In Defense of Barry Bonds.

While every time there is a National League home run champion there are disputes on the subject of his worthwhileness and worthiness, the fractious debate as to Mr. Barry Bonds and his claim to home – run king status is completely unreasonable in the sense of Thomas Paine and his fellows; and that there is an actual trial in process examining Mr. Bonds’ methods indicates the indecisiveness of professional baseball oversight about what and how it administers the modern game.  This and despite that Mr. Bonds has vicious detractors who have worked for years to upset his goals of becoming not only a home – run hitter, but a great fielder and slugger, and other things, including a good family person, at the same time.  Probably in the late 1990’s, and privately, one of his career opponents projected that Bonds had a chance to hit more home runs than Babe Ruth or Henry Aaron, and more simply that he would probably surpass the achievements and records of Maris, Musial, Mays, McGuire, Sosa, Griffey, and other, less visible and less capable players.  That he did this, substantively and for the most part without completely disabling himself has some, if not all his opponents and detractors extremely upset and has drawn his entire livelihood into public gossip arenas and into a very tabloid court battle or battles that will drain his fortunes, in many ways meritoriously earned and gained on the baseball sports fields.  In addition, and at this time in the story of American sports, there are reasons why the home – run king needs be from a place like San Francisco instead of from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Oakland, or any other city one can spell.  I leave it to you, the reader of this editorial, to determine these reasons for yourself.

That Mr. Bonds did things to improve his performance is evident, as all home – run hitters do and have done, though that he did things completely in awareness and with intent, and outside the bounds of his professional baseball player status is exactly what should be in dispute; not that he took pills or vitamins, what have you.  Most power – hitter players do things to increase their chances of contacting the ball, no matter what, as it travels from the pitcher’s hand (left or right) over the plate.  Indeed, it is not a secret that Mr. Bonds is a talented person who could, among other successful things, “read” the pitcher in any particular count or at bat, and this added to his chances, along with his physical conditioning methods, of contacting the ball as it was thrown for him (to try) to hit under various conditions and circumstances.  The decisive charges that his physical training and related staff were conniving and corrupt should be re – examined and thrown out:  The real issue is how Mr. Bonds lorded it over other power hitters for years, and what he did for the game of baseball – a.  To increase interest and attendance at baseball events, especially in “away” situations, b.  How he increased the profile of other hitters, and offense in the National League game in general, by creating controversy on the subject of baseball offense and outfield hitting and other things, stealing, base – running, the pitcher’s role in the late innings, and other things that capture the attention of fans at decisive times during a contest; c.  How, by the competitive reputation of Mr. Bonds, other players in contact with him and with whom he was and became acquainted, and same with respect to the media and the press, others benefitted during the time Mr. Bonds pursued his path to baseball greatness.  For these and other reasons, there is clearly no cogent, nor is there any even magical principle that indicates Mr. Bonds should suffer penalties for the good works he did and the message he proposed about the game of (and profession of) baseball – that it takes a measure of luck and extremely hard work, even for people as talented and gifted as he is or was during his career, even in the Pittsburgh days and other doldrums.  People like me knew baseball people like Mr. Bonds in college, and even knew of him in high school, and there is without a doubt in our minds the common - senseness, reasonableness, and charitableness of this person – and there are any number of instances one can cite from his life to date that bring this out.  To systematically and officially insinuate that he is or was a corrupt person indeed reflects upon the ambiguous, nebulous, and backbiting approach to the game of his accusers and others prosecuting, charging, and yelling, gesticulating and shouting and staring him down. 

In professional baseball today, and in all professional sports, there are guidelines that provide a best guess as to what one needs to do to take advantage of one’s strong points (doing what one does well,) and building and maintaining talents, whether they be in defense or offense, or both.  This is part of the holiness, what have you, of the sport of professional baseball in America, and without the professionalism we have today in the sport, American athletes would most completely be likely to play baseball no better than the French, or the Yugoslavians, for that matter; and there are such players – they just do not play that well as they are not as talented as the American boys are.  This is just a fact.  The, again, detractors of Mr. Bonds, in fact, do take the attitude and performance of a “French” baseball player, or the like, and ascribe to Mr. Bonds not the reputation he deserves, but the status of a malicious and scheming, ambitious overachiever who cheated his way through his career.  If you desire these “equalized” ideas and standards and their proponents and professional staff, there are baseball leagues and organisations, and games for you everywhere outside the U.S., probably even in Europe where the game is played professionally, but to the eyes of the practised spectator, very badly.  This is what the judicial proceedings about Mr. Bonds home runs appear to be concerned with – stopping people from actually exercising their rights as professionals and becoming the talents they deserve to be; and this by stripping them of their toolset of refined and successful methods, processes and the like that promise the fulfillment of their talents, possibilities and potentialities. 

Some time ago, I did see a San Francisco Giants baseball game against the New York Mets.  I do not attend public events every day as these are costly and there is a handy adage they are available and “viewable through local television,” for the most part.  I did see Mr. Bonds and his team make complete baseball fools out of the New York team in a single show in which he hit two home runs.  It is a life’s experience to watch him hit, especially at home where he plays for every fan, from people in the baseline boxes to those fans in the third deck and at home even.  I have also seen Mr. Bonds hit on television, and if one knows even a little about baseball, it is thrilling to watch him at the plate, and playing defense as well.  In addition to his hitting skills, he has an arm like Willie Mays and I have seen him throw people out at base like Mr. Mays did.  It is obvious, from anyone’s knowledge of him personally or professionally, that he loves baseball and to believe his approach, again, to this profession was or is corrupt is a sin of commission, and again, indicates the overall salaciousness of “fans” and others who pretend and pretended to follow his career with interest in order to disparage him with the detailed and defamatory gossip that has led to these trials.  I do also think of his parents and this parent / child, and other family relationships  and associations that detractors have worked to render valueless by these public trials as well.  Good day.

THS