BONDS ON BONDS

As Barry Bonds closes is on Babe Ruth's lifetime record of homeruns, I take pause to contemplate. He has a chance to tie it at 714 tonight at home before his adoring fans in San Francisco.

It's been a long season for Barry, even though its barely a month long. He is faced with boos and jeers and chants of "Balco Barry" in all the cities he's visited. In Philadelphia this weekend the sign "Babe Ruth did it on hot dogs and beer. Hank Aaron did it with class. How did you do it?" greeted him.

The long season will continue I'm sure. His huge ego will not be soothed with his ridiculous show, "Bonds on Bonds." His place in history is yet to be determined. It may never be officially determined.

Baseball's investigation into the Balco case will probably never turn up anything concrete concerning Bonds. Anyone who follows the game already knows. You don't need an investigation to notice the change in his body type during the last few years.

This wonderful baseball body, gifted with all of the five-tools. He could run like the wind, throw like a cannon, hit often and with power and field the outfield in whatever position he played. He was a joy to watch. His people skills never matched his play.

He is still adored in San Francisco, undoubtedly. Watching the Giant's telecasts, you wouldn't know any of this was going on. All last season when he wasn't able to play until the last month, they would replay his historic homers on each telecast.

ESPN still seems excited in exploiting every dime including the show where Bonds on Bonds show where he finally gets to talk to someone he respects, himself.

This year every plate appearance is replayed and analyzed. Every homerun is treated as if it were in the World Series.

Reaching Babe Ruth's total is going to happen. Reaching Hank Aaron's lifetime total of 755 is a question of whether his body will hold up. He lumbers now instead of running. You can tell he is playing with a lot of pain with his infamous knee.

In a press conference last night after hitting number 713 he addressed the issue of passing Ruth. "Babe Ruth was a great, great baseball player," Bonds said.

"Ruth started all this. He was in a league of his own. He brought the game to a different level and brought people into the stadium. All of us look up to Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron and the guys before us."

An interesting insight appeared when he was asked if he would consider himself a better player than Ruth once he passes him, Bonds added: "I don't know yet. But the numbers speak for themselves."

No Barry, numbers don't speak for themselves. If numbers were all that mattered, there wouldn't be an investigation.

Bonds will always be tainted by the steroid issue in the hearts of fans.  That is sad.