[discostu]

That's an additional change I forgot: the new Giants' stadium, pretty much built for Bonds to knock it out of the park (being as he hits right at the shortest section of the park).

Of course there's no sense to wonder what would have happened "if only", but it's sports talk. That's what we always talk about in sports: what if this guy doesn't get hurt, what if that call doesn't get blown, what if they bunt here, what if they pull that pitcher one inning earlier, what if they throw a different pitch. The essence of talking about sports is the essence of writing alternate history.

But then it must be done if you really want to understand WHY something happened. If you want to look at why Bonds didn't break the homerun record earlier in his career you have to look at EVERYTHING that was different between those seasons and when he did. That includes: spending less time on the injury list, playing in a smaller ballpark with the shortest run down his favored line, having more help in good hitting before and after him, and being bulkier POSSIBLY due to steroids but MAYBE NOT. Once you factor in all those differences the answer is obvious: there are a lot of reasons why he didn't set the record before he did.

[mrbillxx]

Good point. When Pujols moves to a new stadium designed just for him, who knows what his numbers will look like!

[PISANO]

...are a lot of reasons why he didn't set the record before he did

I really don't wonder why he set the record when he did I ONLY WONDER why HE has NEVER hit 50 in his career BEFORE or AFTER the 74 monster year. That is my question. Except for Hank Aaron I don't think ANY baseball player in HISTORY (I may be wrong) THAT was considered a HOME RUN hitter (you know 500+ HR's in Lifetime) has NOT hit 50 in one or more years. That is why it sticks in my HEAD. WHY so many? 74 and never at least 50?? Maybe it is ONLY my mystery and means little to anyone else.