Barry Bonds has the record

[Sir M]

I was looking at the top ten all time, and the one thing that struck me was how the recent players' (Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Griffey etc) big years (in no particular order 73, 70, 66 60 something a couple times, high 50s numerous times) greatly exceeded (except for the one Ruth 60season) the high numbers of the other top twentiers-ers from the pre late 90s era (ie, Aaron, Ruth, Mays, F. Robinson, Foxx, Killebrew, Mantle, even G. Foster, Bench, Jackson, Schmidt, et al etc) whose numbers were more in the 30s-40s per year with the occasional foray into the 50s which was an anomaly. There must be some reason for that, and I am not saying its drugs, as logic would dictate that if performance enhancing drugs help hitters, then they help pitchers. Same with fitness/lifestyle (for example I watched Clemens stuff the Jays last night at whatever age he is at now).

I don't know the reason for this jump, but you might want to look at the ball, the bats etc, because all of a sudden guys like the first 4 I mentioned above have recently way outperformed the latter HOFers. Did they all get to be probably at least 30% better HR hitters than the previously best of all time (ie the previous 70 years). All in the last ten years?

Balls and bats is what I say. Although you could also the speed of the modern fastball as a factor as well.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Well for sure that is one thing the media hasn't put a large microscope on...

While baseball was turning a blind eye to the Juicers some say there is/was a conspiracy in that the bats and balls were juiced and the league sanctioned it in an effort to regain fans following the labour stoppage.

The late era has also seen fences move out more (save some of the newer retro parks) but look at the distances Aaron, Ruth, Gehrig, Mayes et all had to swing for and look at the distances now...

then again we could just blame global warming and processed food too couldn't we

 

[girth]

So what if we put Dude on roids would it help him on the pitch?
Would it affect his hair?

 

[Captain Shamrock]

I was looking at the top ten all time, and the one thing that struck me was how the recent players' (Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Griffey etc) big years (in no particular order 73, 70, 66 60 something a couple times, high 50s numerous times) greatly exceeded (except for the one Ruth 60season) the high numbers of the other top twentiers-ers from the pre late 90s era (ie, Aaron, Ruth, Mays, F. Robinson, Foxx, Killebrew, Mantle, even G. Foster, Bench, Jackson, Schmidt, et al etc) whose numbers were more in the 30s-40s per year with the occasional foray into the 50s which was an anomaly. There must be some reason for that, and I am not saying its drugs, as logic would dictate that if performance enhancing drugs help hitters, then they help pitchers. Same with fitness/lifestyle (for example I watched Clemens stuff the Jays last night at whatever age he is at now).

I don't know the reason for this jump, but you might want to look at the ball, the bats etc, because all of a sudden guys like the first 4 I mentioned above have recently way outperformed the latter HOFers. Did they all get to be probably at least 30% better HR hitters than the previously best of all time (ie the previous 70 years). All in the last ten years?

Balls and bats is what I say. Although you could also the speed of the modern fastball as a factor as well.

Spot on, Sir M..........definitely more than just the juice.......look at golfers too........the equipment obviously gives them an advantage over players in the Nicklaus/Palmer era.......

In football(soccer), the boots and ball design obviously impact the movement of the ball etc.....

As I said, well done to the Prick........756 is a MONSTER number either way you look at it........remember when Sosa and McGuire were doing their thing, the ball had been changed and was certainly 'home-run friendly'.......

 

[BlazeArmy]

Could be as simple as more teams meaning more pitchers meaning watered down pitching staffs for later era teams to hit against

 

[Tim Berners-Lee]

whats all this talk about bonds and roids.....hes clean

 

[girth]

Who really cares if he is/was on roids as they can never prove who else is/was on roids in the past.
They only seem to care about the people breaking the records or the guys with talent.
Guaranteed there are several average players taking roids that will never be accused or tested as they're under the radar.

 

[Regs]

Baseball talk on TTP - Fastshow would be rolling over in his grave.

If he were dead.

 

[termatofylakas]

Bat speed: absolutely. Focus: absolutely. Why? Recovery. That is the true gift of Vitamin S- it enables athletes to recover much faster, and that includes recovery time between pitches. By recovering faster, a player can maintain better focus, and maintain the bat speed to help him hit the ball out of the park, where maybe without the drugs, he would on occasion be too fatigued to stay after it on a given at bat.

Dude I wouldn't say bat speed. If you look at Ichiro and a few others they can hit a ball just not for power like Bonds can. To me Bonds was always able to hit a ball. Now did the roids help him in the latter years?...maybe. Focus?Please these guys are pros. If they can't focus they wouldn't be where they are. Also your telling me if Bonds hits a homerun in the seventh inning off a starting pitcher and we'll say it's the 10 pitch of that at bat and close to 100 pitches on the night if not more your saying steroids help Bonds in that situation and not the fact that a pitchers arm is fatiguing or maybe a bad pitch was thrown?

I'm not denying the fact that Bonds might have taken roids but some of the things people bring up just don't make too much sense. The one year I can say he might of taken something was the year he hit 73. Every other time since then he's been in the 50's and below and since 92 he never hit under 30 until the last 2 years before this and maybe this year. Seems a pretty consistent hitter with one questionable year.