Bonds -- Still the best

By Eric Maus Sports Central Columnist

Barry Bonds is the greatest player in Major League Baseball today. Ask no questions. Raise no objections.

A bit arrogant? Absolutely.

A very likeable guy? Not really.

But, No. 25 was never concerned with winning popularity contests -- he's been too preoccupied with dominating the National Pastime.

No current player comes even close to matching what this man has achieved. Last year, he set the single-season homerun record blasting 73 round-trippers. On August 9 of this year, Bonds hit his 600th career homerun -- joining the likes of Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron in the elite 600-homer club. He's a four-time league MVP. He's won eight Gold Gloves. He's driven in over 100 RBI in 11 seasons. He's scored over 100 runs in nine seasons. Bonds set the major league record for walks last season with 177. He's nine stolen bases shy of 500 and will become the game's first 500-500 man (stolen bases and homeruns.) Other than that, though, he's had a pretty mediocre career.

Now, surely at age 38, Bonds could not continue on this torrid pace, could he? These so-called baseball experts may tell you that a young star like Alex Rodriguez has surpassed Bonds' greatness. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Bonds leads A-Rod in many statistical categories this season. At last look, Bonds has a higher average (.367 to .315), SLG% (.816 to .646), OBP (.575 to .402), OPS (1.391 to 1.048). Not to mention, Bonds has been playing with nagging hamstring problems as of late.

Bonds is also more valuable. His team is currently in a wildcard race while A-Rod and company have been playing out the stretch since the third week of the season.

Rodriguez has hit more homeruns than Bonds (50 to 41) and knocked in more runs (124 to 90), but that is only because Bonds has walked so many times, which has resulted in many fewer plate appearances. When you are as feared a hitter as Bonds is, who in their right mind would want to pitch this guy? Evidently, not too many people, considering he has walked 162 times as opposed to A-Rod's 72.

From what we've seen so far, Rodriguez does show enormous potential and maybe someday can be considered an all-time great. But, the world is full of "what if's."

At age 27, Rodriguez has the most career homeruns at that age with 291. If he stays healthy, he could maybe break Aaron's all-time homerun record of 755. If he plays 10 more years, there's a possibility he can win more Gold Gloves than Barry Bonds. If he trains hard in the offseason, he's a viable Triple Crown threat every year. And if I continue to write these columns, maybe someday, I can be the next John Steinbeck -- but that day has not yet come, either.

Barry Bonds has to prove himself to no one. Everything Alex Rodriguez has accomplished, Bonds has done and then-some. A-Rod can't compare to Bonds today, tomorrow, or 50 years from now.

Bonds is the epitome of a five-tool player. There is nothing this man doesn't possess in his arsenal. And he's been at the top of his game since 1986. That's something to be said about longevity.

He's never been afraid to speak his mind. And he'd tell you he can because, "he's Barry Bonds, and you're not."

And whether you like him or not, in a few years when he finally does decide to hang it up, Bonds may leave this game as the greatest player that ever lived.

Now, if he could only get a World Series ring...

For my next column, I'd like to try something a little different. I'd like you, the reader, to pose questions/comments to me regarding the 2002 Major League Baseball campaign (particularly about the upcoming playoffs and World Series).

Send me an e-mail (ericmaus1980@yahoo.com) and let me know where you are from and I'll gladly answer/respond to your questions or comments in the next column. Take care.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.