Letter to the Editor:

March 9, 2006

Re “Selig Puts Bonds And Book Under Further Review,” by Murray Chass (column, March 9)

As a life-long baseball fan, who has been watching the national pastime from 1951 until today, I have been disgusted and depressed by the next chapter of the Barry Bonds alleged steroid abuse story. Obviously since the mid 1990’s steroid abuse has changed the face and the veracity of the baseball record book. Any casual fan would know that it was virtually impossible that pitching could deteriorate so quickly that journeymen infielders could hit 25 and 30 homers in a season no less players like Sammy Sosa could suddenly hit an astronomical 292 homeruns in a five-year period from 1998 to 2002. In the five previous years he hit 170 homeruns. One just has to look at any record book and see the same aberrational numbers from Griffey, Bonds, McGwire, Giambi and others. My suggestion is that when the time comes for their potential elevation to the Hall of Fame, that future baseball writers, who are mesmerized by these phony numbers, wait to induct them posthumously. The same holds for Pete Rose. In that way these individuals won’t benefit in their lifetimes by that honor.

Richard J. Garfunkel