[Damn True]

Bonds hit 176 with the Pirates playing mostly in Three Rivers which is huuuuuge!
Bonds hit 270 with the Giants from '93-99 playing mostly in Candlestick and other large parks.

The small park thing started in about 95 with Camden Yards whichis an AL park anyway. But the Giants moved to Pac-Bell in 2000. Since then Bonds has hit only 174 runs.
If the juice helps, and a smaller park helps shouldnt he be hitting MORE than he was before?

In fact he averaged 45 per year in Candlestick and 43 per year in Pac-Bell, he averaged 26 per year with the Pirates.

He was better in a worse park w/o the juice than he is now in a small park with. So how does it help?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/07/15/bonds_log/

 

[Silver]

You're forgetting that he's getting older though...you'd expect to see a decline allowing for his age, wouldn't you?

 

[Westy]

You're forgetting that he's getting older though...you'd expect to see a decline allowing for his age, wouldn't you?

Bonds just stated that he may have to sit this year out, age or fear of getting caught with the needle?

 

[Changleen]

The Political Forum needs more sports-related threads.

Nnnnnyyyyooooo! ink:

 

[Damn True]

You're forgetting that he's getting older though...you'd expect to see a decline allowing for his age, wouldn't you?

Did some comparisons of data in the baseball almanac and age dosen't seem to be a huge factor up till about 40. Carlton Fisk played from '69-'93 and hit 371 career homers. 72 AFTER his 40th birthday and that was in '87.
Take into account that as we get older we become more disciplined in all things combined with the vastly improved work ethic of atheletes of today vs. even 15 years ago and it is perfectly plausible to assume that an athelete can not only maintain performance but improve. Sports medicine is more advanced, there are surguries that can correct injuries that would have before ended a career, recovery therapy has developed by leaps and bounds. Joe Montana and John Elway were among the best in the league even at 40 yrs old in a sport that puts a lot more abuse on the body.
If you practice anything for 18 years you are bound to get better at it.
It should also be considered that when Bonds was with the Pirates he was the #2 guy to Bonilla and was pretty much on his own as far as his game. At the time he had a poor relationship with his father (one of the best pure contact hitters ever). When he came to the Giants he had not only the coaching of the Giants, but his father and Mays and McCovey. With those guys around you are bound to pick up a thing or two that someone else wouldnt.

 

[clancy98]

damn true is on the roids. he's ragin right now!