With all due respect hobbes1, baseball is a game of stats. Regarding your arguement that the same could said about "smaller ballparks" is misplaced. Certain players using steroids is like bringing the fences in for those who do. I'm sorry, you're saying using steroids is like using better "training techniques...or Better nutrition" is just wrong. See post 55.
baseball is SOLD, as a game of stats, I am merely pointing out, that there are so many variables involved in those stats to make them distort over time. The longer the time the greater the distortion.
How many times did Ruth,Mantle et al....have to face a Fresh Reliever whose specialty was closing out a ninth inning?
The Smaller ballarks argument is accurate. Back in the day Parks were larger, meaning more hits into gaps, and less balls over the fence...
Better Training, and Better Nutrition from the inception of childhood certainly has an effect on sports record keeping over time.
Pharmaceuticals is just another variable.