This is why the SF Giants suck....

[MattR]

Well, this isn't the only reason, there are hundreds more, but this is clearly the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. The Giants and Barry Bonds are a disgrace to baseball and I hope they eat shit next season.

Yes, that's Barry dressed in Drag. DIE GIANTS

[skimonkey30]

/yourself

death to the rally monkey

[JonnydaJibba]

BB is such a lamer.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

BB is such a flamer.

That's more like it considering those pictures.

[JonnydaJibba]

Originally Posted by sperry

That's more like it considering those pictures.

Hahaha.

[MPREZIV]

that is one, huge, ugly bitch!




Go white SOX!!!

[Kevin M]

Matt, you're just pissed because some guy wearing a dress is a better hitter than every player in the history of your team.

[JonnydaJibba]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Matt, you're just pissed because some guy wearing a dress is a better hitter than every player in the history of your team.

I'd be better then everyone if did steroids too. Well that is, if I was any good at baseball in the first place.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

I'd be better then everyone if did steroids too. Well that is, if I was any good at baseball in the first place.

Hate to break the news to ya, but steroids doesn't help your hand/eye coordination.

Barry Bonds isn't a great hitter because of the (alleged) steroids. That guy is plain and simply the best hitter in the history of the game. At his peak, you simply could not throw a pitch to him within 2 inches of the strike zone w/o a 90% chance of it floating in the ocean. Unlike McGwire who got a lot of homeruns because he simply swings the bat so hard (aka pop-up homers), Barry has a history of knocking the bejesus out of the center of the ball... that's all about coordination and vision.

Argue all you want about whether or not he juiced, but realize that his hitting prowess is wholely a result of his ability to see the ball, and put the bat on it, two skills that steroids would more than likely hurt than help.

[JonnydaJibba]

I'm not arguing he did use steroids so I don't care how good he is, he still cheated, therefore he is a gay, end of story. He WAS cool when he was good without the aid of drugs. Same deal with Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

I'm not arguing he did use steroids so I don't care how good he is, he still cheated, therefore he is a gay, end of story. He WAS cool when he was good without the aid of drugs. Same deal with Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

Actually, McGwire *didn't* break the rules... he was using some crazy horse tranquilizer or some shit because it had similar effects w/o being on the banned list. So he wasn't "technically" cheating. As far as Sammy and Barry... the jury's still out.

To be honest, I don't think that the guys that were that much in the spot light would risk using steriods. They're not stupid people... so they would have attempted to keep some level of plausible deniability. My guess is that they were probably using the same shit McGwire was on. So they too weren't "technically" using, and therefore they weren't cheating either. Perhaps they're violating the spirit of the rules, and that *does* tarnish their achivements, but IMO it no way invalidates what those guys accomplished...

All three changed the way baseball was played by being such great hitters, even in an era of unbelieveable pitching ability. Ruth, Aaron, Mays, etc... they didn't play against bullpens, they only had to face one or two pitchers. And with the exception of Ruth, those guys were rarely walked. Meanwhile, Barry's such a threat, he's been walked with the based loaded because conceeding one run is better than 4.

So, to all the people that get their panties in a bunch over the use of steroids... I think you need to realize that those drugs will make a mediocre hitter into a decent hitter, but they will never make a good hitter into a great hitter. To be "great" you've got to have a different skill set... it's not about raw power, it's about hand/eye coordination, and the ability to get inside the mind of the pitcher you're facing. A top fuel dragster makes a shitty rally car... all you need is 300hp, as long as you have great suspension and a good co-driver.

[JonnydaJibba]

Originally Posted by sperry

Actually, McGwire *didn't* break the rules... he was using some crazy horse tranquilizer or some shit because it had similar effects w/o being on the banned list. So he wasn't "technically" cheating. As far as Sammy and Barry... the jury's still out.

