Alex Rodriguez has a torn labrum in his right hip, but the New York Yankees think he can avoid surgery. But will this have long-term ramifications for his career and his pursuit of Barry Bonds' home run record?
Is this a serious question? It's 10 weeks at the beginning of a season....let's not make this into more than it is.
#1 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 11:36 AM ESTAre you serious? This kid is done. Check out Giambi's post-steriods history...injury/surgery/HUGE DROP in numbers...plus you have to add in his girly demeanor (at least Giambi was a badass) and with the fan fervor bound to stalk his every presence, A-Rod will wilt and collapse.
#2 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 11:46 AM ESTWell since according to him and baseball he hasn't been taking steroids since 03 I don't think I'd consider it that big of a drop off. Still pretty sure he hit 50+ in 07. He will have a huge year b/c its an odd year.
He's going to pass Bonds in 5 or 6 years, how would a couple of months derail this?
#3 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 12:02 PM ESTIt doesn't really matter to me, Hammering Hank will be the king in my mind. The only one close recently in my opinion was Ken Griffey Jr. but his career was unfortunately mirred with injury.
#4 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 12:14 PM ESTPlease don't be so naive.. who knows what hammering hank used to have for breakfast, lunch or dinner or in between meals.. We know about Steroids only now.. In my mind whoever breaks the record with whatever means is the king. if you talk about barry bonds using steroids and hitting homeruns, he did against pitchers like Roger Clemens who were using steroids. So that pretty much evens out.
It pretty much evens out, just not completely. We don't know how many years Bonds had to hit without roids against pitchers juicing, but we know the last handful of years he was juiced for every at bat while not every pitcher was. Whenever he faced a pitcher that wasn't, he had an unfair advantage.
I wouldn't take any record away from him. Ruth never faced a black pitcher or a slider, but his numbers still stand unquestioned. Aaron worked in two launching pad stadiums, but I don't hold that against him either. Because baseball has changed so much in the last century, all kinds of numbers could have asterisks.
I agree with dbacksfan. We assume that baseball has only been juicing for the past 20 years when it was going on in the NFL for the past 50 or 60? These players all know each other across the sport teams so I doubt there were no baseball players that knew about roids. Let me see a blood test from Hammering Hank showing he was clean and then I won't recognize today's players.
The question is not whether he will pass him (as it stands now he will - in however many years); the question is not 'it was not 'banned' so it was not really cheating, right?; and, the question is not whether he would have pa ssed Bonds without cheating by using PEDS. The question is and should be why are we condoning admitted drug use to achieve these records. Please, do not be so naive to think our kids are not watching A-Rod achieve this record by at least in some part cheating; or be so naive to think our kids are not watching us, the fans, allow this drug abuse to be a part of this achievement.
#5 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 12:31 PM ESTYou are exactly correct, I think that if these players keep using steroids then anybody can break any record on any books. I believe that if found guilty of using steroid then all records should be taken out of the books, out of baseball, out of the Hall of Fame and should be called Hall of "Shame" for all time, just Look at Pete Rose; it should be the same way and think of it, its because it was all out of greed just as our fine Financial Market is "Greed" just like our Government/Congressman & Women, I am and I am sure that everyone else is tired of hearing about their sad stories about this or that, these Athletics are paid very, very, very good money. All these people should be jailed and have them pay back everything that they have taken, they should have to pay just like the rest of us working folks when a law or company policy is broken, you loose your job and don't get a second chance. The media has talked enough about steroids through the years and this has been out for a very long time, their are not any excuses about I didn't know what it was or I didn't know I couldn't do that, just like are laws in court, the Judge will tell you there is no ignorance, just stupidity and we all pay for that one way or another in life, now its there turn to pay for theirs, play by the rules. What goes around will finally will come around. Thank God for that..
Who Cares about A-Rod. Why do people continually live their lives through other people especially people that are just one step away from robbing liquor stores. If we just worked a little harder and focused on what is real, i.e. family and friends this country would be a better place.
#6 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 12:32 PM ESTThese types of cysts have been positively correlated with steroid use. Jason Giambi had a very similar issue. While they can be surgically removed, they have a tendency to grow back. This situation could continue to get worse for A-Rod as his body begins to break down. What's next? His elbow? His pituitary gland? His steroid use may be his undoing.
As to whether he'll pass Barry Bonds or not, who really cares? One cheater supplanting another? They are both cheaters, liars and a disgrace to the game of baseball. Ban him from the sport for life.
#7 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 12:34 PM ESTIt doesn't matter if he passes Bond's record or not. As far as baseball fans are concerned neither of their records or Sosa's or McGuire's counts for anything, they all cheated to get their records. What they did is no different if they had used altered equipment. Hank Aaron is still the Home Run Champ.
#8 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 12:52 PM ESTI can see both sides of the story for Barry Bonds and A-Rod. Though Bonds was a home run hitter since he had first started in the majors as a bean pole, remember that. So how can we say he would have never gotten where he is now without the steroids? We will never know. Steroids can give you strength but can't help you hit the ball more times than not. There is still skill that is there and that was there when hitting the home runs. Also, the players shouldn't be completely blamed, baseball never had technically banned steroids up until after the players had started taking them. I've heard about other players taking steroids that in my opinion, are crappy players. Steroids didn't seem to help them to see the high numbers like Bonds or A-Rod. It's a tough call though, hall of fame or not? I'm sure they will make it. Like the other guy said, there is no telling what people ate or did back in the day.
