Friday, September 26, 2003
I'm the king of the world, I am the greatest,…, I shook up the world, I am the greatest, I'm king of the world, I'm pretty, I'm pretty, I'm a baaaad man, you heard me I'm a baaad man,…, I'm king of the world!!!!! - Muhammed Ali
Barry Bonds is one of the greatest ballplayers of all-time. He is a legit five-tool superstar. He is feared by the baseball community. I will not recite his numbers as they and his legend are still growing but it leads me to the question: Is Barry Bonds the greatest baseball player ever?
Most label Babe Ruth as the greatest of all-time. There is little doubt that Ruth dominated the game during his era, but is he the best of the best?
Ruth did not play against the best competition in the world as Bonds does. Ruth never faced pitchers of African, Asian, or Latino descent or be compared to hitters of color. Could Ruth handle a Randy Johnson’s slider, a Roger Clemens’ split finger fastball, the assortment of sidearm LOOGYs and how would he compare to Josh Gibson if they faced the same pitchers? I believe Ruth COULD do very well, but we will never know. Just like we will probably never know how Bonds would fare with Lou Gehrig or another first ballot, unanimous HOF hitter in the same lineup. Also if Bonds took aim at the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium (please God, no), how many more home runs would the man hit not having to put it over a wall 420 feet away into a stiff cold wind coming off the Bay.
Right now, Bonds and Ruth are very close and most would say Ruth is still the best. But with each passing day, walk, hit, RBI double, outfield assist, and game winning walk off puts Mr. Bonds one step closer Ruth. Bonds IS and will be known widely as the greatest of all-time. This fact should end the irrational notion of the so called Curse, since it is based on trading the best ballplayer ever. It is over; if it ever was. We, citizens of Red Sox Nation, need to simply BELIEVE!
Barry Bonds is one of the greatest ballplayers of all-time. He is a legit five-tool superstar. He is feared by the baseball community. I will not recite his numbers as they and his legend are still growing but it leads me to the question: Is Barry Bonds the greatest baseball player ever?
Most label Babe Ruth as the greatest of all-time. There is little doubt that Ruth dominated the game during his era, but is he the best of the best?
Ruth did not play against the best competition in the world as Bonds does. Ruth never faced pitchers of African, Asian, or Latino descent or be compared to hitters of color. Could Ruth handle a Randy Johnson’s slider, a Roger Clemens’ split finger fastball, the assortment of sidearm LOOGYs and how would he compare to Josh Gibson if they faced the same pitchers? I believe Ruth COULD do very well, but we will never know. Just like we will probably never know how Bonds would fare with Lou Gehrig or another first ballot, unanimous HOF hitter in the same lineup. Also if Bonds took aim at the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium (please God, no), how many more home runs would the man hit not having to put it over a wall 420 feet away into a stiff cold wind coming off the Bay.
Right now, Bonds and Ruth are very close and most would say Ruth is still the best. But with each passing day, walk, hit, RBI double, outfield assist, and game winning walk off puts Mr. Bonds one step closer Ruth. Bonds IS and will be known widely as the greatest of all-time. This fact should end the irrational notion of the so called Curse, since it is based on trading the best ballplayer ever. It is over; if it ever was. We, citizens of Red Sox Nation, need to simply BELIEVE!
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Thank you - Red Sox!
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