The Water Cooler: May 31, 2007 - Who's juicing and Griffey vs. Bonds?

As we go from May to June, we pass the 1/3 mark in the MLB season and the college baseball regionals take shape. It is officially baseball season! Predictably the Devil Rays are in last place - albeit tied with the dreaded Yawnkees.

Yes, the Yawnkees are in last place and officially "circling the drain". And despite their sitting in the basement, the biggest story today is "Stray Rod" and his stripper/hooker/"friend". This is what the Yawnkees have devolved into - they're a sideshow, not a World Series contender.

IMO, even the great (HGH-ridden) Roger Clemens can't save them this year. I have no proof that Clemens is juicing, but then MLB has no proof that Barry Bonds is cheating either. Everyone know it, though. How else can a 40-something continue to perform at that level?

Historically athletes performance level has declined as they aged. That's still the case in the NFL, NBA, and NHL - but in MLB players improve with age? Riiiiight!

It's just a coincidence, right? MLB players just take better care of their bodies than other athletes, right? That's been the case historically - look at Babe Ruth, John Kruk, Cecil Fielder, etc. (heavy sarcasm intended)

Baseball professionals spend more time on the road eating in restaurants and sleeping in hotels than any other sport's athletes. That lifestyle alone would contribute to declining health.

They have to be juicing to stay at that high level, and it's pissing me off! Look at Bonds compared to Ken Griffey, Jr. prior to the 2000 season. Keep in mind that Bonds is already older chronologically than Griffey by five years.

BONDS:

From 1986 to 1999 - 445 homers with a high of 46 in 1993. Averaged 29.66 HR/year.
Since then he's hit 301 with a high of 73. Averaged 43, and missed an entire season!
When he's played a full season, he's been right at his previous career high (46 in '02, 45 in '03, and 45 in '04).
He played only 144 games in '05 and '06 combined and hit another 31.
This year through 46 games he has 12, which is a pace for 42.

GRIFFEY:

From 1989 to 1999 - 398 homers with a high of 56 in both 1997 and '98. He also hit 45 ('93), 48 ('99) and 49 ('96). That's an average of 36.18 HR/yr - over 6 more than Bonds.
Since then - after injury - he's hit only 176 with a high of 35 in 2005.
Injuries have robbed Junior of 435 games during that span.
At the pace he hits them when healthy since 1999, Junior would still have hit another 107 homers. That would put him at 681 total - just 65 behind Bonds.
If he "improves" like Bonds did after 1999 and his pace increased by the same number, Junior would have been hitting 49/year (Bonds went from 29.66 to 43, an increase of over 13/year)
That would have put Junior at 343 since 1999, and a total of 741 - only 5 behind Bonds with five years on him chronologically.

So is Bonds juicing? What about Junior?

Here is a shot of Bonds in 1992.

Here's today.

Here is a pic of a 1992 Griffey baseball card.

Compare it to what he looks like today here

Numbers would seem to indicate that Bonds=Yes and Griffey=No. If Junior were juicing with HGH or steroids, don't you think he'd be able to recover from the injuries he's suffered - or avoid them altogether as Bonds seemed to do until the BALCO report came out and he missed all of '05 and most of '06?Judge for yourself.

What Barry Bonds is doing to one of MLB's most hallowed records is a sham and a shame! He's far from the greatest slugger in the history of baseball, and really not even the greatest of his generation. Junior is a better hitter and slugger, and has done it without cheating.

Want further proof? Look at how Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's numbers declined late in their careers.

SOSA

Before 1998, Sosa hit 207 homers in 10 MLB seasons (7 full seasons and 3 shortened either by minor league call-ups or injury). He had a season high of 40 to that point.
From 1998 to 2002, Sosa hit 292 homers with a LOW of 49!
Since then he's hit 99 in 3 1/2 seasons with a season high of 40 in 2003.

McGWIRE

Before 1998, McGwire hit 387 homers in 12 MLB seasons (10 full with one lost to injury and one September call-up). He had a season high of 52 with another year of 49.
From 1998 - 2001 (the end of his career) he hit 196 for an average of 49. In '00 and '01 he played a total of 186 games - barely over a full season - due to injury.
His numbers declined due to injury those last two years - hitting 32 and 29 respectively.

Evidence would seem to suggest that both of these guys were "enhancing" their bodies (and subsequently their games) artificially.

Look at the differences in body shape and head size - eerily similar to Bonds.

Sosa 1990