E&P: Barry Bonds' Home Run Record Tainted by Mechanical Device

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  • Ganchrow
    SBR Hall of Famer
    • 08-28-05
    • 5011

    #1
    E&P: Barry Bonds' Home Run Record Tainted by Mechanical Device
    From Editor & Publisher:

    Barry Bonds' Home Run Record Tainted by Mechanical Device

    By Michael Witte
    Published: August 06, 2007 10:45 AM

    NEW YORK (Commentary) Beyond his alleged steroid use, Barry Bonds is guilty of the use of something that confers extraordinarily unfair mechanical advantage: the “armor” that he wears on his right elbow. Amid the press frenzy over Bonds’ unnatural bulk, the true role of the object on his right arm has simply gone unnoticed.

    This is unfortunate, because by my estimate, Bonds’ front arm “armor” may have contributed no fewer than 75 to 100 home runs to his already steroid-questionable total.

    Bonds tied Henry Aaron’s home run record of 755 on Saturday night and will go for the new standard this week back at home in San Francisco. As a student of baseball – and currently a mechanics consultant to a major league baseball team -- I believe I have insight into the Bonds "achievement." I have studied his swing countless times on video and examined the mechanical gear closely through photographs.

    For years, sportswriters remarked that his massive "protective" gear – unequaled in all of baseball -- permits Bonds to lean over the plate without fear of being hit by a pitch. Thus situated, Bonds can handle the outside pitch (where most pitchers live) unusually well. This is unfair advantage enough, but no longer controversial. However, it is only one of at least seven (largely unexplored) advantages conferred by the apparatus.

    The other six:
    1. The apparatus is hinged at the elbow. It is a literal "hitting machine" that allows Bonds to release his front arm on the same plane during every swing. It largely accounts for the seemingly magical consistency of every Bonds stroke.
    2. The apparatus locks at the elbow when the lead arm is fully elongated because of a small flap at the top of the bottom section that fits into a groove in the bottom of the top section. The locked arm forms a rigid front arm fulcrum that allows extraordinary, maximally efficient explosion of the levers of Bonds' wrists. Bonds hands are quicker than those of average hitters because of his mechanical "assistant."
    3. When Bonds swings, the weight of the apparatus helps to seal his inner upper arm to his torso at impact. Thus "connected," he automatically hits the ball with the weight of his entire body - not just his arms - as average hitters ("extending") tend to do.
    4. Bonds has performed less well in Home Run Derbies than one might expect because he has no excuse to wear a "protector" facing a batting practice pitcher. As he tires, his front arm elbow tends to lift and he swings under the ball, producing towering pop flies or topspin liners that stay in the park. When the apparatus is worn, its weight keeps his elbow down and he drives the ball with backspin.
    5. Bonds enjoys quicker access to the inside pitch than average hitters because his "assistant" - counter-intuitively - allows him to turn more rapidly. Everyone understands that skaters accelerate their spins by pulling their arms into their torsos, closer to their axes of rotation. When Bonds is confronted with an inside pitch, he spins like a skater because his upper front arm is "assistant"-sealed tightly against the side of his chest.
    6. At impact, Bonds has additional mass (the weight of his "assistant") not available to the average hitter. The combined weight of "assistant" and bat is probably equal to the weight of the lumber wielded by Babe Ruth but with more manageable weight distribution.


    Bonds has worn some sort of front arm protection since 1992. In '94, a one-piece forearm guard was replaced by a jointed, two piece elbow model. In ‘95 it got bigger and a small "cap" on the elbow was replaced by a "flap" that overlapped the upper piece and locked the two pieces together when the arm was elongated. In '96, the "apparatus" grew even larger and so did the "flap."

    It seems to have remained relatively the same until -- interestingly— 2001, the year of his record 73 home runs, when an advanced model appeared made (apparently) of a new material. It had softer edges and a groove for the flap to slip into automatically at full arm elongation. More important, the upper half of the machine was sculpted to conform more comfortably to the contours of Bonds' upper arm. Since 2001, the apparatus seems to have remained relatively unchanged.

