[BonzoHansen]

Not to knock Cal too much, but many people think his quest for the streak record actually hampered his career & his team and was considered a shelfish player by more then a few people. His numbers start dropping his 5th or 6th season.

If he had rested nagging injuries he very well might have had better numbers and helped his team more. In fact, I remember reading that except for '91, the last 10 full seasons he played, 7 of them are below his lifetime average for BA, OB% & SLG%. Starting at around age 26-27, when most great players hit their prime. And he played those years in a serious hitters ballyard against the same weak pitching you claim bonds saw.

Kind of 95% for 150 games is more help then 75% for 162. That kind of logic. Impossible to prove, but sensible.

And the weaker pitching notion is weak at best. Back in the day, pitchers didn't have all the tools they have now (workouts, medical help, video, etc.) and they are drafted from all over, not just the US. The latin players were really just starting in Hank's days.

Cal couldn't take batting practice with Tony Gwynn. That guy was a hitting machine.