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DJI will be honest with you guys, growing up in the seventies, I lived and loved baseball. Today I watch it but it doesn't mean to me what it once did. What they play today isn't the baseball I remember.
Remember when baseball players led the league with 30 home runs? I remember when George Scott led the league in I think 1977. Some scrub for the Brewers named Bill Hall has that and is he even in the top twenty for home runs?
Random Comparison.
1974 NL:
Mike Schmidt-PHI 36
Johnny Bench-CIN 33
Jimmmy Wynn-LAD 32
Tony Perez-CIN 28
Cesar Cedeno-HOU 26
2006 NL: (up to date)
Ryan Howard-PHI 56
Albert Pujols-STL 44
Alfonso Soriano-WAS 44
Adam Dunn-CIN 40
Carlos Beltran-NYM 39
Lance Berkman-HOU 37
Carlos Delgado-NYM 37
Carlos Lee-MIL 36* combines
Andruw Jones-ATL 32
Aramis Ramirez-CHI 32
Jason Bay-PIT 31
Bill Hall-MIL 30
Adam LaRoche-ATL 29
Ken Griffey Jr-CIN 26
Matt Holiday-COL 26
Chase Utley-PHI 26
with 30+ games to go.
Ask yourselves the following question: How many home runs would Babe Ruth hit today?
He:
1) never had the medicine to repair himself.
2) never had the opportunity to bulk up illegally with pills.
3) never had the opportunity to know ahead of time what the pitcher's
tendancies were with computers and scouts.
4) never faced this many teams, shallow below average pitchers.
5) never faced eighteen year old that weren't ready.
6) never played in Coors field or met the right porch in Fenway.
7) never faced Jose Lima.
8) never traveled in comfort.
9) never met these new tight baseballs. A friend of mine who plays in the
Big leagues, not a star, says there is a huge difference from several
years ago.
I could go on...but Fresno State is coming on shortly.
DJ