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To me, it seems home runs are down, actually. When only five players in the NL have 20 home runs or more, it just seems like this year has been more of a pitching year, in terms of pitchers reclaiming the inside part of the plate, and you've had to win a baseball game by other means. If someone has stats that contradict this, please inform me, and I will rescind my comment about the home runs.
As far as Bonds is concerned, his pad isn't that big. Sheffield's is bigger. I got to see him very upclose (two rows behind home plate) in their 11-6 win over the Pads last week. He was walked three times, twice intentionally. He has 104 walks this year. It's not the elbow pad that's doing it. It's that he's the best hitter in the game right now, bar none. With respect to Ichiro, Bonds is the only one in the game who can beat you by hitting the ball anywhere (Ichiro is not a power hitter, obviously). That's why he's going to be contending for the Triple Crown in September (well, the RBI is a major issue, given that anytime there are runners on base, they walk him). He's just the most dangerous HITTER in the league (I didn't say PLAYER. I think Damon and Ichiro are better overall players, simply because they can run all over the place, draw the walk, and make pitchers think while their on the basepaths, causing them to slip up mentally, and throw meat to the bread and butter guys. Barry used to do that, but he's gotten older.
But, I do feel that there has been a reformation of pitching this year, and it's wonderful. A lot can be made about the changing of rules for elbow pads, shinguards, etc. I think pitchers have just had enough. If the umps they stop giving a warning for the second time a player is knocked down, then the game will go back to the way it was in the 70s and 80s, when there was a lot more strategy in the game (I'm not saying there isn't now. I hold the believe that Bill James does, that the game in the 70s and 80s was much more diverse and had much more strategy involved).
Peace
John
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