Once upon a time in MLB

I heard the news reported on TV when I was cozy in the bed this morning. It was shocking news but I wasn’t surprised very much. I thought it has done finally.

Barry Bonds, who holds two of baseball’s most cherished records, was indicted in San Francisco today on four counts of perjury in connection with his testimony about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

He was also indicted on one count of obstruction of justice. The charges stem from his testimony to a federal grand jury in December 2003 when he denied knowingly taking steroids. (The Newyork Times)

To be honest, I don’t respect his run record not because I fear he will break the 868 homerun record of Sadaharu Oh, but because of the suspicion. However I think Bonds was one of the best baseball player of all time. Whether he juiced up or not. So it is a very sad story all the more if he did…

Hideki Matsui, who is the best Japanese slugger, hit only 31 home-runs at one season in the Major league but I don’t feel gloomy. Looking back to the 1980s’ peaceful MLB, his record isn’t bad very much.

I was excited the home-run race between Mcgwire and Griffy, Mcgwire and Sosa in 90s’, of course. However there is something vague feeling left in my mind now…

I think ‘medium size’ baseball in which they can win the title with 40 home-run and more is better.

Why the Rocket Roger continue to pitch?

ORLANDO, Fla. — Roger Clemens may not play in the Major Leagues next season, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to play baseball.Clemens, if healthy, would consider pitching for Team USA in the baseball tournament during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, one of his agents told MLB.com on Thursday night in response to an e-mail question.”I think, if things fell into place and he felt good, he would be interested,” said agent Randy Hendricks about the 45-year-old Clemens, who has won 354 Major League games and pitched part of the 2007 season for the Yankees. “He loves the idea of representing his country.” (MLB.com)

I was surprised to hear the news today. I don’t know whether he can pitch well in Beijin next summer when he is 46 years old. However that isn’t problem. I remember the boxing title match which old George Foreman was defeated by the strong champion Evander Holyfield in 1991. Foreman lost but his fight gave a lot of people great courage.

To be honest, I didn’t feel good when he came back to the major league after he retired. But I knew his professional attitude toward baseball when I saw his pitching. He was said to come back for money but I think he loves baseball.

The Next

Who is the next? Top Japanese baseball players enter the major leagues every year. Matsuzaka played the first season in MLB this year. Some players who become a free agent want to join the MLB team next year. The best player of them is Fukudome, 30, an outfielder of Chunichi Dragons which won in the Japan Series.

Kosuke Fukudome is a combination of Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui. He will hit more homeruns than Ichiro and send more hit than Matsui. As for an outfielder, his ability is as good as Ichiro.

Fukudome was focused when he was a high-school students. He was picked by seven teams of twelve in the draft, although he rejected the pick and entered Chunichi 3 years later.

He played Olympic games and WBC.