[tdarko]

Muresan,

This thread is a mess and I don't want to get into everyone's goofy arguing but this comment has to be addressed:

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Bonds top 3 of all-time without steroids would be an interesting argument to see from both sides. I'd be interested to see the reasoning behind it

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When Barry's 1999 season was finished his numbers and accomplishments looked like this-

BA .288
HR 445
SB 460

The only player in major league history to have 400 HR's and 400 SB's passing his father and Willie Mays the year before.

3 MVP's
8 Gold Gloves (arguably the greatest Left Fielder to ever play)
8 time all-star
7 Silver Sluggers

What I always think is funny is that so many think that steroids created this power freak and this player that was changing the game but Barry was doing this all along. Most don't realize his numbers before 1999:

Before 99' he led the league in slugging 3 times and was in the top 7 in the league 10 times.

He led the league in On Base% 4 times and was in the top 5 9 times--the other time he finished 7th.

He led the league in OPS 5 times and finished in the top 6 10 times.

He led the league in OPS+ 4 times and finished in the top 5 ten times.

He led the league in BB 5 times and finished in the top 3 ten times.

He led the league in Intentional Walks 7 times and was in the top ten 11 times.

He led the league in runs created 2 times and was in the top 5 9 times.


The list could actually keep going on and on but the point is that he has dominated this game since he started, the only difference is that when he was doing it in the 80's and 90's there wasn't a scandal involved.

Barry is the greatest baseball player to have ever played anyone who thinks differently falls into one of these two categories:

1) Doesn't know enough about baseball and can't properly judge skill/talent

or most likely

2) Is letting hatred toward a person blind what they are actually seeing