#9 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 1:45 PM ESTA-Rod will not catch Barry Bonds because he won't be taking steroids in his late 30's and early 40's. Remember, Bonds averaged around 52 homers from 2000-2004. I think Bonds would have slowed down like Junior Griffey has in his late 30's. The Yankees will regret the 10 year deal by year 5 at the latest. All the negativety will hurt A-Rod whereas Bonds was a defiant SOB who just mashed baseballs routinely. I see A-Rod passing Mays, but falling short of Ruth, Aaron, and Bonds.
#10 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 2:37 PM ESTYes, this will affect the rest of A-Rod's career. By all accounts, he's simply too insecure for it to not do so.
Having said that, I do not recognize Bonds as holding MLB's HR record. There is clear evidence that Bonds began using PED's after the '98 season, and that invalidates everything that he did from Opening Day 1999 onwards. Therefore, he actually has fewer than 500 HR's to his name. In fact, I refuse to recognize any of his stats or awards after 1988. (For the record, I also don't recognize many of Roger Clemens', Raphel Palmeiro's, Miguel Tejada's and Mark McGwires numbers, either. Yes, that list is undoubtedly longer, which I why I applaud Sen Mitchell's report and urge the release of the other 103 names from the 2003 testing.)
I refuse to recognize anyone but Hank Aaron as MLB's career HR king, Sadaharu Oh as the known professional baseball HR king, and Josh Gibson as the real (the evidence suggests that his career total was close to 800) professional HR king as well as Roger Marris. Oh and Tuffy Rhodes (a tie) and Gibson as the respective single-season record holdlers.
A-Rod's current health problems, with or without any disciplinary action from MLB or the justice system, will keep him ftom approaching any of the real HR record holders.
#11 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 2:46 PM ESTNow he won't even be "Mr. May". A cheater pursuing a "record" set by a cheater ... who cares?
#12 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 3:11 PM ESTHas anyone asked Aaron if he ever used any kind of drugs while playing?
I am always amused by you people who are upset over cheaters. How many of you have ever cheated on an exam to get ahead? Cheating is cheating if you have ever done it don't cast stones at anyone else. If your tax return was audited would we find evidence of not paying the proper amount of tax? That is cheating also.
#13 - Thu Mar 5, 2009 5:06 PM ESTYes, and murder and shoplifting are both crimes. Therefore murderers and shoplifters are both criminals and therefore are the same. Everything is the same. Whoopee! Thinking about this makes me smile a smug, smug smile and pat myself on the head.
First. it's not steroid induced. It's wear and tear that has nothing to do with drugs, look it up, ask a doctor. Second Giambi stunk as soon as he quit roids. Arod has tested clean for 5 years. He had a monster year 2 years ago and if it wasn't for a quad injury, same as Jeter, he would have had another great year last year. As far as keeping him out of the hall., if you do that, you have to keep them all out from this era. How do you know Jeter wasn't using in 2003? And who are the other 103 who tested positive? If you don't Vote Alex in, you can't vote any of them in. Put an asterisk next to all their names. I remember Jim Kaat in his last year came to camp looking like Hulk Hogan. I know he didn't get that way by lifting weights for 4 months alone and that was quite a few years ago
#14 - Fri Mar 6, 2009 7:20 AM ESTWhy are we still talking about Hank AARON'S ( not barry bonds )record surely drug induced players will not be allowed to covent this prize.
#15 - Fri Mar 6, 2009 10:11 AM ESTIt doesn't matter what he does now anyway. He cheated . All of his numbers are bogus. It's sad but true.
#16 - Fri Mar 6, 2009 10:39 AM ESTAnother typical example of the aftermath of steroid abuse. Once they stop juicing, the body breaks down. Look at Jason Giambi foot injury. Arod is no better than Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire or any other steroid abusers. The Yankees should now restructure Arods contract to lower the payout. His numbers are biased & based on steroid use and now his body is breaking down. As a longtime Yankee fan I was very disappointed to learn of Arods use of performance enhancing drugs. Additionally since he lied like all the others, he is no better, cannot be trusted as to when he started/stopped. I also feel that the "others" on the list should be exposed as well. It was not fair to single out Arod; but now the truth is out & people can delude themselves all they want but the truth is that Arod was/is/? a steroid abuser, sorry to say. Just hope all the young kids out there who idolize these guys realize the negative long term impact of these chemical agents.
#17 - Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:11 AM EDTFirst. it's not steroid induced. It's wear and tear that has nothing to do with drugs, look it up, ask a doctor. Second Giambi stunk as soon as he quit roids. Arod has tested clean for 5 years. He had a monster year 2 years ago and if it wasn't for a quad injury, same as Jeter, he would have had another great year last year. As far as keeping him out of the hall., if you do that, you have to keep them all out from this era. How do you know Jeter wasn't using in 2003? And who are the other 103 who tested positive? If you don't Vote Alex in, you can't vote any of them in. Put an asterisk next to all their names. I remember Jim Kaat in his last year came to camp looking like Hulk Hogan. I know he didn't get that way by lifting weights for 4 months alone and that was quite a few years ago
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Who is being naive here? I dont believe the players, owners, gm's, TV announcers; anyone connected with the game as it is in their best $$$$ financial $$$$ interest to bury these facts.
Arod is a juicer. There is no denying/disputing or changing this FACT! As a Yankee fan, I wich it was all BS, but then again, I also wish for Peace in the Middle East! Aint never gonna happen.
Sorry to busrt ur bubble.
#18 - Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:20 AM EDTYou cheat and it catches up...................He joins the rest of those who cheated, he got his $250,000,000, what a crock!
#19 - Sun Mar 8, 2009 2:24 PM EDTTO will not make it in Bills Country..................They won't put up with his usual BS.
#20 - Sun Mar 8, 2009 2:56 PM EDTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
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Who cares, guy's a loser and I'm a big Yankee fan