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To: cincinnati65
Hank Aaron hit the highest season total for home runs at age 37, and posted 40 at age 39 in only 120 games.

That is a strawman and you know it. Aaron hit between 35-45 every year. Bonds suddenly became stronger at age 35, and no one does that. Don't look at one year at a time..look at the entire period of production. Let me demonstrat with the top 5 HR hitters of all time -- thier numbers age 30-34, and 35-39, let's see if we can identify a pattern and if one of the group is not like the others.

HANK AARON 30-34 168HR -- 35-39 203HR
BABE RUTH 30-34 232HR -- 35-39 186HR
WILLIE MAYS 30-34 226HR -- 35-39 123HR
FRANK ROBINSON 30-34 151HR -- 35-39 108HR

BARRY BONDS 30-34 186HR -- 35-39 258HR

Everyone Had a sharp decline after age 35 except Aaron, and his numbers reflect the move from Milwaukee County Stadium where he was held to 24 and 32 HR at age 30-31 to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium where everyones HR numbers became inflated. (See Darrell Evens/Davey Johnson -- 20-25 HR a year before Atlanta, 40 HR hitters in Atlanta).

The empirical evidence is there. Bonds became much larger and much stronger at an age when most players decline in ability. Aaron stayed at the same level he had been at his entire career, Bonds Got better -- not only did his HR totals skyrocket, but his Batting Ave went up 30-50 points from .290-.310 to .340-.370 during those years. Aaron was still hitting HR but his Batting Average dropped during those years.

60 posted on 03/07/2006 9:21:54 PM PST by commish (Freedom Tastes Sweetest to Those Who Have Fought to Preserve It)
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To: commish

Bonds got better during those years, but so did everyone else in the National League, at twice the rate. No fall off in pitching talent by any chance.....


62 posted on 03/07/2006 9:26:40 PM PST by cincinnati65 (Go Panthers!.......)
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To: commish
"Bonds Got better -- not only did his HR totals skyrocket, but his Batting Ave went up 30-50 points from .290-.310 to .340-.370 during those years...."

Now who's putting up the strawman. You know darn good and well that the only reason his batting average was up 30-50 points was because of the number of walks (especially intentionals) that didn't add into his at-bat totals.

63 posted on 03/07/2006 9:32:24 PM PST by cincinnati65 (Go Panthers!.......)
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