Non-Record holders. . Really??

                                                            

   During the 2017 baseball season, the inflation of the home run has skyrocketed to the heavens. Gincarlo Stanton is on pace to hit 60 home runs, Aaron Judge will definitely hit 40, maybe 50. Gary Sanchez is heating up. Baseball has tested the balls and the results have come out that they are clean. There are two things here that bother me, records and PED’s(Performing Enhancing Drugs). Why does it bother me? Good question, lets delve into some more.

     Gincarlo Stanton came on record a couple of weeks ago saying that Roger Maris’ single season home run record of 61 is the home run record. Some will say Bond’s 73, some will say Babe Ruth’s 60. People can not just make up the rules and the facts. Bonds is the official record holder of the single season and all time home run records. We all know that Bonds had the suspicion of taking PED’s, but it was never proven. Mark McGuire came out a few years ago and stated that he took PED’s. Sammy Sosa never came out, nor were test results positive, for PED’s. If you want to put an asterisks next to McGuire’ name, I understand why, but you may as well put it one by Maris’ too.

    The issue people had with Roger Maris’s single season record was that he had 8 more games to break the record. Why is that his fault? He did not change the rules to the league. He did not come out and  he alternated himself to perform better during the season. McGuire did enhance his performance, Bonds and Sosa have been suspected but that is all it is, suspicion.

   Until we have proof(Palmeiro) or admission(Mcguire), people need to lay low and just go about their business. Stanton should just focus on playing his game the best way possible and help the Marlins win games. Many times we see players, coaches and executives worrying about the past that they do not worry about the present and future. Alex Rodriguez worried too much about who he can live up too rather than what he can become.

    The media, players, and Major League Baseball itself need to not come out and say stupid things like Stanton did a few weeks ago. This is the same issue I have with  the Pete Rose and Hall Of Fame. I say let the voters decide just like they are deciding with the (suspected) PED users. Everyone jumped all over Eric Thames at the beginning of the season when he was hitting, he was tested more than any other player because they thought he was on PEDs.

    MLB should just be worried about testing their players at the rate they agreed with the players union. They do not need  another strike to come into play. When MLB was cleaning up after the “Steroid Era”, pitching outperformed the offensive side of the game. Now that home runs are spiking, everyone is freaking out. Do you think when home runs spiked in the 1960’s and 1970’s people were freaking out? Fans like to enjoy the game and the more ridiculous Major League Baseball and its players come and say and do stupid things, it makes them look worse. 

    We have 3 single season home run record holders. The first was Babe Ruth in 1927 with 60 home runs. 34 years later, Roger Maris broke that record with 61 home runs, then broken by Barry Bonds in 2001 with 73 home runs. Barry Bonds is also the All-Time Home Run leader, Hank Aaron himself would tell you the same thing. Players like Gincarlo Stanton should just keep his mouth shut and continue to play. Please do not ruin baseball for what comes out of your mouth, just make it better by how you play.

City Haters

  Many of the big cities throughout the county have multiple teams in the same sport, with the exception of Boston. New York has 2 baseball teams, 2 football teams, 2 basketball teams and 2 hockey teams. Chicago has 2 baseball teams. Los Angeles has 2 baseball teams, 2 football teams and 2 basketball teams. What bothers me is that fans and players of one of those teams hate the other intercity team. My question is simple, why? Why do Met fans hate the Yankees? Why do Jets fans hate the Giants? Cubs fans the Chisox? This concept makes me so frustrated, lets dig deeper into the issue.

     Let’s start with New York baseball since, well, I live it daily. Last night I went to the Yankees-Mets game with my wife. My wife is a Mets fan and I am a Yankees. The lead kept changing and the Yankees eventually won the game. Every time one of our teams scored, we would rub it in each others face, which is normal. What I saw around me was just outstanding, Mets fans just hating on the Yankees. Personally, I know people who are Mets fans who hate the Yankees. Why? Not only are the Yankees and Mets in separate divisions, but they are in separate leagues!! The situation is not like Yankees-Dodgers or Yankees-Giants when they met in so many World Series from 1920-1958. The Mets and Yankees met in one World Series!

      Do Met fans hate the Yankees have owned the city for decades because of the winning? The Mets have had their moments for example the late 1960’s/early 70’s and Mid to late 1980’s. They had a change only  2 years ago when they went to the World Series. The Mets squandered their chances at the moment in time, but you should not be blaming the Yankees. The same thing can be said about the Jets and Giants.

    Even though the Jets won a Super Bowl before the Giants, the Giants have 4 Super Bowl victories since 1969 and had won championships before the Super Bowl. The Jets and Giants are in the same situation as Yankees and Mets, different division, different conference. Who cares what the other team does?!?! The Jets had their chance when Rex Ryan took over as coach. They went to back-to-back AFC Championships with Butt Fumble Sanchez but could not get over the hump. That was sandwiched by the Giants doing something the Jets can not do, beat the Patriots when its important(in this case the Super Bowl). Why should Jets fans be upset with Giants? Maybe they should have called Tom Coughlin about his game plan.

    Intercity rivalries are no doubt fun when the games come around, but aren’t they taken a little too far? I am a Yankees and Giants fan and if the Jets and Mets won their respective championships, I would be happy for them. The only time I would route against those teams is they were playing the teams that I favor. Shouldn’t fans, executives, and players of this teams actually worry about teams in their divisions, conferences and leagues? If the Jets were playing the Cowboys or Eagles in the Super Bowl, you bet I am routing for the Jets. By saying what I said, I do not mean that every single fan of these teams act the way I described. There are many fans who would route for the same town teams. All that is asked for is clarification, why do you hate those other teams so much you would favor a more heated rival when they play your intercity rivalry?