    Several years back, baseball was rightfully scandalized by the revelation that Sammy Sosa had "corked" his bat. The advantages conferred by the Bonds "hitting machine," however, far exceed anything supplied by cork. Ultimately, it appears the Bonds "achievement” must be regarded as partly the product of “double duplicity" -- steroidal and mechanical.
    <hr>
    Michael Witte (gmitchell@editorandpublisher.com) is a well-known illustrator whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Time, Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal and dozens of other publications. The New Yorker recently wrote a piece about him and his study of mechanics. He appeared on network TV coverage of the 2003 World Series, providing cartoon sketches of some of the action.
  • Mudcat
    Restricted User
    • 07-21-05
    • 9287

    #2
    Once and for all, let's just crown Barry:

    The King of Taint.
    Comment
    • ShamsWoof10
      SBR MVP
      • 11-15-06
      • 4827

      #3
      That armor 'I AM ASSUMING" is like squat suites that people use in lifting competitions or where one for bench press... I don't wear it because I don't compete but hell yeah it helps and I would even say more then steriods... SO WHAT THOUGH LET HIM WEAR IT and take Steriods if he wants.. Why do people care...?
      Comment
      • BatemanPatrickl
        SBR Posting Legend
        • 06-21-07
        • 18772

        #4
        Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
        That armor 'I AM ASSUMING" is like squat suites that people use in lifting competitions or where one for bench press... I don't wear it because I don't compete but hell yeah it helps and I would even say more then steriods... SO WHAT THOUGH LET HIM WEAR IT and take Steriods if he wants.. Why do people care...?
        Because he is a liar, cheat, wife beater.
        Comment
        • Starbuckibm
          SBR High Roller
          • 03-21-07
          • 212

          #5
          oh my god....what else can it be? What other excuse can they make up?
          Comment
          • JBC77
            SBR MVP
            • 03-23-07
            • 3816

            #6
            Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
            That armor 'I AM ASSUMING" is like squat suites that people use in lifting competitions or where one for bench press... I don't wear it because I don't compete but hell yeah it helps and I would even say more then steriods... SO WHAT THOUGH LET HIM WEAR IT and take Steriods if he wants.. Why do people care...?
            I don't know Sham, maybe because it's cheating. Good cheaters don't get caught. Unfortunately Barry was caught.

            The arm guard is huge. He hangs it over the plate. Why? He's not scared to get hit.....huge mental advantage.

            Look at the one Jeter wears. What do you guys think.
            Attached Files
            Comment
            • ShamsWoof10
              SBR MVP
              • 11-15-06
              • 4827

              #7
              Originally posted by BatemanPatrickl
              Because he is a liar, cheat, wife beater.
              So is most of the world... So we punish the athlete's for not telling the truth and cheating but not the leaders of our globe..? Sh*t if you punished athletes for just not telling the truth you wouldn't have an NFL, NBA, MLB or SBR Forum for that matter... I can't count how many times I have caught people on here not telling the truth...
              Comment
              • ShamsWoof10
                SBR MVP
                • 11-15-06
                • 4827

                #8
                Originally posted by JBC77
                I don't know Sham, maybe because it's cheating. Good cheaters don't get caught. Unfortunately Barry was caught.

                The arm guard is huge. He hangs it over the plate. Why? He's not scared to get hit.....huge mental advantage.

                Look at the one Jeter wears. What do you guys think.
                Mental advantage..? Have anyone here ever lifted with a tight suite on ? It adds AT LEAST 30 pounds to your squat and 20 to you bench....
                Comment
                • Art Vandeleigh
                  SBR MVP
                  • 12-31-06
                  • 1494

                  #9
                  These types of discussions are unfortunately much ado about not very much until the day when all outfields of all ballparks have the same dimensions.

                  It's really the weirdest "important" record of any sport anywhere that I can think of.
                  Comment
                  • Mudcat
                    Restricted User
                    • 07-21-05
                    • 9287

                    #10
                    He could be:

                    Sir Taint-a-lot of San Francisco.


                    Perhaps at some future time he could even become:

                    Saint Barry, patron Saint of all Taint.
                    Comment
                    • JBC77
                      SBR MVP
                      • 03-23-07
                      • 3816

                      #11
                      All I'm saying is that it's a monster of an arm guard, seems to extend all the way up to the top of the bicep. An argument could be made that it is an unfair advantage.
                      Attached Files
                      Comment
                      • BatemanPatrickl
                        SBR Posting Legend
                        • 06-21-07
                        • 18772

                        #12
                        Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
                        So is most of the world... So we punish the athlete's for not telling the truth and cheating but not the leaders of our globe..? Sh*t if you punished athletes for just not telling the truth you wouldn't have an NFL, NBA, MLB or SBR Forum for that matter... I can't count how many times I have caught people on here not telling the truth...
                        How have you caught people on here not telling the truth? Please explain that for me. So you have never lied or cheated? Shouldn't someone punish you if you want the leaders of the world punished.

