My Arguments for Barry Bonds

[Baseballa19]

Just to clear up a misconception. Pitchers today DO NOT throw harder than those in previous eras. Despite everything you see on television today, it is a FACT that less than 10 percent of today's big league pitchers CONSISTANTLY throw 90+ mph. You can't rely on the speed figures given by the networks or those in big league ball parks. They are WAY high. I've seen Tom Glavine pitch on television where he was said to have been consistantly at 90-91 with his fastball. Glavine hasn't thrown a pitch above 89 in years. Why would they do this? The same reason that balls are juiced and players are too. The public wants high numbers. They pay for high numbers.

Bonds taking steroids is an afront to the integrity of the game, but the buying public doesn't care. They want too see home runs. Why do you think most new ball parks are smaller? Why did baseball take away the pitcher's edge after the most dominating pitching year in history (1968)? Because the public wants offense. What we're seeing may not be the same game, but it's pretty exciting. Taco Bell isn't even close to real Mexican food, but DAMN I love those burritos!

[eddo31]

while it is true that the hardest throwing pitchers today dont throw much harder than those in the past, the sheer number of pitchers that trow 90+ no wis staggering, and it is much higher than 10%. and no, i dont believe the fox guns either. steroids can aid pitchers just as much as they can aid hitters, and they are expected to add 3-4 mph to a fastball, which is a very significant increase.

i am really waffling on bonds. while i am not sure that what he did is an affront to the game, i dont like how he handled the situation. he knew that he was taking roids, and he lied to a grand jury about it. at least giambi came clean.

the real villain here that will likely go unexposed are the owners. they knew that a large percentage of players were on the juice, and yet they did nothing to stop it. home runs sell tickets, and the owners could care less about the long term helth of the players or the game. all they care about is their wallet, and they are too shortsighted to think about the long run damage done by a scandal like this

[Baseballa19]

eddo31,

Don't take my word for it. Track down someone in the business of professional baseball scouting. It is a MYTH that every staff has 4 guys that throw 90+ consistantly. The 10% stat is a fact. It's not something I've made up.

[Kidd7138]

There's no way that I believe that only 10% of pitchers in the majors throw 90+. That means that theres only on average 1-2 guys on each staff that have good velocity. I find it especially hard to believe when I can think of about 5 guys who played for the Red Sox's Hi-A class team this past year that scouts reported can throw over 90.

[Baseballa19]

Guys, the statement said CONSISTENTLY throw 90+. Lots of guys can TOUCH 90-92 on the gun, but PITCH at 87-89. There's a big difference between MAX velocity and AVERAGE velocity. I'm not talking about averaging in the speeds of off speed pitches either. I'm talking about average fastball velocity.

It also stands to reason that any given minor league staff would have multiple guys with great velocity because there are MANY more minor league pitchers than big leaguers. Just throwing hard doesn't get you to the big leagues.

The AVERAGE major league fastball is 88 MPH. That is a fact.

[eddo31]

im just curious, but where do you get these facts? i wouldnt be surprised if the averag evelocity was 88, but i also wouldnt be surprised if the average velocity was 90.

i will back you up on the claim about minor leaguers though. not for the reason that there are so many more of them, but because there are many high school kids and college kids that can throw 90. the problem with many fo them though is that they get injured, and by the time they reach the major leagues, if they do so at all, they have learned how to PITCH, not just how to throw. there is a big difference, which i would asusme you already knew.

[Baseballa19]

My info comes from professional scouts and different coaching journals. I am only a lowly high school coach, but have been in the business for 20 years and have had 8 kids drafted, at least that many more scouted, and have almost 50 kids that have played at the next level at least.

[eddo31]

i actually work in baseball, so it isnt particularly difficult for me to track this info down.

you are right that the radar guns that fans see in the ballparks are a lie, but there are many more than 10% of the pitchers in major league baseball that throw over 90. 10% would be roughly 1 person per major league team, and I can name off the top of my head at least 30 pitchers who consistently throw 90.