You're Ryan Howard ...

... and supposedly devoid of roids. You've got 50 homers. How do you feel about what can only be viewed as roid-laced totals (Bonds, McGwire and Sosa) that surpassed Roger Maris? Do you tell yourself, you know, if those guys had not cheated, I'd have a chance at that record now?

This steroid shit has no end. Burns me up. [/rant]

Uh, make that 52 ...

 

As of seconds ago, Howard has now hit three homers today, FYI.

 

Shit, he might still catch Bonds, steroids or not.

 

I was just thinking the same thing. Howard would be on the verge of being the biggest story in sports if not for what McGwire, Sosa and Bonds did from 98-01. Steroids have ruined this for Howard in two ways:

1. He's not chasing the record, so 61 doesn't mean anything anymore. But given what we now know about those guys, it should.
2. People in the back of their minds will wonder about Howard. But since there's now testing, and this is a rookie who has done it all the way up the minors, they shouldn't.

 

Howard's incredible. Home runs are also easier to get again this season. Ortiz was on pace for 60 before his health problems. Something tells me the ball is a little lively.

 

How is Howard still considered a rookie? Does that mean he's eligible to win a second straight ROY?

 

... You're going to get some serious ass tonight.

 

No one on this earth should think Howard is on steroids. The guy is just a beast. He is a big man and was indeed tearing it up like this in the minor leagues. I saw him play a couple of years in the minors and he is that damn good. His numbers this year should come as a surprise to no one. Plus, he respects this game and its history. I would hope someone like that wouldn't tarnish baseball even more by taking steroids or HGH.

 

On a side note...

I find it kind of funny that there is always the automatic assumption that the power hitter of the moment is clean. I've heard the same discussion about Pujols in the past - "Isn't it a shame that these guys are doing it the right way, but are chasing records set by cheaters?"

I have no idea if Howard or Pujols are clean. They very well might be. They're hellaciously talented, either way. I just find it odd that it is somehow taken as gospel that they're all natural.

 

If I were the Phillies, I would promote Howard hitting No. 62 as if it were the real record.

Call it:

Howard's 62 (followed by an icon of an asterisk with a red bar through it).

 

Hence the phrase "supposedly devoid." I don't think we can ever safely make that assumption again.

 

Probably not. That's a shame.