Bonds Breaking Home Run Record

[Swiss]

You forgot:

Well, Astérix could take some doping because he wasn't any sportsman...

Bud Seligs reaction to the HR was quite funny, because you can tell he was not happy, and was trying to avoid looking pissed, but it didn't come off.

Ha ha ha ha!!! And I can't stand the haircut of Selig.

The man who gave up 755*, Clay Hensley, was suspended for 15 games for using performance-enhancing substances as a minor leaguer two years ago.

Call it as a right karma.

[tp49]

So then Jason Grimsley will be pitching for Washington tomorrow night, right?

In an unreleted note Clay Hensley was sent down to AAA Portland today.

[TFoA]

Punishment for giving up the tying-HR?

[rams80]

The man who gave up 755*, Clay Hensley, was suspended for 15 games for using performance-enhancing substances as a minor leaguer two years ago.

But I thought Barry Bonds was the only person to use steroids? I'm confused.

ESPN has a tendency to do that.

[The_Admiral]

ESPN has embraced Barry Bonds, though.

[ovechkin08]

I garontee that he is going to break it within the next three days

[NJTank]

I think it will be interesting if he has to wait til Friday and breaks it against the Pirates.

[ovechkin08]

I think it will be interesting if he has to wait til Friday and breaks it against the Pirates.

lol, why's that you say?

[MVP]

I found this:

Beyond his alleged steroid use, Barry Bonds is guilty of the use of something that confers extraordinarily unfair mechanical advantage: the “armor” that he wears on his right elbow. Amid the press frenzy over Bonds’ unnatural bulk, the true role of the object on his right arm has simply gone unnoticed.

This is unfortunate, because by my estimate, Bonds’ front arm “armor” may have contributed no fewer than 75 to 100 home runs to his already steroid-questionable total.

Bonds tied Henry Aaron’s home run record of 755 on Saturday night and will go for the new standard this week back at home in San Francisco.

As a student of baseball – and currently a mechanics consultant to a major league baseball team -- I believe I have insight into the Bonds "achievement." I have studied his swing countless times on video and examined the mechanical gear closely through photographs.

For years, sportswriters remarked that his massive "protective" gear – unequaled in all of baseball -- permits Bonds to lean over the plate without fear of being hit by a pitch. Thus situated, Bonds can handle the outside pitch (where most pitchers live) unusually well. This is unfair advantage enough, but no longer controversial. However, it is only one of at least seven (largely unexplored) advantages conferred by the apparatus.

The other six:

1) The apparatus is hinged at the elbow. It is a literal "hitting machine" that allows Bonds to release his front arm on the same plane during every swing. It largely accounts for the seemingly magical consistency of every Bonds stroke.

2) The apparatus locks at the elbow when the lead arm is fully elongated because of a small flap at the top of the bottom section that fits into a groove in the bottom of the top section. The locked arm forms a rigid front arm fulcrum that allows extraordinary, maximally efficient explosion of the levers of Bonds' wrists. Bonds hands are quicker than those of average hitters because of his mechanical "assistant."

3) When Bonds swings, the weight of the apparatus helps to seal his inner upper arm to his torso at impact. Thus "connected," he automatically hits the ball with the weight of his entire body - not just his arms - as average hitters ("extending") tend to do.

4) Bonds has performed less well in Home Run Derbies than one might expect because he has no excuse to wear a "protector" facing a batting practice pitcher. As he tires, his front arm elbow tends to lift and he swings under the ball, producing towering pop flies or topspin liners that stay in the park. When the apparatus is worn, its weight keeps his elbow down and he drives the ball with backspin.

5) Bonds enjoys quicker access to the inside pitch than average hitters because his "assistant" - counter-intuitively - allows him to turn more rapidly. Everyone understands that skaters accelerate their spins by pulling their arms into their torsos, closer to their axes of rotation. When Bonds is confronted with an inside pitch, he spins like a skater because his upper front arm is "assistant"-sealed tightly against the side of his chest.

6) At impact, Bonds has additional mass (the weight of his "assistant") not available to the average hitter. The combined weight of "assistant" and bat is probably equal to the weight of the lumber wielded by Babe Ruth but with more manageable weight distribution.

At the moment, Bonds' apparatus enjoys "grandfathered" status. Similar devices are presently denied to average major leaguers, who must present evidence of injury before receiving an exemption.