To be honest, I don't think that the guys that were that much in the spot light would risk using steriods. They're not stupid people... so they would have attempted to keep some level of plausible deniability. My guess is that they were probably using the same shit McGwire was on. So they too weren't "technically" using, and therefore they weren't cheating either. Perhaps they're violating the spirit of the rules, and that *does* tarnish their achivements, but IMO it no way invalidates what those guys accomplished...

All three changed the way baseball was played by being such great hitters, even in an era of unbelieveable pitching ability. Ruth, Aaron, Mays, etc... they didn't play against bullpens, they only had to face one or two pitchers. And with the exception of Ruth, those guys were rarely walked. Meanwhile, Barry's such a threat, he's been walked with the based loaded because conceeding one run is better than 4.

So, to all the people that get their panties in a bunch over the use of steroids... I think you need to realize that those drugs will make a mediocre hitter into a decent hitter, but they will never make a good hitter into a great hitter. To be "great" you've got to have a different skill set... it's not about raw power, it's about hand/eye coordination, and the ability to get inside the mind of the pitcher you're facing. A top fuel dragster makes a shitty rally car... all you need is 300hp, as long as you have great suspension and a good co-driver.

Yeah, that makes sense. He was just such an amazing player that it is sad to hear him say that he "didn't know he was taking steroids." In my eyes, it just brings him down with the rest of the people trying to exploit a game they love. True McGwire wasn't technically cheating, but he disrespected the game by even trying to artificially better himself. Same with Sammy, even if he didn't ever admit to doing steroids, he was still using a corked bat. I don't get athletes sometimes, they get paid to play a game they love (I'm sure they don't ALL love it), and it's never good enough. But that is a different issue entirely.

[sperry]

I forgot about Sammy's corked bat! What a fiasco...

I really hope that was just for putting on a show in batting practice like he said, because he had to know that a corked bat wouldn't last in a game considering how hard he swung it... plus, it's not like he ever needed help power-wise... all he had to do was make solid contact and the ball was out of the park.

[MPREZIV]

I used to play ball in HS, and played with a guy that was a complete jack-ass. He had some serious power, and no talent what-so-ever, at the plate. Great in the field, but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn! I had a decent swing, but due to my size, not nearly the power of that dude, and thus was looked at as less of a batter. I can understand the desire for more power, but it's not worth "cheating", no matter how you decide to "cheat". The fact that when he did make contact with the ball it went far made him a cocky bastard, but it was so few and far between!

[sperry]

Originally Posted by MPREZIV

I used to play ball in HS, and played with a guy that was a complete jack-ass. He had some serious power, and no talent what-so-ever, at the plate. Great in the field, but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn! I had a decent swing, but due to my size, not nearly the power of that dude, and thus was looked at as less of a batter. I can understand the desire for more power, but it's not worth "cheating", no matter how you decide to "cheat". The fact that when he did make contact with the ball it went far made him a cocky bastard, but it was so few and far between!

I was the same way. I played for 11 years from age 7 to 18, and I think my career totals included only like 5 doubles, 1 tripple, and 0 homeruns. But I was always batting 1st, 2nd, or 5th (assuming I wasn't slumping). IMO, being a contact hitter is way more useful than being a power hitter, at least for the team. I never once screwed up a sac bunt, including 5 or 6 squeeze plays, I've gone 5 for 5 with 5 rbi's in a game that we scored only 7 runs in to win (and I was one of the other 2 runs), I've got no speed and yet I've stolen plenty of bases (just gotta figure out when the pitcher is throwing to the plate), I've even stolen home (I was on 3rd, and the guy at the plate screwed up the squeeze bunt, but it didn't matter since I just about beat the pitch to the plate.

My point is that to be an offensive benefit to the team, massive strength is really near the bottom of the list of useful attributes. We has a kid on my 16-18yr old team that we had to buy heavier bats for because he was so strong. He struck out or popped up nearly every at bat, except for the one time where he made solid contact and hit the ball 500 feet. Very strong kit, but not the best asset to the team.