Bonds Ties Ruth For Second All Time Home Runs

And how am I supposed to react to this news? Bonds tied Babe Ruth, the greatest baseball player to ever play the game. Ruth's home run accomplishments may have been surpassed, but did Aaron ever pitch in a World Series? Did Bonds ever win 94 games?

Ruth had 94 wins versus 46 losses in 163 games. He started three games in the World Series - and won them all with a microscopic 0.87 ERA. He held the record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched in the World Series that was only eclipsed by Whitey Ford and then Mariano Rivera.

Ruth's pitching exploits were amazing enough, but it was his hitting prowess that changed the course of the game of baseball. He was a man among boys - hitting more home runs in some seasons than entire teams.

Bonds like to think of himself as the greatest ballplayer of all time, but unless he suddenly develops a split fingered fastball, a change, and pitches and wins in the World Series, the best player of all time will undoubtedly remain the Babe.

So, while it is a tremendous accomplishment to be uttered in the same sentence as the Babe, Bonds can't even begin to claim to be the best player to ever play the game.

And that doesn't even get into the whole steriods mess. For if you count that against him, then Bonds is clearly not even in the same ballpark as Ruth. He's not even in the same league.

UPDATE:
ESPN has a bunch of their analysts comment on Bonds tying Ruth for second place all time. The comments are interesting to read, and many cite the steroid issue as clouding the record or otherwise throwing cold water on Bonds' feat. Bonds is clearly one of the most amazing hitters to ever play the game, and his prowess at the plate demands respect. Yet, the steroids issue will forever haunt the debate about Bonds and the records.