Other topics

I'd like to broaden the scope of the blog here. Some readers are aware of my extensive essays on the game, and I'll be revising and adding some of those soon.

In the meantime, a couple of observations on baseball's new all-time home run king:

While five of his victims may make it someday, none of Barry Bonds' home runs were hit against a current member of the Hall of Fame. Among members who were active in the NL during Bonds' career, he was homerless against Phil Niekro, Don Sutton, Nolan Ryan, Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter. He also hasn't hit one off of Roger Clemens. In seasons tracked by baseball-reference, Hank Aaron hit at least one homer a year against a future HOFer except his last half-season, when he only hit 10.

Rick Reuschel served up homers to both Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds, and unless I missed someone, he's the only one.

And how appropriate is it the Washington Nationals were the victims? Restoring last-place baseball to our nation's capitol after 35 years, and already on the wrong end of one of the biggest moments in the history of the game. It's just too bad Mike Bacsik's dad didn't serve one up to Hammerin' Hank.