Biggest Bad Guy in Baseball?

[HoustonGM]

The thing is, there's hating Bonds, and than thinking he's the "biggest bad guy in baseball." Yeah, so he did steroids and lied and he's generally an egotistical jerk, but how in the world does that make him as bad as a guy who wore spikes on his cleats for sliding into second base, had a huge history of domestic violence, attacked fans, attacked people for being a different skin color, etc.

Hate Bonds all you want for being a cheating jerk, but there's been plenty of guys in baseball who are more "bad" than him. PLENTY.

[robinhoodnik]

So far as sharpening his spikes, Cobb was hardly the only guy who did that. He did use them probably more frequently than anyone else, but it was fairly common.

[HoustonGM]

So far as sharpening his spikes, Cobb was hardly the only guy who did that. He did use them probably more frequently than anyone else, but it was fairly common.

And so was being a racist in his time, but that doesn't make it any less worse. There's simply no way you can look at the actions of Ty Cobb and Barry Bonds, objectively, and conclude that Barry Bonds is a worse human being.

The way some people act about Bonds, I wouldn't be surprised if some people thought he was worse than Hitler. It's insane.

[robinhoodnik]

I voted Ty Cobb. I'm pointing out a fact about his sharp spikes. Doesn't make it right, doesn't mean I approve, means that it wasn't he alone spiking people. It went on before Cobb, it went on after Cobb. I'd bet He got spiked often too.
I'd bet that if you could go back in time, you'd find people outside of Detroit having very similar conversations about him, that we now have about Barry.

[HoustonGM]

Yeah, I getcha.

But you know, all those same things also go for Barry Bonds. Bonds alone wasn't taking steroids and lying about it, and people did it before him, and continue to do it after him. I wouldn't be surprised if steroids were more rampant than spiked cleats.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

And so was being a racist in his time, but that doesn't make it any less worse. There's simply no way you can look at the actions of Ty Cobb and Barry Bonds, objectively, and conclude that Barry Bonds is a worse human being.

The way some people act about Bonds, I wouldn't be surprised if some people thought he was worse than Hitler. It's insane.

I really hope that was an intentional exaggeration because thats really incomparable.

As far as Bonds-Cobb goes. I am partially biased in my opinion of him, and I know that, but Cobb did not cheat baseball, **** you could go so far to say that he cheated America, of its most valued and hallowed record. As much as I hate A-Rod and the Yankees I'll be look forward to the day A-Rod breaks that record, be it as a Yankee or otherwise.

[robinhoodnik]

To even it up some, Barry is supposed to have some rather racist opinions himself.

[HoustonGM]

I really hope that was an intentional exaggeration because thats really incomparable.

Yes, it was an intentional exaggeration.

As far as Bonds-Cobb goes. I am partially biased in my opinion of him, and I know that, but Cobb did not cheat baseball, **** you could go so far to say that he cheated America, of its most valued and hallowed record. As much as I hate A-Rod and the Yankees I'll be look forward to the day A-Rod breaks that record, be it as a Yankee or otherwise.

The question was the worst all-around bad guy. There is no way that that is Barry Bonds unless you cloud your evaluation of the question with hatred.

If the question was "Who was the biggest cheat in baseball?" than Barry Bonds has a legitimate claim to that crown, but "worst all-around bad guy"? There's many other player who were worse all-around guys than Barry Bonds.

[HoustonGM]

To even it up some, Barry is supposed to have some rather racist opinions himself.

"Supposed."

He isn't out there attacking white people because they're white. I don't believe he's ever stated something that was 100% without a doubt racist. Any views of his racism are pure speculation.

[robinhoodnik]

Yeah, I getcha.

But you know, all those same things also go for Barry Bonds. Bonds alone wasn't taking steroids and lying about it, and people did it before him, and continue to do it after him. I wouldn't be surprised if steroids were more rampant than spiked cleats.

No. Bonds is more reviled because he didn't need to use them. He was a HOF player without it. McGwire was probably done without them. Raffy might not have hung on long enough to get his plateaus. Sosa may not have been good enough without it. Barry was good enough, healthy enough, and likely would have lasted long enough to hit the HOF marks.
His vanity and hyperinflated ego drove him to it. Simple jealousy of Mark and Sammy. Nothing other than selfishness drove him to it. Add to that his reputation as being an all around jerk, and you get the outright loathing of him that many have.

[HoustonGM]

Yeah, I know, I understand why people view him differently, but again, the same can be said for Ty Cobb. He was an elite basestealer without the increased intimidation from wearing spikes on his cleats.

They're both products of their times, but one did things that are selfish, greedy, egotistical, jerkish, while the other actively hurt other human beings. I just don't see how you can objectively look at the two people and truly believe that Barry Bonds was a worse person.

[BOOMhauer8782]

I don't support steroids in the slightest, which is probably obvious since I hate Barry Bonds with every fiber of my being, but baseball needed the biproduct of the steroid use. We were coming out of the strike and attendance was at an all time low, baseball was on the verge of falling out of the major sports circle and spiraling downwards like hockey is now. But when players started juicing and balls started flying out of the park baseball was restored to its former glory. He did what baseball needed at the time by turning a blind eye, if he hadn't baseball wouldn't be where it is now.

As for the Bonds thing. I have always hated Bonds, the alleged steroid use and indictment only further my hate and give me more of a reason to hate him. Hes all about himself and is too cocky for his own good. I have every reason to hate him, the pirouette at home plate against the Dodgers, the alleged steroid use, raping baseball of its homerun record, and his need to be bigger than the game.

So you hate Bonds because of steroids but you love what steroids did to the game? Wow.

[robinhoodnik]

"Supposed."

He isn't out there attacking white people because they're white. I don't believe he's ever stated something that was 100% without a doubt racist. Any views of his racism are pure speculation.

There are some pretty rotten quotes from him in print. His views were probably fostered by his dads experiences, but regardless, he's ignorant, racist or both.

[BOOMhauer8782]

I really hope that was an intentional exaggeration because thats really incomparable.

As far as Bonds-Cobb goes. I am partially biased in my opinion of him, and I know that, but Cobb did not cheat baseball, **** you could go so far to say that he cheated America, of its most valued and hallowed record. As much as I hate A-Rod and the Yankees I'll be look forward to the day A-Rod breaks that record, be it as a Yankee or otherwise.

Who's to say A-Rod wasn't juicing with Palmeiro in Texas?

[HoustonGM]

Even assuming that he is racist, a violent racist is worse than one that just holds racist beliefs.