TO BOO OR NOT TO BOO

At 712, Barry Bonds is about to pass Babe Ruth's home run total of 714.

The San Francisco slugger looks to take another step toward second place on the all-time home run list when the Giants open a two-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on Wednesday.

Bonds hit his 712th career home run in the eighth inning off San Diego’s Scott Linebrink in the Giants’ 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, and needs two more homers to tie Ruth.

...Hank Aaron, who started his major league career in Milwaukee with the Braves and ended it with the Brewers, ranks first with 755 homers. Bonds said he hadn’t thought about the possibility of tying or passing Ruth in Milwaukee.

...The seven-time MVP has been hounded by allegations of steroid abuse all season. The recent book “Game of Shadows” detailed his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, prompting Major League Baseball to launch its own investigation into steroid use.

A federal grand jury is also investigating whether Bonds committed perjury when he told another grand jury he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds has faced hostile crowds on the road and can expect less support from fans in this series and a three-game weekend set in Philadelphia.

Is it bad sportsmanship to boo Barry Bonds?

That's not the question.

The question should be:

Is it bad sportsmanship to use performance-enhancing substances and lie about it?

Whether or not one chooses to express contempt for Bonds by booing is not the issue.

What matters is that Bonds deserves to be booed.

This guy is not fit to have his name above Babe Ruth in MLB's record books. His home runs are tainted.

Babe Ruth and home run king Hank Aaron are in a completely different league from Barry Bonds.

A bit of every "boo" for bonds should also be directed toward Bud Selig. In terms of monitoring steroid use among players, he has been a disaster. In my opinion, he should have stepped aside long ago.

Selig should have done everything within his power to protect the integrity of the game. The commissioner should not be in the business of protecting cheaters, and in the process, diminishing the accomplishments of the real heroes of baseball.

If Bonds ties Ruth's record, I say, "BREAK OUT THE BOOS."

If he surpasses it, I say, "MAKE IT A DOUBLE."


HANK AARON
755




BABE RUTH
714



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