San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds wins record seventh NL MVP award

canada.com ^

[Gucho]

NEW YORK (AP) - Barry Bonds won his record seventh NL MVP award in a walk.

Capping a season filled with suspicion and success, the San Francisco Giants left-fielder became the oldest player to become the MVP of a major North American professional league. The 40-year-old received 24 of 32 first-place votes and 407 points Monday in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America to earn the award for the fourth

[discostu]

Everybody has a bad stretch. But at least he tries to field balls, ever watched what happens when a ball is hit to Sosa's area but it would take him more than 5 steps to get to it?

[SolutionsOnly]

Thanks to steroids...

[UseYourHead]

I've tried to like the guy and give him a break because he is a natural that nobody will ever probably best (maybe Pujols) but other than what HE decides is worth his time, he is very much a "sucks to be you" kind of guy. He does it every time I watch him. That's a poor attitude he shows every time he gets walked.

I know that 'roids don't make the hitter - I outhit muscle guys all the time, it's technique and eye. He let's me down every time. I am glad he does so much for the community - when you have money and fame, you should pay it back to the community.

[GOP_Raider]

WAY TO GO BARRY!

GIANTS in '05!

[Freepdonia]

Why was it when McGuire was setting the home run record, all of the pundits said that the player had to be on a team that made the playoffs, but when the Giants don't make it to the playoffs, they still pick Bonds, even with the steroid cloud over his head.

McGwire should have won the MVP, too.

[dead]

Does his "pharmacist" get an assist?

[UseYourHead]

True - that's when its time to move those guys out of the outfield. I really hate it when a player could have made the play but pulls up when it's several steps away. They just aren't on top of their game for the outfield when they don't make the good jump early on the hits.

[Primetimedonna]

Somewhat agree with you on McGuire, but I think Bonds contributes more than just home runs to his team. He's been known to get some timely base hits, and make some key plays too, something I'm not so sure you could say of McGuire.

[RichInOC]

From today's L.A. Times article on Bonds' MVP win:

Yet, Bonds, who recently had minor knee surgery, rued his lack of a championship, saying, "I need to win a World Series. I've won enough individual awards…. That's the only thing that's eluding me, to enjoy these other accomplishments."

[GSWarrior]

Lifetime Dodger fan and Giant hater here. Congrats to Bonds. He deserved it this year. And Beltre deserved second place too.

[discostu]

Unfortunately where else do you put them? It takes more dedication to the game to play infield than outfield, and without the abomination of the designated hitter you've got to put them somewhere, thus left field where the fewest balls get hit.

[discostu]

In every sport they always say a great player's career is incomplete if the league doesn't buy him a ring at least once.

[muleskinner]

Bonds is the most arrogant, selfish man on the face of this earth. Ask any player who has ever gotten to know him. Sheffield found that out.

And Gary Sheffield is a real peach? He's had the malcontent label for years. All Sheffield found out is that Barry is a much better hitter than he thought, then he turned a nice shade of green.

[Poodlebrain]

How about a juiced baseball? When you see second basemen hitting opposite field home runs with regularity you have to wonder why there has been such an increase in home runs since the strike of 1994? Do you think maybe the owners, and players, wanted to increase attention on the game by making it easier to hit home runs?

I find it easier to believe that the balls are wound tighter for the increase in home runs than any other explanation since all players seem to have become power hitters. Bonds is just that much better at it than his peers.

BTW, Willie Mays was known to use stimulants to help him get ready for games. Should we now question all of his records as being produced as the result of using performance enhancing drugs?

[Finalapproach29er]

A steriod fraud,like the Governor. IMO

[UseYourHead]

The NL has been putting them at first base but that doesn't always work - like Piazza.

[discostu]

Well firstbasemen tend to not have to move around a lot which helps, but they're involved in a lot of plays which isn't so good, and they're involved in a lot of plays that involve physical contact and most of these prima dona guys don't like getting touched.

[bootless]

Bonds is the only player to keep Major League managers up at night.

[biff]

I am old enough to remember when Roger Maris beat the Babe's HR record and the fact in the record books there was an asterisk next to his name. I think Bond's HR records should have the same with the explanation, records attained while under drug usage. Either that or not allow the records at all.
This crap about not having proof he was on drugs is BS, the league is just afraid of the racial claims.
As to McGuire, he admitted to using them, strike his records too.

[tx_eggman]

If there hadn't been a fall off in the numbers after MLB "cracked down" I might believe it ... but since there was (where are the 60/70 HR guys now) I'm sticking with the "juice" explanation.

Signed
Ken Caminiti