Bonds has worn some sort of front arm protection since 1992. In '94, a one-piece forearm guard was replaced by a jointed, two piece elbow model. In ‘95 it got bigger and a small "cap" on the elbow was replaced by a "flap" that overlapped the upper piece and locked the two pieces together when the arm was elongated. In '96, the "apparatus" grew even larger and so did the "flap."

It seems to have remained relatively the same until -- interestingly— 2001, the year of his record 73 home runs, when an advanced model appeared made (apparently) of a new material. It had softer edges and a groove for the flap to slip into automatically at full arm elongation. More important, the upper half of the machine was sculpted to conform more comfortably to the contours of Bonds' upper arm. Since 2001, the apparatus seems to have remained relatively unchanged.

Several years back, baseball was rightfully scandalized by the revelation that Sammy Sosa had "corked" his bat. The advantages conferred by the Bonds "hitting machine," however, far exceed anything supplied by cork. Ultimately, it appears the Bonds "achievement” must be regarded as partly the product of “double duplicity" -- steroidal and mechanical.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/ne...t_id=1003621797

Interesting...

I admit, I never paid much attention to that gigantic thing he wore on his elbow...

[HedleyLamarr]

I've been pointing this out for years, that this protective batting gear has helped out in the boost in overall HR's, mainly for the point that batters aren't fearing the inside pitch hitting them. You never saw Aaron or Babe or the older players wear this gear.

Unlimited protective armor, weaker overall pitching, smaller ballparks, and tighter-wound balls have been the causes of the boost in HR's....not steroids.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

And so what anyway? Aaron used a heavier bat than Ruth did, and benefited from more teams with crappier pitching. Does Aaron's record not count?

Barry Bonds played the game according to the rules at the time he played.

[averyj]

They cheered him, I was shocked.

Not the way they reacted in Pittsburgh...

Nor Los Angeles, I was at Dodger Stadium two nights ago - But then again, what would you expect...

[HedleyLamarr]

And so what anyway? Aaron used a heavier bat than Ruth did, and benefited from more teams with crappier pitching. Does Aaron's record not count?

Barry Bonds played the game according to the rules at the time he played.

...which is why I've been on his side. Not necessarily cheering for him to pass a former Brave's record, but not shunning him like the media has.

[Jigga]

The media (and most of y'all): Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!

[STL FANATIC]

And so what anyway? Aaron used a heavier bat than Ruth did, and benefited from more teams with crappier pitching. Does Aaron's record not count?

Barry Bonds played the game according to the rules at the time he played.

Not that I'm gonna get too upset at Bonds for doing something that he was obviously allowed to do.

But I do believe there is a rule against those things unless you have a doctor designating a condition for needing it. But I'm sure any player that wants it can come up with a doctor willing to give a reason. Bonds probably has one.

[paynomind]

I'll be clear:

I dont like the guy as he has been portrayed to me through several media outlets. What I hear from them are clip of Bonds being arrogant, filliant, rude, and surley. I hitch my wagon train to brighter stars that he, Mr Bonds.

You can perceive him as a hero of sport. I shall view him as a blasheme against the core traditionalists who have founf for wool unis, coaches playing, and hand-numbered scoreboards.

The simple fact is, If we all get to use steriods, then lets all do it, then see who comes out on top. But then lets have ab\nother group with non. Zero. I'd be willing to but a pretty penny ion the drug-less team wining more games, pitching mor effecively, with more stolen bases. The Steroid Pros will hit more homruns, more deep foul bleaches, more left fielded on a line. Will break more bats, while chacking up to hit a needed single. WIll hit twice as many wives and girlfriend, dealing with the roid rage at home.

At the end of the experient... the drugged team could exceed, were they under lock and key, and advanced testuing and training. But if you want you sport to exist, smilisrly to how it has for huindreds of years, defending the hall from ragey monsters, metalic bats, rubber balls... all those sorts of things.

To sum up: Bond wins the Assisted-delivery Home Run Contest. Hank Aaron will own the UnAssisted Home Run Championship

OK, we need tshirts!!

[slapshot]

Someone's been hitting the bottle pretty hard tonight.

[FiddySicks]

I found this:

Beyond his alleged steroid use, Barry Bonds is guilty of the use of something that confers extraordinarily unfair mechanical advantage: the ?armor? that he wears on his right elbow. Amid the press frenzy over Bonds? unnatural bulk, the true role of the object on his right arm has simply gone unnoticed.

This is unfortunate, because by my estimate, Bonds? front arm ?armor? may have contributed no fewer than 75 to 100 home runs to his already steroid-questionable total.

