's to say that Babe Ruth would have hit 714 HR if MLB had been integrated? Is his record diminished because a fairly decent sized contingent of good to great baseball players wasn't allowed to suit up and play on the same field?

If the recent influx of international talent has shown us anything, it is that the United States does not have a demonstrable edge in baseball talent over the rest of the world. Give Oh his due. A good case for Oh is HERE, with links to further statistical analysis as well.

Not only should he be in the Hall of Fame, we should recognize his home run total as well. At the very least it gives the players yet another number to shoot for - and as a baseball fan I love those numbers to shoot for. It's funny how that works. I always thought Roger Maris' 61 in '61 was holy ground - a number that was much more fascinating on a pedestal way up there than as a number anyone should actually approach. Then lo' and behold it was surpassed six times in three years (1998-2001), three times by Sammy Sosa alone.

Put Oh in the Hall, tell Barry he has 112 to go, and give me call when A-Rod gets to 860.