Author Archives: tom

Thoughts on Barry Bonds, Home Runs, and Steroids

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This past weekend Barry Bonds tied the home run record of Hank Aaron at 755. It appears that he will break Hank’s record; this is tarnished by the assumption that Barry used steroids from about 2000 until MLB started testing for steroids in 2005. I posted something on this on March 9, 2006.

It is interesting to look at the home runs over the careers of both players. One of the things that many of us notice is that Barry’s production of home runs increased at a time when they tend to slow down for other players. Here are the numbers:

Babe Ruth (age) Year HR’s Hank Aaron (age) Year HR’s Barry Bonds (age) Year HRs
19 1914 0 19 1954 13 23 1986 16
20 1915 4 20 1955 27 24 1987 25
21 1916 3 21 1956 26 25 1988 24
22 1917 2 22 1957 44 26 1989 19
23 1918 11 23 1958 30 27 1990 33
24 1919 29 24 1959 39 28 1991 25
25 1920 54 25 1960 40 29 1992 34
26 1921 59 26 1961 34 30 1993 46
27 1922 35 27 1962 45 31 1994 37
28 1923 41 28 1963 44 32 1995 33
29 1924 46 29 1964 24 33 1996 42
30 1925 25 30 1965 32 34 1997 40
31 1926 47 31 1966 44 35 1998 37
32 1927 60 32 1967 39 36 1999 34
33 1928 54 33 1968 29 37 2000 49
34 1929 46 34 1969 44 38 2001 73
35 1930 49 35 1970 38 39 2002 46
36 1931 46 36 1971 47 40 2003 45
37 1932 41 37 1972 34 41 2004 45
38 1933 34 38 1973 40 42 2005 5
39 1934 22 39 1974 20 43 2006 26
40 1935 6 40 1975 12 44 2007 21
41 1976 10
Totals: 715 755 755

Ruth’s most productive year was 1927 (age 32); Aaron’s was 1971 (age 36); Bond’s was 2001 (age 37). That seems to argue that Barry isn’t that unusual but on closer observation I’ve noticed a few things. In the years when we assume he was juiced (2000-2004) he hit 258 home runs. In the five years before (1995-1999) he hit 186 home runs. It’s hard to imagine that his body was strongest in his early late 30s and early 40s. Most hitters start off slowly either because they aren’t yet playing every day or because they are still learning the craft of hitting. Barry did very well for the first 10 years, hitting 292 home runs (Ruth hit 238 in his first 10 years and Aaron hit 342). For whatever reason he decided that wasn’t enough.

Since Babe Ruth, home run statistics have become the “gold standard” of baseball and power was king. Since this statistic has become tainted, perhaps other records will gain more popularity. There are records that would not be helped by steroids (and even hurt by them). I’m thinking of Cal Ripkin’s 2,632 consecutive game streak or Joe DiMaggio’s 56 consecutive games with a hit. There is also Cy Young’s 511 games won as a pitcher. This is just a guess but I’m hoping that endurance will unseat power. It would, in a sense, be the ultimate penalty for Barry: he abuses his body and the game to reach a record that garners less respect because of the way he went about it.

Back Home From Vacation

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We got back from New York yesterday afternoon and are getting back into the home routine. I downloaded lots of pictures and will post them soon. New York City was kind of a nostalgia trip for me: when I was a Paulist novice in 1990 I lived an hour west and went into the city fairly regularly. I also spent the summer of 1991 living there while I worked at the Paulist Press. Nostalgia trips are always dangerous because the place inevitably can’t live up to the selective memories, but with that caveat I have to say it was a fun trip.

The one thing we wouldn’t do again is the Empire State Building. The line to get to the 86th floor didn’t look too bad when we got in. We found out very quickly that the employ Disneyland’s “hide the line” trick. Once you purchase your (nonrefundable) ticket there are a series of lines and guards before you get into the elevator to the 80th floor. There you have your picture taken (available for purchase of course) and are told you can rent headphones. Finally after that series of lines you take an elevator up the final 6 stories to the observation desk. All told we were in line for nearly an hour.

