it's going to get ugly. hideous.<p>Bonds' records will be tainted no matter the legal outcome of all this. Hell, all of baseball will be tainted.<p>Where McGuire will fit in will be interesting to those who still care about records. I used to care about records, but baseball has changed so drastically over the years (night games; shifting strike zones; change in stadium dimensions; rules against messing up the ball; divisional play; changes in turf, gloves, ball and bats; and many more) that comparisons of Bonds to Maris, let alone Ruth or Home Run Baker, rely on sentimentality, not logic.<p>Anyone who's been around steroid users has been able to see players on TV and box scores and say, "He's on them." <p>This could be a setback comparable to the cocaine scandals of the 1970s -- or far worse.<p> <blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by wordygurdy: Anyone else get the feeling that the jig is up concerning steroids in baseball, and the sooner the players who were on them admit it, the better for their reputations and the game's reputation? Gene Orza's and Don Fehr's Steriods? What steroids? We don't see no stinkin' steroids! stance notwithstanding?<p>Today's stories about Bonds having received steroids, combined with the explosion in his offensive statistics since 2001 and his physique over that time, sure seem to be pointing in the direction of Bonds' being a steroid user. Maybe he thinks he can beat this rap just the way he can beat a Pedro Martinez fastball or an Andy Pettitte curve.<p>But I think he underestimates how serious the charges are and what kind of damage could be done to his reputation and his stats. <p>What if Bonds is found to have used steroids in 2001? Does the single-season home-run record then revert to McGwire, who hit 70 while using a steroid precursor in 1998? Or does it go back to Roger Maris, who didn't use anything more powerful than Camels and Bud to fortify his biceps?<p>I also wonder if Mr. Giambi and Mr. Sheffield might end up missing big chunks of the season if they are called to testify further in the Balco matter--or if they are indicted themselves.<hr></blockquote>
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