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VeteranAll this talk of Bonds is really starting me to think...
Do we overvalue the home run?
I will venture that we as sports fans, and more especiallly non-sports fans, most certainly do.
I think the stolen base deserves more credit. Of course, a SB does not automatically score a run from one swing. However, I think it can be much more exciting and represents the purity of the sport of baseball, and evinces the spirit of teamwork and strategy. More so than a homer.
Compare the top twenty HR hitters:
| 1. | Hank Aaron+ | 755 | R |
| 2. | Babe Ruth+* | 714 | L |
| 3. | Barry Bonds* (40) | 708 | L |
| 4. | Willie Mays+ | 660 | R |
| 5. | Sammy Sosa (36) | 588 | R |
| 6. | Frank Robinson+ | 586 | R |
| 7. | Mark McGwire | 583 | R |
| 8. | Harmon Killebrew+ | 573 | R |
| 9. | Rafael Palmeiro* (40) | 569 | L |
| 10. | Reggie Jackson+* | 563 | L |
| 11. | Mike Schmidt+ | 548 | R |
| 12. | Ken Griffey* (35) | 536 | L |
| Mickey Mantle+# | 536 | B | |
| 14. | Jimmie Foxx+ | 534 | R |
| 15. | Willie McCovey+* | 521 | L |
| Ted Williams+* | 521 | L | |
| 17. | Ernie Banks+ | 512 | R |
| Eddie Mathews+* | 512 | L | |
| 19. | Mel Ott+* | 511 | L |
| 20. | Eddie Murray+# | 504 | B |
The following is a list of all time home run leaders as of 2005. Look at the next list of the top SB leaders...
| 1. | Rickey Henderson | 1406 | R |
| 2. | Lou Brock+* | 938 | L |
| 3. | Billy Hamilton+* | 912 | L |
| 4. | Ty Cobb+* | 892 | L |
| 5. | Tim Raines# | 808 | B |
| 6. | Vince Coleman# | 752 | B |
| 7. | Eddie Collins+* | 744 | L |
| 8. | Arlie Latham | 739 | R |
| 9. | Max Carey+# | 738 | B |
| 10. | Honus Wagner+ | 722 | R |
| 11. | Joe Morgan+* | 689 | L |
| 12. | Willie Wilson# | 668 | B |
| 13. | Tom Brown* | 657 | L |
| 14. | Bert Campaneris | 649 | R |
| 15. | Otis Nixon# | 620 | B |
| 16. | George Davis+# | 616 | B |
| 17. | Dummy Hoy* | 594 | L |
| 18. | Maury Wills# | 586 | B |
| 19. | George Van Haltren* | 583 | L |
| 20. | Ozzie Smith+# | 580 | B |
| Rank | Player (age) | Stolen Bases | Bats |
| 21. | Hugh Duffy+ | 574 | R |
| 22. | Bid McPhee+ | 568 | R |
| 23. | Kenny Lofton* (38) | 567 | L |
| 24. | Brett Butler* | 558 | L |
| 25. | Davey Lopes | 557 | R |
| 26. | Cesar Cedeno | 550 | R |
| 27. | Bill Dahlen | 547 | R |
| 28. | John Ward+* | 540 | L |
| 29. | Herman Long* | 534 | L |
| 30. | Patsy Donovan* | 518 | L |
| 31. | Jack Doyle | 516 | R |
