700 HRs...why all the attention?

Axtell

For the last couple of days, I've been giving thought to Barry Bonds' pursuit of the all-time home run record and began to think 'why do we care so much?"

It's not a bash on Bonds (although I am no fan), but what is it about this record that is so compelling? Especially now when everyone and their sister is hitting 50 home runs + per year....does anyone really think Bonds' all-time HR record won't be broken at some point too? The record was set about 30 years ago, by perhaps one of the most unassuming men to play the game.

What is it about home runs that makes it seem like it's the most important stat of all time? People talk about the rarity of the 700 HR club....but does anyone think for a minute there won't be many, many more members in 10 years or so? The way the chase is made out though the media, you'd think he's chasing a record that's been around for as long as baseball. The reality is that it's a fairly modern record, that willl be likely be broken in the future.

Is it the media's desire to make a hero, have a leading story every night?

I am not sure about you, but most sports fans I know, when asked about it, don't really care too much about it...even the night after 700 it wasn't even a topic of conversation.

What does everyone else think?

yawie99

700 home runs is an incredible, incredible accomplishment. But people just don't like Barry. If Griffey's career hadn't been nearly completely derailed, people would be going nuts over his 700th and probably already starting the Countdown to Aaron. But people just don't like Barry.

wlf3

simply put, it's a once in a lifetime/generation occurance and only been done 3 times in history and probally won't happen again anytime soon if ever.

Axtell

I don't remember the same hype being made about the all-time steals record being broken...and that is one that will NEVER be broken. With the rash of huge HR numbers year in and year out (Arod has what, nearly 400 already?) Bonds won't be the all-time HR record for long.

I didn't mean it other than to simply ask why we are asked to care about one stat (the HR) more than other records (Cal's consecutive game streak, etc. etc.).

It was simply a curiosity on my behalf what it is that makes this record appear to be so vaunted in the community. What makes the hitting of HRs to be such an awe inspiring stat?

yawie99

Dude, it's the home run, fer cryin' out loud! It's part of the fabric of the game - the fabric of society. I mean, we speak of "swinging for the fences" not "trying to swipe second." There's a "House that Ruth Built," but no "House that Billy Hamilton Built." When you were a kid, did you daydream about hitting the winning home run in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7, or did you fantasize about pitching a scoreless 6th and 7th to get the hold? I could go on and on, but I almost feel like it's pointless if you haven't yet understood why the home run has such a special place in the game.

goodriddance189

BECAUSE IT'S ONLY BEEN DONE BY TWO OTHER PLAYERS IN HISTORY?!

yawie99

Oh yeah, when you were with a chick back in the day, did you simply want to get to second base? Of course not. It's all about the four-bagger, brah.

Buckwheat

<< <i> Especially now when everyone and their sister is hitting 50 home runs + per year....does anyone really think Bonds' all-time HR record won't be broken at some point too? >>



Just for the record

No one has hit 50 HR this year, and Beltre is the only one with a chance to do so.

700 is an amazing feat, and it is HR. How often does sportscenter show every steal of every game????

Axtell

I think you guys are missing the point of my question.

I am not questioning the exclusivity of the 700 HR club. Everyone knows there are 3, everyone knows who they are.

My question is why do we care so much about it?

How many people are in the 1,000+ steals club? (Henderson.) Why is that we care so much more about the HR than the steals, or any other record for that matter.

I know how revered the HR is...my question is why? Is hitting a HR really more of a skill than pitching a shutout, or stealing a bag? I know the HR is more glamorous (thanks, Babe!), but why? I know the place the hR has in the history of the game...I am just trying to gauge the 'why' aspect of it.

goodriddance189

because homeruns are a glamour stat. people don't get excited about singles and stolen bases- homeruns draw the crowd. is this fair? maybe, maybe not.

i personally think the all time and single season runs records are the most important- because the last time i checked, scoring runs was the key to success in baseball

DirtyHarry

Axtell - I hear you, especially on kudos for base stealing. That baton was passed from Cobb to Wills to Brock to Henderson. Pitchers get their due at 300 wins. Used to be the mark of respect for "sluggers" was 500 HR's, so an elite plateau at 700 is pretty remarkable. Regards.

yawie99

<< <i>I am just trying to gauge the 'why' aspect of it. >>



I really think that would be like trying explain why, say, Paris Hilton is a celebrity. Just as she's famous because she's famous, the home run just is.

I honestly don't know that fandom's collective fascination with the homer has grown any, but if it has, I guess you could chalk it up to the instant gratification aspect of it. Today's culture relates more to the quick jolt of the dinger than to the sustained effort that goes into a shutout, for example. But I'm guessing that baseball fans have always had an affinity for the big fly.

Buckwheat

Axtell,

The Home run is the most important play in baseball. It changes the game, and is much more important in scoring runs than batting average and stolen bases. And it is exciting. For a good take on the importance of home runs, I recommend Reggie Jackson's autobiograpy, where he talks incessantly about the importance of a "dinger". How many walk off stolen bases have you seen? Now if someone stole home 50 times a season, that would be exciting!

Everyone remembers the 61 season, and Maris and Mantle's race to top Ruth. And then the Sosa McGwire chase. IT also is a stat that can draw the attention to baseball by those who don't follow very closely.

mintluster

<< <i>For the last couple of days, I've been giving thought to Barry Bonds' pursuit of the all-time home run record and began to think 'why do we care so much?"

Is it the media's desire to make a hero, have a leading story every night?

What does everyone else think? >>

I think the magic number of 700 will always be significant in baseball. I just don't think it is AS SIGNIFICANT as it once was with the steroids, small ballparks (S.F. stadium right field line is 309 feet!!!!), juiced balls, bad pitching.

Plus, it took over 100 years of baseball to get about 15 players in the 500 homerun club, but now that number will be triple in the next 10 to 15 years with all of the guys that are in their 200-400's now. Heck, if Rafiel Palmeiro plays another 2 seasons he will have 600!!! So Bonds will break this "manufactored" record in 2006? So what. Sosa, A-Rod, and/or Pujols will probably turn right around an break the Bonds record within the next 10 years.

If people are willing to get out of the ESPN mindset for a few moments and actually study past legendary players, you will easily see that Bonds is not the greatest of all-time, not even close. He is "one of the best." That's it.
Every time this guy hits a homerun the press wants to talk about him being the greatest. It's kind of funny really, because so many people will believe it.

If you all go to mlb.com right now and pull up Bonds career stats versus Ruth's career stats you will see this: Ruth is ahead of bonds in almost every category as a HITTER, and Bonds currently has almost 1,000 more at-bats than Ruth!! So what does that say?
I don't even have to bring up Ruth's career World Series stats and records, or his pitching stats and records.

Bottom Line: 700 homeruns is still significant but at some point in time very soon (2010?) it will be what 500 homeruns was 15 years ago.

Marky

The game has changed over the years and yes, more and more people are hitting 50+ homeruns a year. Bonds just happens to be the first one in this generation to hit the 700 mark. We will see many others hit that number in the years to come and it won't be such an unattainable number. I wish Griffey had stayed healthy. I would have liked to have seen him do it. Bonds is a good ballplayer, but man does he know it.

700 homers is still a pretty incredible feat. The reason everybody's falling all over it is because the home run record is the perceived by many to be the most hollowed record in baseball. It represents power, strength, longevity, etc....

Axtell

baseball-reference.com is also a great resource for looking up not only player stats, but they have an incredible collection of single season and career records in just about every batting category.