OK, so we all know the talk surrounding Barry Bonds and his Home Run record setting achievements. Almost everyone is wanting to place an asterisk beside his name, legend and even on the record ball. This is getting crazily out of hand. Not only does he deserve some respect on this issue but overall. He has been a great ambassador of baseball to the kids of this and other countries alike. At no time to my knowledge has Barry every tested positive for these uses. According to him, he “never knowingly used” this stuff.
So what he did, knowingly or unknowingly. It would have been before 2005 when baseball banned the HGH. It would have been when the vast majority of players were taking HGH or something else that at the time was not banned by MLB. So until this ban was put in to place there is really no grounds for using an asterisk next to anyones name or record.
Any now what do have? A player in Cleveland that knowing took HGH, prescribed by a doctor, and a lot of other people knew about it too. Paul Byrd, a starting pitcher for the Indians, was named in conjunction with an ongoing investigation. He came out during the playoffs and admitted to the usage. Reportedly he spent nearly $25,000 from 2002-2005 on the drug and syringes. He did also say it was doctor prescribed for a medical condition. How was he punished for this admitted usage? He was rewarded by Cleveland when picked up his club option for 2008 at $7.5 million. Not a bad punishment I’s say.
Barry Bonds is rewarded with boos and the possibility of an asterisk? I just don’t understand. It’s not like Byrd’s 37-29 record and 3.85 ERA over 2002-2005 set the world on fire. So the assumption the using HGH makes you that much better is provable here. Barry was well on his way to consistent producing seasons before all this steroid stuff.
We should not go around and tarnish these legends of the game. Sosa (609 HR), McGwire (583 HR) and I would have included Palmeiro on here but guess what? He actually got caught in this when he tested positive this year!
So I say it again, leave Barry Bonds alone! (Until he tests positive or admits to using it after 2005)
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