People who insist Barry Bonds is better than Babe Ruth

[tscards]

How about Bonds playing in Ruth's era WITHOUT the body-armor he wears now?? Almost without a doubt, he would not arrogantly step up to the plate, without fear of getting hurt.

While there are more players from other countries today, I strongly believe the 'competition' factor gets thrown out the door when you compare all aspects of how the game was played.

[Socnorb11]

How about Bonds playing in Ruth's era WITHOUT the body-armor he wears now?? Almost without a doubt, he would not arrogantly step up to the plate, without fear of getting hurt.

While there are more players from other countries today, I strongly believe the 'competition' factor gets thrown out the door when you compare all aspects of how the game was played.

Because of an elbow pad, you're going to dismiss the fact that only white Americans east of the Mississippi played?

Do you realize what the percentage is of white Americans from east of the Mississippi is in baseball today?

In the National League, Dan Uggla would be your National League home run leader right now (with 23), followed by David Wright (19) and Khlalil Greene (18) That would be your National League home run chase, eliminating the top 7 current home run hitters, and 22 of the top 25.

In the AL, Konerko would be leading with 23 (eliminating the top 4 home run hitters). Jim Thome would be 2nd with 18. Again, 22 of the top 25 home run hitters would be eliminated from the league.

[tscards]

Not dismissing anything, and also not going there with the race & where people came from. Given the conditions back in Ruth's era, IF Bonds was playing then (throw race & country/city out the door), I think he would have had a tougher time, without his body-protection.

No question there are a lot of strong players from all over the place down the road.

[Socnorb11]

Not dismissing anything, and also not going there with the race & where people came from. Given the conditions back in Ruth's era, IF Bonds was playing then (throw race & country/city out the door), I think he would have had a tougher time, without his body-protection.

No question there are a lot of strong players from all over the place down the road.

Personally, I think that conditions were worse for pitchers than for hitters in Ruth's era. Bonds would have probably thrived, hitting against tired pitchers day in and day out.

[jim]

...most of them wouldn't have even gotten an opportunity to pitch in Ruth's day, because they're not white Americans from East of the Mississippi.

The majority of Americans in 1920 were white and lived east of the Mississippi. Without trying to come across as racist, how many great black starting pitchers are there in the game today?

And we can say what we want about how fantastic our conditioning is today versus 80 years ago but I'd be willing to bet, on average, the typical teenager in the 1920 was in a hell of a lot better shape than the typical teenager today. Besides, freaks like Babe Ruth are born, not developed in the weight room.

But there was no Dice-K, no Pedro, etc... The pool of talent to draw from now is so much greater than in Ruth's day. I think it's a fair argument.

[tscards]

Not dismissing anything, and also not going there with the race & where people came from. Given the conditions back in Ruth's era, IF Bonds was playing then (throw race & country/city out the door), I think he would have had a tougher time, without his body-protection.

No question there are a lot of strong players from all over the place down the road.

Personally, I think that conditions were worse for pitchers than for hitters in Ruth's era. Bonds would have probably thrived, hitting against tired pitchers day in and day out.

Maybe so. He would have also been plunked in the elbow a few dozen more times. (just 'cause I don't like him, I imagine he would)

[haltz]

There is no doubt in my mind that if you plopped a peak Barry Bonds down in 1920s MLB that he would dominate in ways that Ruth didn't. Also, if Ruth Bill and Tedded his way onto the field in 2000 or so, he wouldn't put up those kind of numbers. I don't have any trouble believing this as pretty much a fact.

Now, had Ruth been born in the '60s and Bonds been born in 1895, I don't really know. Disregarding the fact that Barry wouldn't be allowed to play, and other silly hypotheticals, just because of probabilities I'd assume that Bonds is the more talented player, but I'm don't think we know that for sure.

That's kind of how I look at it.

[AJ]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but Bonds doesn't have a ring.... Ruth has several.

If I remember right, Bonds postseason stats stunk until 02, Ruths were consistent with the reg season.

[thrill]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but Bonds doesn't have a ring.... Ruth has several.

Bonds has never had a teammate on the level of Lou Gehrig let alone the rest of the studs on those Yankees teams.

[tscards]

Put Ruth through the same workout programs, including the "I didn't know 'roids", and wonder what he would have done?