                        Pot meet kettle...
                        Comment
                        • BatemanPatrickl
                          SBR Posting Legend
                          • 06-21-07
                          • 18772

                          #13
                          Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
                          Mental advantage..? Have anyone here ever lifted with a tight suite on ? It adds AT LEAST 30 pounds to your squat and 20 to you bench....
                          Big mental advantage.
                          Comment
                          • ShamsWoof10
                            SBR MVP
                            • 11-15-06
                            • 4827

                            #14
                            Originally posted by BatemanPatrickl
                            How have you caught people on here not telling the truth? Please explain that for me. So you have never lied or cheated? Shouldn't someone punish you if you want the leaders of the world punished.

                            Pot meet kettle...
                            I'm not going to bother going into too much detail but I think you know yourself that you can catch someone not telling the truth when they double talk...

                            NOT THAT I AM THE POINT HERE BUT I DO GET PUNISHED If I break the law (cheat) so should they but they don't...

                            Worrying about stuff like what athlete's do is ridiculous...
                            Comment
                            • JBC77
                              SBR MVP
                              • 03-23-07
                              • 3816

                              #15
                              Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
                              I'm not going to bother going into too much detail but I think you know yourself that you can catch someone not telling the truth when they double talk...

                              NOT THAT I AM THE POINT HERE BUT I DO GET PUNISHED If I break the law (cheat) so should they but they don't...

                              Worrying about stuff like what athlete's do is ridiculous...
                              Sham....relax man. You guys get so amped up over nothing. We were trying to have a conversation about the size of the mans arm guard. Remember?
                              Comment
                              • ShamsWoof10
                                SBR MVP
                                • 11-15-06
                                • 4827

                                #16
                                Originally posted by JBC77
                                Sham....relax man. You guys get so amped up over nothing. We were trying to have a conversation about the size of the mans arm guard. Remember?
                                Yeah I understand... I'm just saying that it provides a lot more assistance physically then anyone is giving it credit for... I'll put it to you this way... If I wear something like that on my knee my leg when I kicked a FG would snap through faster because of the resistance that thing will provide when I brought my leg back...

                                In case you're wondering I've tried it before...
                                Comment
                                • BatemanPatrickl
                                  SBR Posting Legend
                                  • 06-21-07
                                  • 18772

                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
                                  Yeah I understand... I'm just saying that it provides a lot more assistance physically then anyone is giving it credit for... I'll put it to you this way... If I wear something like that on my knee my leg when I kicked a FG would snap through faster because of the resistance that thing will provide when I brought my leg back...

                                  In case you're wondering I've tried it before...
                                  Didn't the whole article explain how it gives him a physical advantage as well?
                                  Comment
                                  • ShamsWoof10
                                    SBR MVP
                                    • 11-15-06
                                    • 4827

                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by BatemanPatrickl
                                    Big mental advantage.
                                    Yeah I guess it did...

                                    Originally posted by Ganchrow
                                    1. The apparatus is hinged at the elbow. It is a literal "hitting machine" that allows Bonds to release his front arm on the same plane during every swing. It largely accounts for the seemingly magical consistency of every Bonds stroke.
                                    2. The apparatus locks at the elbow when the lead arm is fully elongated because of a small flap at the top of the bottom section that fits into a groove in the bottom of the top section. The locked arm forms a rigid front arm fulcrum that allows extraordinary, maximally efficient explosion of the levers of Bonds' wrists. Bonds hands are quicker than those of average hitters because of his mechanical "assistant."
                                    3. When Bonds swings, the weight of the apparatus helps to seal his inner upper arm to his torso at impact. Thus "connected," he automatically hits the ball with the weight of his entire body - not just his arms - as average hitters ("extending") tend to do.
                                    4. Bonds has performed less well in Home Run Derbies than one might expect because he has no excuse to wear a "protector" facing a batting practice pitcher. As he tires, his front arm elbow tends to lift and he swings under the ball, producing towering pop flies or topspin liners that stay in the park. When the apparatus is worn, its weight keeps his elbow down and he drives the ball with backspin.
                                    5. Bonds enjoys quicker access to the inside pitch than average hitters because his "assistant" - counter-intuitively - allows him to turn more rapidly. Everyone understands that skaters accelerate their spins by pulling their arms into their torsos, closer to their axes of rotation. When Bonds is confronted with an inside pitch, he spins like a skater because his upper front arm is "assistant"-sealed tightly against the side of his chest.
                                    6. At impact, Bonds has additional mass (the weight of his "assistant") not available to the average hitter. The combined weight of "assistant" and bat is probably equal to the weight of the lumber wielded by Babe Ruth but with more manageable weight distribution.