We also had some “classic New York” experiences. When we visited Strawberry Fields in Central Park there were two guys on benches nearby. They spent the better part of our 15 minutes there yelling at each other to shut up. They both wanted the same thing but neither would let the other have the last word. During our stay we took the famous New York subway several times. One of those times was using the 1 train uptown in morning rush hour. It seemed that we were waiting on the platform for longer than usual and when the train arrived it was already crowded. Like everyone else we crowded out way in and I was wedged between so many people I couldn’t even reach a pole to grab onto. Fortunately we were only on for a few stops.

The weather in New York was what you would expect in late July and early August: HHH: hazy, hot, and humid. It was in the low 90s for most of our stay and we were grateful for New York’s legendary good drinking water. Fortunately we both prefer hot weather to cold and it didn’t stop us from doing what we had planned.

All told, it was a good trip and I hope to do it again soon.

Return to New York City

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Nancy and I are currently in New York City. I haven’t been here since 1997 when I told the Paulist Fathers that I was leaving the priesthood to get married. It’s been a good few days (and we still have tomorrow) and I’ve noticed the things that are the same and the things that are different. It’s the same city in the sense that there’s still the same energy: New York is a city with lots and lots of people and I like getting caught up in the frenzy. Nancy, not so much. It’s also nice seeing some of the same landmarks. Last night we had dinner with my friend Tina who I hadn’t seen since 1997. We walked by St. Paul’s Church where I was ordained on May 14, 1994. Earlier in the day we spent the morning and afternoon at the Bronx Zoo: it’s a terrific zoo and I’m embarrassed that I hadn’t been there before.

Today we walked down to Greenwich Village and Washington Square Park. I always liked that part of town and we enjoyed walking around there. I dreaded this part, but we felt we needed to go down to where the World Trade Centers used to be. I haven’t been back since 9/11 and dreaded this but knew I had to go. The funny thing was that the Twin Towers were so much a part of lower Manhattan that it was hard to get a sense of that part of town without the Towers. I brought my camera but didn’t take any pictures because there simply weren’t any places that were good shots. I was, in a sense, relieved that there wasn’t a “Kodak place” there because no picture could get a sense of the horror of that day. I spent most of my time not looking at the place where they were (it’s now a construction site where they are rebuilding). Most of my energy was spent on the buildings in the immediate area. In the last (almost) six years I’ve spent countless hours thinking about what it must have been like to have been in one of the towers or one of the planes; today I wondered what it must have been like to be in one of the buildings nearby. To have seen those towers collapse and be enveloped in the dust. To have known what it all meant. To have to return to work in that area and have to look at the cloud of dust and debris for weeks and months. To have knows how close it all was and to wonder when all the screaming was going to be over.

On one hand it was nice to see New York working so well but it was hard not to be caught up in how it was then.

Cooperstown in the Rear View Mirror

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Today we left Cooperstown and are in New York City. Tony’s and Cal’s induction into the Hall of Fame was yesterday and it was a day to remember (I didn’t write this yesterday because I was too tired by the time we got back to the hotel). The day was warm but there were enough clouds in the sky to keep it manageable. We paid extra for good seats and that turned out to be the best investment we’ve made so far. We were right behind the press tables and could easily see the people on stage.

If you’ve read anything at all about the weekend you know that this was a record crowd for an induction weekend: there were about 75,000 of us. It was also a record weekend for Hall of Fame Members: there are currently 63 living members and 55 of them were there. They were all on stage behind Tony and Cal and it was hard to imagine just how much talent was on the stage. I’m sure that all HOF speeches are a series of thank you’s but given what a class act they both are, these speeches were above and beyond. I’m still looking for the texts of the speeches but they were both moving in different ways. Tony depended less on his notes and it felt more like it was from his heart. Cal read his but the speech was more polished. Neither was better than the other and they both gave a good sense of who they are as men.

I also want to thank the village of Cooperstown. It’s a small place and they did a very good job of accommodating all of us. There were some glitches with the shuttle buses but that was more a matter of them promising what couldn’t be done. We were picked up at our lot but got stuck in such a huge traffic jam that it was quicker for us to get out and walk (which is what we did). There were just too many vehicles and too few roads.

We’re definitely planning a return trip.

Cooperstown

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We’re currently in Cooperstown New York for the induction of Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is Nancy’s first trip to Cooperstown and I haven’t been since 1991. They tell us this is the biggest crowd the town has ever seen and I believe it. Most of the reason is that they are inducting two of the sport’s greatest: Tony and Cal were both elected the first year they were eligible. They both spent their entire career with one club when they could have easily chased more money by moving. They are both still in their respective communities and doing good work there. In short, they are exactly the kind of men the league (and our world) need. As we walked around the town today we saw many, many people in Padres or Orioles gear and without exception we were eager to talk about them.

