Junior? 500 HR?

He's about twice the player McGriff is, let's hope he's the last to reach 500 this year.

Bonds in 98-99:

g156 ab552 r120 h167 2b44 3b7 hr37 bi122 bb130 k92 avg.303 obp.438 slg.609 obps1.047

g102 ab355 r91 h93 2b20 3b2 hr34 rbi83 bb73 k62 avg.262 opb.389 slg.617 obps1.006

Griffey in 98-99:

161 633 120 180 33 3 56 146 76 121 20 5 .284 .365 .611 .977
160 606 123 173 26 3 48 134 91 108 24 7 .285 .384 .576 .960

Bonds for all of his hitting prowess has always had a girly arm in the outfield, just ask Sid Bream.

Griffey in his youth was a witch in centerfield with the glove.

Griffey the same as McGriff, what are you smoking? Jr. has fell apart in Cinci and has acted like an ass quite a few times, but criminy his first 10-12 seasons and his peak performance are about as impressive as it gets.

Griffey also hit like a fiend in the playoffs. Do you remember that series against the Yankees?

Re: Bonds' arm - I was under the impression that Bonds had one of the best LF arms in the game today (or, at least, that's what the anecdotal evidence suggests). ILB SF contingent to thread!

And it's safe to say that the "girliest" OF on the team, arm-strength wise, is gonna get put in LF, so the frilliness of the dress is going to be relative. (I'm not sure that explains Bobby Bonilla puttering around in RF, but I'm not Jim Leyland.)

And (I've no doubt it's been suggested before) what I've heard about Griffey's tentativeness in the field this year (since most of his injuries these past few years could be rightfully connected to his reckless abandon in the field as a young'un) (or his reckless abandon as an older'un), he might be / should be moving to LF in the very near future.

Nobody made that argument. I was trying to dismiss it.

Sorry, Bonds was a better player than Jr in the '90s -- not by a huge margin, but enough.

From Baseball Reference: Bonds' edge on '90s "black ink" (ie, leading league categories) on Junior is, as Stuart Scott would say, sick. Bonds' 3 slugging titles to Jr's one, 4 on-base crowns to one... Bonds led in Adjusted OPS every season from '90-93, and was in the top 3 '94-98. Griffey NEVER led the AL, finished in top 3 twice. Yeah, Jr hit about 30 more homers.

Outfield arm is one of those talents that just doesn't come into play enough to be a cornerstone of a Who's Better argument.,,, BUT, Barry had 10-15 OF assists in eight of his seasons -- none since '97, it's true. Griffey's had ten or more in 7 seasons (also topping at 15).

Both first-ballot HOFers, but Bonds has always been better on a career basis.

It must have been the blazing speed of Sid Bream at work. Of course that game was over as soon as Francisco Cabrera came to the plate, those no name guys in situations like that are usually the most dangerous hitter in the game for one at bat.

It will be interesting to see if Griffey can get to 600 and if he does how long it takes. He has definitely went through some tough times, so probably deserves to be able to put it back together. McGwire was able to come back after quite a few big injuries to put up some killer numbers for a couple of years.

god i hate you

And yet he's breathing down Bonds' neck as the top NL vote-getter, and not even in the majors' top 40 in VORP. Shows what a well-timed pre-500th drought will do for your visibility.

You blab about no-hitters in the 5th innning, too? Who're you, some Dave O'Brien wannabe?

The Sid Bream play is certainly not the highlight of his defensive career, it's true.

God I'd love to see the Sox pick him up.

STATS	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Career	2671	9801	1662	2781	524	38	630	1836	1312	1779	184	69	.284	.370	.538	.907

http://caimages.collectors.com/psaimages/2133/14565944/1989%20Upper%20Deck%20Griffey%2010_original.jpg

The SNY anchor closed last night with "And he did it all without the aid of steroids."

Tell me there is youtube clip of that

Jr. is gonna be Ruth + Aaron + Jesus for the Moral Pedant crowd by the time of his HOF induction

god the next few years of HoF voting are gonna get ugly arent they

Doesnt his career fall exactly in line with the dates for the steroid era?

but remember, we KNOW he never touched anything stronger than Vitamin Water, I'm mean, he's NOT HUGE, case closed.

man, what numbers. and he never made it to the Big Enchilada.

Wait I thought Pujols is the only power hitter since Dave Parker to be 100% clean, stop ruining my dreams guys.

you guys are so naive. there hasn't been a clean ball player since Ruth started getting injections of concentrated cigars/hookers.

"McGwire was able to come back after quite a few big injuries to put up some killer numbers for a couple of years."

I guess we got the answer to the how part of this statement.