In Defense of Barry Bonds

Hahahaha.  No one could really defend Barry Bonds, could they?  I guess Bill James could: http://www.slate.com/id/2266750

If everyone who reads here doesn't already know about Bill James, I would say he is the Godfather of Sabermetrics, all new thought about stats and baseball.  He has led the way to show how value can be over or underrated and that the search for baseball talent is often inexact.  Of course most of us know about Bill James. 

I can't get over his premise in this article, that Babe Ruth would have used steriods if he could have and should be just as hated as Barry Bonds.  I hate the Yankees, but somehow I find Babe Ruth's larger than life persona likeable.  I find Barry Bonds to be about the most unlikeable guy to ever play baseball.  I look at Bonds' stats and see that even in his last season, he was putting up monster numbers.  His whole career is just packed full of monster numbers.  But in more than one way he is the most offensive player in history. 

To me Bonds is almost a Shakespearian tragedy.  If you look at the money list, who made the most money in their career, Bonds is #4.  http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_salaries.shtml

But when I read that Tiger Woods made $40 million in endorsements one year, it just hammers home how much Bonds paid for being a jerk.  In his last few years Bonds made almost no money at all on endorsements.  His attitude was costing him millions.  He didn't seem to care, or didn't seem to be able to change his image.  Then in '08 and '09 he wanted to play.  No one would take him.  The all time home run champ, clearly could still help a team win ballgames, and no one wants him.  If he had never been linked to any illegal substances, I wonder if we would feel the same about him?  I don't know.  He was just such a jerk.