This is also a good weekend to spot the stars. We had our picture taken with Padres owner John Moores and Nancy had her picture taken with ESPN’s Joe Morgan. We also met Tim Kurkjian who autographed our copy of Is This a Great Game or What? It’s been a great day.

In addition to baseball we’ve also been able to pursue another hobby, wine tasting. When most people think about wine tasting, they think of California. There’s certainly no shortage of wineries in California but we’ve found that many other places in the country, including the Hudson River Valley. Yesterday we stumbled on Benmarl Winery and were impressed with their Zinfandel, and Adair Winery where we were impressed with the winery but not the wines. Today on our way out of Cooperstown we found Bear Pond Winery where we bought a bottle of their Traminette. We’ll keep everyone posted on what we find.

Playpumps: This Looks Like a Good Idea

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Yesterday Nancy heard a report on the NPR show Marketplace about playpumps. We all know that large areas of the world have scarce water resources and every year about 2 million children die due to a lack of clean drinking water. In South Africa they have found a way to use childrens’ playground equipment (and energy from the children) to pump water out of the ground. You can see their home page for more information. I’ve also posted a banner on the left side of my blog. Let me know what you think.

And So We March On

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Yesterday San Diego held the annual Gay Pride Parade and my employer, San Diego Hospice and Palliative Care sponsored a float. I’ve attended the parade before but this year I decided to march. I got my SDHPC polo shirt, my “straight but not narrow” pin, and lots of sunscreen and joined about 20 of my co-workers. The float was mostly a pickup truck driven by my friend and co-worker Allex Turner. We inflated dozens of helium balloons and tied them to the truck. We also had a large sign that I helped carry ahead of the truck. It was wonderful. All along the parade rout we were cheered by people who know our work. In addition to hospice we also do AIDS Case Management and reach out to people who are living with AIDS. That has been well received in the gay community and it was nice to be part of it. I promised that I will walk again next year and I pray I’ll be able to keep that promise.

So Now All I Need is a Time Machine…

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Tonight I went with my father-in-law Al to a Padres game. When Nancy and I became season ticket holders we signed up for a promotion the Padres call their “Frequent Friars.” We swipe a card at each game and earn points that can be redeemed for stuff. Most of it is junk but the card is free and we go to the games anyway. Tonight I swiped my card and got a free baseball cap (to add to my extensive collection). I also got a coupon for a “Free Classic Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar” at the Ice Cream Shop on 5th Ave, with a purchase of $10 or more. The best part? It’s 7/18/2007 and the coupon expires on 7/15/2007. So if anyone has a time machine I could borrow…

Happy Bastille Day: Have You Hugged Your French Friend Today?

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OK, it’s cheap but worth a try. Today is Bastille Day and commemorates the day in 1789 when ordinary citizens of France stormed the Bastille (a prison that held symbolic meaning about the absolute power of King Louis XVI). It began the French Revolution and an end to the monarchy in France. I’m of French ancestry but most of my ancestors were already in Canada (called Acadia at the time but is now Nova Scotia). Unfortunately the French Revolution was not good for genealogists like myself as many church records in France were destroyed during the Revolution. In any case, raise a glass of wine for this French independence day.

President Bush Grades on a Very Generous Curve

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Yesterday the White House released a report to Congress on how President Bush feels about progress being made in Iraq. Congress asked him specifically to report on 18 pre-arranged benchmarks. You can read the full report; in addition I have listed the 18 benchmarks and how they were assessed by the President. According to news reports only 8 of the 18 have been rated as “satisfactory.” President Bush says he’s pleased by the progress. I don’t know anyone else who would be pleased with a success rate of 43% but that’s what we have.
These are the benchmarks:
1. Forming a Constitutional Review Committee and then completing the constitutional review.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress toward forming a Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) and then completing the constitutional review.
2. Enacting and implementing legislation on de-Ba’thification reform.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has not made satisfactory progress toward enacting and implementing legislation on de-Ba’athification reform.
3. Enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources to the people of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients, and enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the energy resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shi’a Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi citizens in the equitable manner.
Assessment: The current status is unsatisfactory, but it is too early to tell whether the Government of Iraq will enact and implement legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources to all Iraqis.
4. Enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semi-autonomous regions.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress toward enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semi-autonomous regions.
5. Enacting and implementing legislation establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission, provincial council authorities, and a date for provincial elections.
Assessment: There are multiple components to this benchmark, each deserving its own assessment:

