Comments on: Bonds and the elbow pad http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/ Baseball, Cheating, and Rules discussion at the author's blog for the Cheater's Guide to Baseball Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:29:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: joser http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-1053 joser Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:30:34 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-1053 Well, one of those "perfect swing devices" in golf would be the equivalent of a corked bat, which baseball already has lots of experience with (and punishes players for using). I mostly don't believe it (though the pad certainly gives Bonds an advantage in plate coverage). But I do think it would be hilarious if MLB forced him to remove it, and his home runs immediately dried up. Yes, he was cheating all along, but <i>not</i> with performance-enhancing drugs. Wouldn't that be a hoot? Well, one of those “perfect swing devices” in golf would be the equivalent of a corked bat, which baseball already has lots of experience with (and punishes players for using).

I mostly don’t believe it (though the pad certainly gives Bonds an advantage in plate coverage). But I do think it would be hilarious if MLB forced him to remove it, and his home runs immediately dried up. Yes, he was cheating all along, but not with performance-enhancing drugs. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?

]]> By: Evan http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-958 Evan Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:40:07 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-958 I actually hope Bonds is cheating with his elbow pad. That would be incredibly clever of him. As a professional athlete, it is his job to find every advantage he can. He should have the pad outfitted with springs to aid the extention of his elbow. I actually hope Bonds is cheating with his elbow pad. That would be incredibly clever of him.

As a professional athlete, it is his job to find every advantage he can. He should have the pad outfitted with springs to aid the extention of his elbow.

]]> By: Mat http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-957 Mat Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:27:57 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-957 I completely lost confidence in the author when he claimed his elbow pad helped Bonds hit "no fewer than 75 to 100" of his HR. From what I can gather from Bonds' baseball cards online, he started wearing an elbow pad in 1994, though it clearly was not the same as he was wearing then. He's hit 533 HR in that period. For the elbow pad to be solely responsible for a ~20% increase in HR sounds absurd and really makes it look like the author simply has an axe to grind, rather than a legitimate point to make. I completely lost confidence in the author when he claimed his elbow pad helped Bonds hit “no fewer than 75 to 100″ of his HR. From what I can gather from Bonds’ baseball cards online, he started wearing an elbow pad in 1994, though it clearly was not the same as he was wearing then. He’s hit 533 HR in that period. For the elbow pad to be solely responsible for a ~20% increase in HR sounds absurd and really makes it look like the author simply has an axe to grind, rather than a legitimate point to make.

]]> By: DMZ http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-956 DMZ Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:10:21 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-956 I don't see that in the sentence as written, but it's possible that's what he meant. I don’t see that in the sentence as written, but it’s possible that’s what he meant.

]]> By: JeffN_Bham http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-955 JeffN_Bham Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:00:22 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-955 Regarding Witte's "grandfather" point: I don't think he was trying to say that only Bonds has an opportunity for the advantage, but that non-injured players are at a disadvantage because they have no grounds to apply for an exemption to use an alleged "hitting machine". The argument regarding the benefit of keeping Bond's swing locked in during periods of fatigue is fascinating. Regarding Witte’s “grandfather” point:

I don’t think he was trying to say that only Bonds has an opportunity for the advantage, but that non-injured players are at a disadvantage because they have no grounds to apply for an exemption to use an alleged “hitting machine”. The argument regarding the benefit of keeping Bond’s swing locked in during periods of fatigue is fascinating.

]]> By: M's Fan in CO Exile http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-953 M's Fan in CO Exile Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:24:03 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-953 Great write-up Derek. The story seems at the same time to be both intriguing and something a person reading it is prone to discount. I don't know what to make of it, more than to say, imagine if a golfer walked onto course with one of those "perfect swing devices" that they sell at 2am on t.v. infomercials. People would have a legitimate gripe. If the arm pad gives Bonds even a modest improvement in areas that other major leaguers rely completely on muscle memory and repetition to achieve, then, yeah, I think there's something to this. It's something different than complaining about what the racquet improvements in tennis or club improvements in golf have done to those games. Here a non-necessary device may aid a player in performing consistent motions necessary to the game. If I were as rich as Bonds, why not set out to design the perfect swing aid to help as he ages? Imagine a back brace for a pitcher that keeps the torso aligned and slots the arm perfectly for his desired mechanics - with the excuse of back problems, of course. Great write-up Derek. The story seems at the same time to be both intriguing and something a person reading it is prone to discount. I don’t know what to make of it, more than to say, imagine if a golfer walked onto course with one of those “perfect swing devices” that they sell at 2am on t.v. infomercials. People would have a legitimate gripe. If the arm pad gives Bonds even a modest improvement in areas that other major leaguers rely completely on muscle memory and repetition to achieve, then, yeah, I think there’s something to this.

It’s something different than complaining about what the racquet improvements in tennis or club improvements in golf have done to those games. Here a non-necessary device may aid a player in performing consistent motions necessary to the game. If I were as rich as Bonds, why not set out to design the perfect swing aid to help as he ages? Imagine a back brace for a pitcher that keeps the torso aligned and slots the arm perfectly for his desired mechanics – with the excuse of back problems, of course.

]]> By: Spanky http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-952 Spanky Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:18:53 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/08/06/bonds-and-the-elbow-pad/#comment-952 I read the article by Witte and immediately thought about The Cheaters Guide. You already beat me to the punch with your comments. I'm not a fan of Bonds...maily because he's always been more concerned about himself and his records. At the same time, I don't feel a need to "get Barry" as some people do. I just would like to pass on the past-time of baseball to my kids as healthy as when I started enjoying it. Here's to hoping there is some investigation into his "armor". It's one thing to have armor...it's totally different to modify it to provide benefit. I read the article by Witte and immediately thought about The Cheaters Guide. You already beat me to the punch with your comments.

I’m not a fan of Bonds…maily because he’s always been more concerned about himself and his records. At the same time, I don’t feel a need to “get Barry” as some people do. I just would like to pass on the past-time of baseball to my kids as healthy as when I started enjoying it.

Here’s to hoping there is some investigation into his “armor”. It’s one thing to have armor…it’s totally different to modify it to provide benefit.

]]>