As of today, Albert Pujols sits at 32 home runs, and is just starting to really heat up. At this pace, he could end the season with 65+ home runs. This begs the question, will it "mean" more, than Bonds seasons of 70, and 73, with all the talk of steroids?
While I will never say Bonds wasn't a great player (he was, look at his time in Pittsburgh), there's too much controversy surrounding his great seasons, to justify them as being better than the seasons of guys like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Roger Maris. If Pujols hits more than 61, Maris' record pre-McGwire/Sosa/Bonds, it will remembered more, and held in higher regard than anything those 3 did. While they were doing their thing, it was great, but let's face it. we could see a Hall Of Fame, without them in it. Pujols is just padding his resume right now for Cooperstown, and is doing it with zero controversy swirling around him.
I'm not saying Pujols is better, has had a better career, or is a better person than Bonds. I'm just stating that I think an honest season of 61+ will mean more than the rest we've already seen.
While I will never say Bonds wasn't a great player (he was, look at his time in Pittsburgh), there's too much controversy surrounding his great seasons, to justify them as being better than the seasons of guys like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Roger Maris. If Pujols hits more than 61, Maris' record pre-McGwire/Sosa/Bonds, it will remembered more, and held in higher regard than anything those 3 did. While they were doing their thing, it was great, but let's face it. we could see a Hall Of Fame, without them in it. Pujols is just padding his resume right now for Cooperstown, and is doing it with zero controversy swirling around him.
I'm not saying Pujols is better, has had a better career, or is a better person than Bonds. I'm just stating that I think an honest season of 61+ will mean more than the rest we've already seen.