  • Establishing the IHEC Commission: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress toward establishing an IHEC Commission.
  • Elections Law: The Government of Iraq has not made satisfactory progress toward establishing a provincial elections law.
  • Provincial Council Authorities: The Government of Iraq has not made satisfactory progress toward establishing provincial council authorities.
  • Provincial Elections Date: The Government of Iraq has not made satisfactory progress toward establishing a date for provincial election

6. Enacting and implementing legislation addressing amnesty.
Assessment: The prerequisites for a successful general amnesty are not present; however, in the current security environment, it is not clear that such action should be a near-term Iraqi goal.
7. Enacting and implementing legislation establishing a strong militia disarmament program to ensure that such security forces are accountable only to the central government and loyal to the constitution of Iraq.
Assessment: The prerequisites for a successful militia disarmament program are not present.
8. Establishing supporting political, media, economic, and service committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan.

Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress toward establishing supporting political, media, economic, and service committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan.
9. Providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress toward providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations.
10. Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical and operational decisions in consultation with U.S. Commanders without political intervention to include the authority to pursue all extremists including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has not made satisfactory progress toward providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical and operational decisions in consultation with U.S. Commanders without political intervention to include the authority to pursue all extremists including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.
11. Ensuring that Iraqi Security Forces are providing even-handed enforcement of the law.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has not at this time made satisfactory progress in ensuring that Iraqi Security Forces are providing even-handed enforcement of the law; however, there has been significant progress in achieving increased even-handedness through the use of coalition partnering and embedded-transition teams with Iraqi Security Force units.
12. Ensuring that, as Prime Minister Malaiki was quoted by President Bush as saying, “the Baghdad Security Plan will not provide a safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of [their] sectarian or political affiliation.”
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress in ensuring the Baghdad Security Plan does not provide a safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of their sectarian or political affiliations.
13. Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq–with substantial Coalition assistance–has made satisfactory progress toward reducing sectarian violence but has shown unsatisfactory progress toward eliminating militia control of local security.
14. Establishing all of the planned joint security stations in neighborhoods across Baghdad.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq—with substantial Coalition assistance—has made satisfactory progress toward establishing the planned JSSs (joint security stations) in Baghdad.
15. Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces units capable of operating independently.
Assessment: The Iraqi Government has made unsatisfactory progress toward increasing the number of Iraqi Security Forces units capable of operating independently.
16. Ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made satisfactory progress toward ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected.
17. Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis.
Assessment: The Iraqi Government is making satisfactory progress in allocating funds to ministries and provinces, but even if the full $10 billion capital budget is allocated, spending units will not be able to spend all these funds by the end of 2007.
18. Ensuring that Iraq’s political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the ISF.
Assessment: The Government of Iraq has made unsatisfactory progress in ensuring that Iraq’s political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the ISF.
Conclusion: President Bush is telling us to wait until the final report on September 15th but it’s hard to imagine that the other 10 benchmarks will have made much progress, especially considering that the Iraqi Parliament is planning to take off the month of August. You can see Press Secretary Tony Snow’s remarks on this at his July 13th press briefing.

Q Is the Iraqi government and the Iraqi parliament taking the month of August off?

MR. SNOW: Probably, yes. Just not —

Q They’re taking the entire month of August off, before the September deadline?

MR. SNOW: It looks like they may, yes. Just like the U.S. Congress is.

Q Have you tried to talk them out of that?

MR. SNOW: You know, it’s 130 degrees in Baghdad in August, I’ll pass on your recommendation.

Q Well, Tony, Tony, I’m sorry, that’s — you know — I mean, there are a lot of things that happen by September and it’s 130 degrees for the U.S. military also on the ground —

MR. SNOW: You know, that’s a good point. And it’s 130 degrees for the Iraqi military. The Iraqis, you know, I’ll let them — my understanding is that at this juncture they’re going to take August off, but, you know, they may change their minds.

It’s going to be a long, hot summer.