| 32. | Harry Stovey | 509 | R |
| 33. | Luis Aparicio+ | 506 | R |
| Barry Bonds* (40) | 506 | L | |
| Fred Clarke+* | 506 | L | |
| 36. | Paul Molitor+ | 504 | R |
| 37. | Willie Keeler+* | 495 | L |
| Clyde Milan* | 495 | L | |
| 39. | Omar Moreno* | 487 | L |
| 40. | Roberto Alomar# | 474 | B |
| Rank | Player (age) | Stolen Bases | Bats |
| 41. | Mike Griffin* | 473 | L |
| 42. | Tommy McCarthy+ | 468 | R |
| 43. | Jimmy Sheckard* | 465 | L |
| 44. | Delino DeShields* | 463 | L |
| 45. | Bobby Bonds | 461 | R |
| 46. | Eric Young (38) | 457 | R |
| 47. | Ed Delahanty+ | 455 | R |
| Ron LeFlore | 455 | R | |
| 49. | Curt Welch | 453 | R |
| 50. | Steve Sax | 444 | R |
| 51. | Joe Kelley+ | 443 | R |
| 52. | Sherry Magee | 441 | R |
| 53. | John McGraw+* | 436 | L |
| 54. | Tris Speaker+* | 432 | L |
| 55. | Marquis Grissom (38) | 429 | R |
| 56. | Bob Bescher# | 428 | B |
| Mike Tiernan* | 428 | L | |
| 58. | Charlie Comiskey+ | 419 | R |
| Frankie Frisch+# | 419 | B | |
| 60. | Jimmy Ryan | 418 | R |
| Rank | Player (age) | Stolen Bases | Bats |
| 61. | Tommy Harper | 408 | R |
| 62. | Craig Biggio (39) | 407 | R |
| Chuck Knoblauch | 407 | R | |
| 64. | Donie Bush# | 404 | B |
| 65. | Frank Chance+ | 401 | R |
| 66. | Bill Lange | 399 | R |
| 67. | Willie Davis* | 398 | L |
| 68. | Sam Mertes | 396 | R |
| Juan Samuel | 396 | R | |
| 70. | Dave Collins# | 395 | B |
| Billy North# | 395 | B | |
| 72. | Jesse Burkett+* | 389 | L |
| 73. | Tommy Corcoran | 387 | R |
| 74. | Tom Daly# | 385 | B |
| Freddie Patek | 385 | R | |
| 76. | George Burns | 383 | R |
| Hugh Nicol | 383 | R | |
| 78. | Fred Pfeffer | 382 | R |
| 79. | Walt Wilmot# | 381 | B |
| 80. | Nap Lajoie+ | 380 | R |
| Rank | Player (age) | Stolen Bases | Bats |
| 81. | Barry Larkin | 379 | R |
| 82. | Harry Hooper+* | 375 | L |
| George Sisler+* | 375 | L | |
| 84. | Jack Glasscock | 372 | R |
| 85. | Lonnie Smith | 370 | R |
| 86. | Tom Goodwin* (36) | 369 | L |
| 87. | King Kelly+ | 368 | R |
| 88. | Sam Crawford+* | 366 | L |
| Tommy Dowd | 366 | R | |
| 90. | Hal Chase | 363 | R |
| 91. | Tony Womack* (35) | 362 | L |
| 92. | Tommy Leach | 361 | R |
| 93. | Hughie Jennings+ | 359 | R |
| Fielder Jones* | 359 | L | |
| 95. | Buck Ewing+ | 354 | R |
| Gary Pettis# | 354 | B | |
| 97. | Rod Carew+* | 353 | L |
| 98. | Willie McGee# | 352 | B |
| Tommy Tucker# | 352 | B | |
| 100. | Sam Rice+* | 351 | L |
Compare the last 80 Top Home run leaders...
