Should we celebrate A-Rod's 600th homerun?

[Heels20X6]

What do you guys think?

[Lockport Bills]

I'm a Yankees fan but even i know that it is tainted. Everything in baseball could be considered "tainted" simply because the game is always changing. How many home runs would Babe Ruth hit in this era? How many would A-Rod hit in Ruth's time? Same with Aaron, Bonds, Mays, and so on. I just think of steroid use as part of the game during that time. Just my opinion.

[KD in CA]

What, you mean like having a party with cake and ice cream?

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

If you invalidate one steroid user's accomplishments, you have to throw out the accomplishments of the whole "era."

[HopsGuy]

The New York Daily News, that bastion of journalistic integrity weighed in thusly.

[The Poojer]

I am celebrating it...of course I am a Yankee fan.

 

But along the lines of the steroid issue....I have said since day 1...we, as baseball fans asked for it and got it....we demanded the long ball and we had a 'love affair' with the whole mark mcuire sammy sosa display a few years ago....we knew what was going on(at least most of us suspected), but it didn't matter...homeruns put fans in the seats and subsequently money in the coffers......now all of a sudden we are demonizing these players for trying to keep up with the demands of fans and baseball powers. I wish we would focus as much effort on putting cocaine, crack, heroin dealers in jail as we do A-Rod, Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong....

[The Poojer]

plus I would love to find out what 'substances' players from different eras were on...in this day and age of news coverage its easier to uncover the 'wrong doings' of players...i heard bob costas allude to players in an earlier era relying on 'greenies'....i am sure as long as there has been baseball, there has been a substance that gave players an edge.....

[mead107]

Holding off till he hits #1,000.

[The Dean]

If you invalidate one steroid user's accomplishments, you have to throw out the accomplishments of the whole "era."

 

 

And what about the era of massive amphetamine use?

 

Honestly I believe baseball has always been tainted by players using whatever they can to get an edge (as are athletes in most other sports). Baseball is paying more attention to it now, so it is now when the players are getting tagged with suspensions, fines, publicity for use, etc.

[Booster4324]

And what about the era of massive amphetamine use?

 

Honestly I believe baseball has always been tainted by players using whatever they can to get an edge (as are athletes in most other sports). Baseball is paying more attention to it now, so it is now when the players are getting tagged with suspensions, fines, publicity for use, etc.

 

The drunk era should have their statistics adjusted upwards?

[The Dean]

The drunk era should have their statistics adjusted upwards?

 

 

Indeed. Doc Ellis supposedly pitched a no hitter while on Acid. That should be considered the greatest performance of all time!

[Magox]

Its a matter of relativity....It's a phenomenal accomplishment.

[Booster4324]

Indeed. Doc Ellis supposedly pitched a no hitter while on Acid. That should be considered the greatest performance of all time!

 

[Philly McButterpants]

There should be a choice for "I don't give a rat's a$$ about baseball."

[BillsneedaSuperbowl]

f a rod and the yankees.

[inkman]

Who celebrates players individual accomplishments?

[Heels20X6]

Who celebrates players individual accomplishments?

 

Their agents when it comes time to negotiate contracts.....

[HopsGuy]

I am celebrating it...of course I am a Yankee fan.

 

Why? That was only his 255th HR as a Yankee. We're obsessed with base 10 numbers because we have 10 fingers. Really, you should be pumped for his 256th HR because that's 100000000 in binary. Do you think he's nervous about that milestone? Oh wait, Lance Berkman just injured him.

 

 

/I got all kinds of Hatorade for A-Rod just because of this photo

 

//

was a better man (substitute "steroids" for "cocaine")

[/dev/null]

Why? That was only his 255th HR as a Yankee. We're obsessed with base 10 numbers because we have 10 fingers. Really, you should be pumped for his 256th HR because that's 100000000 in binary.

 

So if A-Rod has 600 career HRs and 255 came with the Yankees, the other 345 must have been with some other team.

Bitwise, 345 = 101011001

 

ARod has hit 100000000 AND 101011001

 

Bitwise AND returns 100000000, which in decimal is 255.

 

Therefore all of his HRs have come with the Yankees

 

[BLZFAN4LIFE]

Steroids schmeroids. You still have to dig in, face a 95+ mph fastball and put the bat on it. It's not like hgh is a magic potion. This whole issue is way overblown. If someone wants to knowingly risk minor health issues to enhance their career, then let them. Do we ban cigarettes? Do we tell the iron worker that he shouldn't be walking a 4" beam 200 feet in the air? Do we tell the firefighter not to rush into a burning building? The media has made a mountain out of a molehill on this issue.

[justnzane]

Steroids schmeroids. You still have to dig in, face a 95+ mph fastball and put the bat on it. It's not like hgh is a magic potion. This whole issue is way overblown. If someone wants to knowingly risk minor health issues to enhance their career, then let them. Do we ban cigarettes? Do we tell the iron worker that he shouldn't be walking a 4" beam 200 feet in the air? Do we tell the firefighter not to rush into a burning building? The media has made a mountain out of a molehill on this issue.

 

 

while i agree with you that he still has to hit the ball, it is unfair to compare him to a henry aaron for a few reasons:

1. Being on steroids increases bat speed, in turn allows for longer hits. Thus, more homers.
   
2. Aaron played in the golden era of pitching with bigger fields. Surely, his numbers would have been better if he cleanly played the game from 90-present as opposed to the ~20 years he did play.
   
3. I'm sure there are other reason, but these two are the most prevalent in my mind.
   

[BLZFAN4LIFE]

while i agree with you that he still has to hit the ball, it is unfair to compare him to a henry aaron for a few reasons:

1. Being on steroids increases bat speed, in turn allows for longer hits. Thus, more homers.
   
2. Aaron played in the golden era of pitching with bigger fields. Surely, his numbers would have been better if he cleanly played the game from 90-present as opposed to the ~20 years he did play.
   
3. I'm sure there are other reason, but these two are the most prevalent in my mind.
   

 

I think it's great that the dangers and negative effects of steroids are well publicised and athletes right down to the high school level are aware of them. I just think it's a non-issue if an adult wants to take a risk by using a substance that will generate short-term benefits but may yield long-term side effects. Bigger, faster, stronger, that's what it's all about. Look at all of the destructive behaviors that people indulge in from smoking to drug abuse to alcoholism to gambling to overeating. You can't save people from themselves, just give them the freedom to decide.

 

It will always be difficult to compare era's. Technology, nutrition, education, and rules change from year to year and decade to decade. In golf, the equipment (balls and clubs) are light years ahead of what Nicolaus used in his prime. 20 years ago in football you could maul a receiver until the ball was in the air and decimate a qb after the ball left his hand. You just have to take things like that into consideration. A-Rod, Barry, and McGuire are supreme athletes whether they doped up or not. To me it's not an issue. Caveat emptor.

[CowgirlsFan]

Holding off till he hits #1,000.

 

 

It will be a LONG wait and over Hank Aarons's ( not Barry Bonds ) future dead body!!