                                    Bonds has worn some sort of front arm protection since 1992. In '94, a one-piece forearm guard was replaced by a jointed, two piece elbow model. In ‘95 it got bigger and a small "cap" on the elbow was replaced by a "flap" that overlapped the upper piece and locked the two pieces together when the arm was elongated. In '96, the "apparatus" grew even larger and so did the "flap." [/I][/SIZE]
                                    It also stated that he doesn't do as well at the HR Derby... What happens his steriods don't work for the Derby..?
                                    Comment
                                    • BatemanPatrickl
                                      SBR Posting Legend
                                      • 06-21-07
                                      • 18772

                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
                                      Yeah I guess it did...



                                      It also stated that he doesn't do as well at the HR Derby... What happens his steriods don't work for the Derby..?
                                      Because he doesn't wear the arm guard that you claim assists him physically.
                                      Comment
                                      • ShamsWoof10
                                        SBR MVP
                                        • 11-15-06
                                        • 4827

                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by BatemanPatrickl
                                        Because he doesn't wear the arm guard that you claim assists him physically.
                                        that I claim... and the article also claims ...right..?
                                        Comment
                                        • BatemanPatrickl
                                          SBR Posting Legend
                                          • 06-21-07
                                          • 18772

                                          #21
                                          Originally posted by ShamsWoof10
                                          that I claim... and the article also claims ...right..?
                                          Article claims and you claim. Also, who gives a shit about what someone does in the home run derby. I am sure Bonds stays up at night thinking about how he can win the homerun derby.

                                          Bottom line, Hank Aaron is the true record holder.
                                          Comment
                                          • tribet
                                            SBR High Roller
                                            • 08-12-06
                                            • 171

                                            #22
                                            If you look at the picture Bonds is aided more by his "mechanical big fat gut" which rotates fully on impact with his straightened right arm.The extra force of 6 double Mac meals mixed with Stanazol gives him all the extra power.
                                            Comment
                                            • ShamsWoof10
                                              SBR MVP
                                              • 11-15-06
                                              • 4827

                                              #23
                                              Originally posted by tribet
                                              If you look at the picture Bonds is aided more by his "mechanical big fat gut" which rotates fully on impact with his straightened right arm.The extra force of 6 double Mac meals mixed with Stanazol gives him all the extra power.
                                              except in the Derby with well thrown pitches...
                                              Comment
                                              • tacomax
                                                SBR Hall of Famer
                                                • 08-10-05
                                                • 9619

                                                #24
                                                Originally posted by tribet
                                                If you look at the picture Bonds is aided more by his "mechanical big fat gut" which rotates fully on impact with his straightened right arm.The extra force of 6 double Mac meals mixed with Stanazol gives him all the extra power.
                                                Originally posted by pags11
                                                SBR would never get rid of me...ever...
                                                Originally posted by BuddyBear
                                                I'd probably most likely chose Pags to jack off too.
                                                Originally posted by curious
                                                taco is not a troll, he is a bubonic plague bacteria.
                                                Comment
                                                • Willie Bee
                                                  SBR Posting Legend
                                                  • 02-14-06
                                                  • 15726

                                                  #25
                                                  Originally posted by Starbuckibm
                                                  oh my god....what else can it be? What other excuse can they make up?
                                                  Exactly my opinion as well. What other technological advances and advantages do today's athletes enjoy that could contribute? Certainly bats are different in baseball. How about traveling all night by train to play a doubleheader the next day? Let's get rid of those batting helmets as well. And the uniforms have to go; bring back the heavy woolen suckers as well as those cleats they wore back in the 1930s. Wave goodbye to a lot of the changes in catching gear as well.

                                                  And let's not stop at baseball. Bring back the true woods for golfers, helmets with no face guards for footballers, thick wool sweaters with no pads or helmets for hockey players and make LeBron and Kobe run the floor in Chuck Taylor canvas sneakers.
                                                  Comment
                                                  • SBR Lou
                                                    BARRELED IN @ SBR!
                                                    • 08-02-07
                                                    • 37863

                                                    #26
                                                    I'm so tired of the Bonds stuff. I can't wait for him to retire and A-Rod to set the new HR record if he stays healthy.
                                                    Comment
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