| Rank | Player (age) | Home Runs | Bats |
| 21. | Lou Gehrig+* | 493 | L |
| Fred McGriff* | 493 | L | |
| 23. | Stan Musial+* | 475 | L |
| Willie Stargell+* | 475 | L | |
| 25. | Dave Winfield+ | 465 | R |
| 26. | Jose Canseco | 462 | R |
| 27. | Carl Yastrzemski+* | 452 | L |
| 28. | Jeff Bagwell (37) | 449 | R |
| Gary Sheffield (36) | 449 | R | |
| 30. | Frank Thomas (37) | 448 | R |
| 31. | Dave Kingman | 442 | R |
| 32. | Andre Dawson | 438 | R |
| 33. | Manny Ramirez (33) | 435 | R |
| 34. | Juan Gonzalez (35) | 434 | R |
| 35. | Cal Ripken | 431 | R |
| 36. | Jim Thome* (34) | 430 | L |
| 37. | Alex Rodriguez (29) | 429 | R |
| 38. | Billy Williams+* | 426 | L |
| 39. | Darrell Evans* | 414 | L |
| 40. | Duke Snider+* | 407 | L |
| Rank | Player (age) | Home Runs | Bats |
| 41. | Andres Galarraga | 399 | R |
| Al Kaline+ | 399 | R | |
| 43. | Dale Murphy | 398 | R |
| 44. | Mike Piazza (36) | 397 | R |
| 45. | Joe Carter | 396 | R |
| 46. | Graig Nettles* | 390 | L |
| 47. | Johnny Bench+ | 389 | R |
| 48. | Dwight Evans | 385 | R |
| 49. | Harold Baines* | 384 | L |
| 50. | Larry Walker* (38) | 383 | L |
| 51. | Frank Howard | 382 | R |
| Jim Rice | 382 | R | |
| 53. | Albert Belle | 381 | R |
| 54. | Orlando Cepeda+ | 379 | R |
| Tony Perez+ | 379 | R | |
| 56. | Matt Williams | 378 | R |
| 57. | Norm Cash* | 377 | L |
| 58. | Carlton Fisk+ | 376 | R |
| 59. | Rocky Colavito | 374 | R |
| 60. | Gil Hodges | 370 | R |
| Rank | Player (age) | Home Runs | Bats |
| 61. | Carlos Delgado* (33) | 369 | L |
| Ralph Kiner+ | 369 | R | |
| 63. | Joe DiMaggio+ | 361 | R |
| 64. | Gary Gaetti | 360 | R |
| 65. | Johnny Mize+* | 359 | L |
| 66. | Yogi Berra+* | 358 | L |
| 67. | Greg Vaughn | 355 | R |
| 68. | Lee May | 354 | R |
| 69. | Ellis Burks | 352 | R |
| 70. | Dick Allen | 351 | R |
| 71. | Chili Davis# | 350 | B |
| 72. | George Foster | 348 | R |
| 73. | Ron Santo | 342 | R |
| 74. | Jack Clark | 340 | R |
| 75. | Tino Martinez* (37) | 339 | L |
| Dave Parker* | 339 | L | |
| Boog Powell* | 339 | L | |
| 78. | Don Baylor | 338 | R |
| 79. | Joe Adcock | 336 | R |
| 80. | Darryl Strawberry* | 335 | L |
| Rank | Player (age) | Home Runs | Bats |
| 81. | Bobby Bonds | 332 | R |
| 82. | Jim Edmonds* (35) | 331 | L |
| Hank Greenberg+ | 331 | R | |
| Chipper Jones# (33) | 331 | B | |
| Jeff Kent (37) | 331 | R | |
| 86. | Mo Vaughn* | 328 | L |
| 87. | Willie Horton | 325 | R |
| 88. | Gary Carter+ | 324 | R |
| Lance Parrish | 324 | R | |
| 90. | Ron Gant | 321 | R |
| 91. | Cecil Fielder | 319 | R |
| 92. | Roy Sievers | 318 | R |
| 93. | George Brett+* | 317 | L |
| 94. | Ron Cey | 316 | R |
| Luis Gonzalez* (37) | 316 | L | |
| 96. | Vinny Castilla (37) | 315 | R |
| 97. | Reggie Smith# | 314 | B |
| 98. | Jason Giambi* (34) | 313 | L |
| 99. | Jay Buhner | 310 | R |
| 100. | Edgar Martinez | 309 | R |
Now, you can figure out who the cross overs are from both lists, but my point is that it is much more difficult to be a top SB leader and among the top runners than the HR list. Maybe the present and future power game will permanently eliminate the Stolen Base as a career number to be achieved, and "The Rickey" has made obsolete any chance of achieving the top spot. But for my money, I am more impressed by a 60 or 70 stolen base season than a fifty HR year.
But that is probably why Tim "Rock" Raines is my favorite player of all time. And big guys who steal? More power to you! The game is about teams performing in tandem, and the combination of speed and power, like Bonds, and this combination is a beautiful thing. Even if they are as mean as Ty Cobb, or as tainted as Barry Ibn-Bobby.
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Papaclinchsaint04:22 PM EST