Bonds tied Henry Aaron?s home run record of 755 on Saturday night and will go for the new standard this week back at home in San Francisco.

As a student of baseball ? and currently a mechanics consultant to a major league baseball team -- I believe I have insight into the Bonds "achievement." I have studied his swing countless times on video and examined the mechanical gear closely through photographs.

For years, sportswriters remarked that his massive "protective" gear ? unequaled in all of baseball -- permits Bonds to lean over the plate without fear of being hit by a pitch. Thus situated, Bonds can handle the outside pitch (where most pitchers live) unusually well. This is unfair advantage enough, but no longer controversial. However, it is only one of at least seven (largely unexplored) advantages conferred by the apparatus.

The other six:

1) The apparatus is hinged at the elbow. It is a literal "hitting machine" that allows Bonds to release his front arm on the same plane during every swing. It largely accounts for the seemingly magical consistency of every Bonds stroke.

2) The apparatus locks at the elbow when the lead arm is fully elongated because of a small flap at the top of the bottom section that fits into a groove in the bottom of the top section. The locked arm forms a rigid front arm fulcrum that allows extraordinary, maximally efficient explosion of the levers of Bonds' wrists. Bonds hands are quicker than those of average hitters because of his mechanical "assistant."

3) When Bonds swings, the weight of the apparatus helps to seal his inner upper arm to his torso at impact. Thus "connected," he automatically hits the ball with the weight of his entire body - not just his arms - as average hitters ("extending") tend to do.

4) Bonds has performed less well in Home Run Derbies than one might expect because he has no excuse to wear a "protector" facing a batting practice pitcher. As he tires, his front arm elbow tends to lift and he swings under the ball, producing towering pop flies or topspin liners that stay in the park. When the apparatus is worn, its weight keeps his elbow down and he drives the ball with backspin.

5) Bonds enjoys quicker access to the inside pitch than average hitters because his "assistant" - counter-intuitively - allows him to turn more rapidly. Everyone understands that skaters accelerate their spins by pulling their arms into their torsos, closer to their axes of rotation. When Bonds is confronted with an inside pitch, he spins like a skater because his upper front arm is "assistant"-sealed tightly against the side of his chest.

6) At impact, Bonds has additional mass (the weight of his "assistant") not available to the average hitter. The combined weight of "assistant" and bat is probably equal to the weight of the lumber wielded by Babe Ruth but with more manageable weight distribution.

At the moment, Bonds' apparatus enjoys "grandfathered" status. Similar devices are presently denied to average major leaguers, who must present evidence of injury before receiving an exemption.

Bonds has worn some sort of front arm protection since 1992. In '94, a one-piece forearm guard was replaced by a jointed, two piece elbow model. In ?95 it got bigger and a small "cap" on the elbow was replaced by a "flap" that overlapped the upper piece and locked the two pieces together when the arm was elongated. In '96, the "apparatus" grew even larger and so did the "flap."

It seems to have remained relatively the same until -- interestingly? 2001, the year of his record 73 home runs, when an advanced model appeared made (apparently) of a new material. It had softer edges and a groove for the flap to slip into automatically at full arm elongation. More important, the upper half of the machine was sculpted to conform more comfortably to the contours of Bonds' upper arm. Since 2001, the apparatus seems to have remained relatively unchanged.

Several years back, baseball was rightfully scandalized by the revelation that Sammy Sosa had "corked" his bat. The advantages conferred by the Bonds "hitting machine," however, far exceed anything supplied by cork. Ultimately, it appears the Bonds "achievement? must be regarded as partly the product of ?double duplicity" -- steroidal and mechanical.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/ne...t_id=1003621797

Interesting...

I admit, I never paid much attention to that gigantic thing he wore on his elbow...

Wow..... I really didn't even know it was possible to reach THAT far out of the realm of reality, even backed by anger/jealousy/whatever the reason people hate the guy.

[See Red]

That elbow pad article is among the most ridiculous things I've ever read.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

i want bonds to hit this thing so all the haters can look at the record book and see Barry Bonds - all time home run leader. if barry hits his home run, will peoples lives change? Will people wake up and see the Golden Gate bridge become the Azure Bridge? Barry breaks a record, life goes on. honestly, aside from character issues, what reason does barry have for not owning this record? Babe Ruth was a womanizer and a drunk but does that mean he shouldn't have been the HR leader for all thos years?