by Jason Haskins

Created on: February 12, 2008

The crack of the bat and the pop of a ball hitting the mitt will soon be heard across complexes in Florida and Arizona over the next few weeks. Players will begin to trickle into their camps and begin the first steps to the long, grueling season that looms ahead. One man that may be sitting home this summer is incomparable Barry Bonds, he of the home run record and possible grand jury indictment. The question remains, though, is where does Barry Bonds career credibility sit when compared with the other great players of not only his generation, but of all time?

Barry Bonds' career is often split into two categories. One is his pre-alleged steroid use. The other is post 2000, in which was the first season that Barry Bonds began his home run surge. As a player of are generation, pre-2000, Barry Bonds was one of the best all around players playing the game. He could his more power and average, he could steal bases, and he played excellent defense. At this point in his career, Barry Bonds already had numerous all-star appearances under his belt, and had even won the MVP. It could be easily argued that Barry Bonds would have been on track for six hundred home runs and six hundred stolen bases, given that he continued to play injury free until the year 2007, which as of now, was his last year.

The steroid speculation has hampered the career of Barry Bonds. Even if he did do it, the man will be forever linked with a generation of steroid users. Barry Bonds will be lumped in with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, and many others. In this care, Bonds can be considered one the greatest of his generation of players. Out of these guys (Canseco and Caminitti included), Bonds clearly stands out. Only Palmeiro was a man know for hitting for an average and playing outstanding defense. If you look at Sosa, McGwire, Canseco, and Caminitti, they were known for one thing: Smashing the cover off of the ball. Bonds was a complete player, save for the last years of his career. The only person that may have rivaled Barry Bonds' is Ken Griffey, Jr. The man was also a five tool talent, but injuries have taken a toll on his career.

The career of Barry Bonds must be looked at as a whole. In the years following the 1999 season, the home run numbers have jumped significantly. In those first few years, his other numbers maintained a same healthy level, but those have also dropped in the past few years. The injuries have certainly taken a toll on him. While it may never be proved if Bonds took steroids, the air of doubt will always remain.

Barry Bonds has never been a media chum, and with the steroid allegations around him, the media may never look at his career on a whole. The man, though he may have lied and cheated, but the numbers don't lie. This was a man that was on a pace to have similar numbers to those of Willie Mays. Unfortunately, we'll never know. The credibility of Barry Bonds will never be the same, no matter what is said and done. It's too bad the steroid era crept into his tiny "Barry Bonds" world. This is a man that will surely get into the Hall of Fame one day, but instead of being loved by baseball, he will be hated by a nation.

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