And tetvet, you need to know a little more about drug testing to make any definitive statements about the last 8 years of Bonds’ career. For instance, Balco was successful precisely because they developed a steroid that could not be tested for. In order to test for an anabolic steroid, the testing agency has to get its hands on the drug and analyze it, then devise a test to identify that particular compound. Develop a new steroid and you’re back in business.

Similarly, HGH still can not be reliably tested for. It leaves the system too quickly, though the effects last much longer.

Nice to see that you took a [brief] break from your usual faire to write this “non-article” about Barry Bonds.
I also read Richard Baehr’s article at The American Thinker that you refer to, but found it to be nothing more than a re-hash of Bond’s statistics and what everyone else in the MSM writes about Bonds. Like Baehr, I also grew up in the Bronx as a NY Giants fan. I was seven years old in 1951 when Willie Mays came up, and had the chance to see him play in person many times. I do agree with Baehr on his assessment that Babe Ruth was the greatest hitter in the history of Baseball, and Willie Mays the greatest all-around player. I continued to follow the Giants after they moved to San Francisco, but I am neither pro or anti-Barry Bonds. I consider myself to be just a baseball fan and try to keep an open mind. With that in mind, here are some thoughts about Bonds that you will never see addressed in the MSM:

Firstly, I DO BELIEVE that Barry Bonds “probably” used steroids at some point, either knowingly or unknowingly, but let’s look at some history. Bonds – and others - testified before a Congressional Committee in December, 2003. Testifying before such a committee is no small thing. Following these hearings, Bud Selig – who I consider to be the WORST commissioner in the history of Baseball – was “forced” to begin drug testing, So let’s look at Bonds after the December, 2003 Congressional hearings.

Firstly, I’m certain that Bonds has been tested MANY times since 2003 for performance enhancing drugs, NEVER testing positive.

Secondly, physically, Barry Bonds looks exactly the same today as he did when he testified in 2003.
When Mark McGwire testified, everyone was aghast at the way he looked. I don’t remember anyone saying that he might have been on the “Jenny Craig” diet. Everyone jumped all over him with comments like: “he’s a shell of his former self”, “an empty suit”, “shriveled up like a prune”, etc. But why haven’t we seen the same changes in Bonds’ body????

While Baehr and others are always looking at Bonds’ statistics up until 2004, let’s look at his statistics for the almost four seasons following the Congressional Hearings. Since those hearings, over the past four seasons, Bonds has 1051 official ABs and has hit 99 HRS. That’s 1 HR for every 10.616 ABs. Bonds did this between the ages of 39 and 43.
OF ALL THE PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL, ONLY MARK MCGWIRE has a higher percentage of HRs to ABs: 1 HR per 10.612 AB’s. I think we would all agree there is no doubt that McGwire was a major steroid user and he never played past the age of 37. Bonds also had 469 walks during this period - over 30% of his plate appearances, usually never saw more than one or two decent pitches each game, and had a constant stream of hatred and vitriol directed at him by the press

So how did he accomplish this during the past four years???? Of course MANY people will say: IT’S SIMPLE!
HE’S STILL USING PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS!. HE NEVER STOPPED USING THEM. HE’S FLAUNTING IT IN BASEBALL’S FACE.

I SIMPLY DON’T BUY THIS ARGUMENT. After the Congressional hearings, we had the BALCO scandal, and Victor Conte and Greg Anderson were busted. Are we supposed to believe that Bonds found a new drug supplier without skipping a beat and has continued to use up until today If so – considering the intense media scrutiny that he has been subjected to – where is the evidence that he has continued to use since 2003???? Don’t you honestly think that some shred of evidence of continued use would have surfaced during the past four years, or has Bonds “magically” continued his drug use undetected and unimpeded?????

The point that I’m making here is that while Bonds may have used – or DID use prior to those hearings, (I still do not accept the premise that steroid use can substantially improve someone’s batting average), we MAY have just been witnessing an incredible baseball player. And the fact that he may be “a cheat, a scoundrel, a woman abuser, and a tax dodge is irrelevant. He’s also one hell of a player…..

You’re right, of course.

And Aaron’s homer total in 1973 was due to the tiny dimensions of Atlanta’s old Fulton County stadium - best ballpark in the majors ever to hit homers except now Coors Field has replaced it.