[Mel_Ott]

From Reggie:

"Henry Aaron never hit 50 in a season, so you're going to tell me that you're a greater hitter than Henry Aaron?" Jackson said. "Bonds hit 73 [in 2001 ], and he would have hit 100 if they would have pitched to him. I mean, come on, now. There is no way you can outperform Aaron and Ruth and Mays at that level.

"There is a reason why the greatest players of all time have 500. Then there is that group that is above 550. There is a reason for that. Guys played 19, 20, 25 years. They had 9,000 to 10,000 at-bats, and it was the same for everybody.

"Now, all of a sudden, you're hitting 50 when you're 40."

1. A bunch of guys have hit 50 home runs in a season. That, by itself, doesn't make any of them a greater hitter than Henry Aaron.

2. Someone, sometime is bound to outperform Ruth, Mays, and Aaron. They said the same thing when Aaron broke Ruth's career HR record and Maris broke his season HR record.

3. Brady Anderson hit 50 one year - was he on 'roids? And, if so, how come he didn't do it ever again - never even close? Bonds hasn't come close to 73 again, either. He did win a batting title - but that's a skill most people think isn't enhanced by steroids.

4. Bonds broke in with Pittsburgh in 1986 - making this his 18th season. That's not out of line with Ruth (21 seasons), Mays (22 seasons) or Aaron (22 seasons). Jackson himself played for 20 years and finished with 563 (note: just a little more than the apparently arbitrary 550 mark he chose) HRs.

5. Power numbers have been up since 1994, and it's not because all of MLB has been on the juice. Better legitimate sports medicine, more hitters parks (especially, in Bonds's case, in Colorado), an increasing emphasis on power over speed and defense in position players, better technology/equipment (maple bats, possibly juiced balls) and expansion are all factors.

Bottom line: Reggie's jealous. His opinion about whether Bonds or any other current major leaguer is taking steroids is of dubious value.