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NO STAT IS SAFE. NO ERA IS FORGOTTEN.
VOL. 1, NO. 35 · OCTOBER 26, 2026 · EVERY MONDAY
ISSUE #035 · STEROID ERA
Barry Bonds — 762 HR And
The Most Complicated Legacy
In Baseball
On October 5, 2001, Barry Bonds hit home run #73 — the final HR of the most dominant offensive season
📅 THIS DATE IN
BASEBALL in baseball history.
THE STAT THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST 01
THE MOST DOMINANT OFFENSIVE SEASON IN BASEBALL HISTORY. THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL CAREER IN BASEBALL
HISTORY.
762 HR. 2001: 73 HR, .515 OBP, 232 IBB. The Numbers
Exist Whether You Like Them Or Not.
BARRY BONDS CAREER HR 2001 OPS+ 2001 HR
688 7 Never
CAREER IBB CAREER MVPS HOF INDUCTION
Bonds hit 762 career HR — the official all-time record. His 2001 season: 73 HR, 137 RBI, .515 OBP (highest
ever), 232 walks (highest ever). His OPS+ of 235 is the highest single-season mark in history. He won 7
NL MVP awards. He has never been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
THE GAME YOU FORGOT 02
VS Los Angeles Dodgers OCTOBER 5, 2001
.515 35 235 Season final
SEASON HR SEASON OBP SEASON IBB SEASON OPS+ RESULT
Number 73
THE FINAL HOME RUN OF THE MOST DOMINANT OFFENSIVE SEASON IN HISTORY
Bonds hit his 73rd home run off Wilfredo Rodriguez of the Dodgers on October 5, 2001 — the final day of the
regular season. His .515 on-base percentage that year is the highest in baseball history. Teams intentionally
walked him 35 times — that's 35 times a major league team said openly: we would rather give him a free
base than let him swing. He was that good. The steroids question is real. So are the numbers.
ERA VS ERA 03
Does Barry Bonds Belong In The Hall Of Fame?
THE NUMBERS THE CONDUCT
CAREER HR BALCO INVOLVEMENT
762 — official all-time record Associated with steroid use
2001 OPS+ VS HOF VOTE PEAK
235 — highest ever 66% — below 75%
MVP AWARDS MITCHELL REPORT ERA
7 Career peak overlaps
Bonds' pre-steroid numbers (1986-1998) are already HOF-caliber: 411 HR, .290 BA, 3 MVPs, 8 Gold Gloves. His
case doesn't require 2001. His case without 2001 is still automatic. The HOF voters have chosen not to induct
him. The numbers are in the books either way.
Does Barry Bonds belong in the Hall of Fame?
YES — PRE-STEROID NUMBERS ALONE GET HIM IN NO — BALCO DISQUALIFIES HIM
INDUCT HIM WITH A NOTE IN THE PLAQUE SAME DEBATE AS CLEMENS — VOTERS GOT IT WRONG
THE COLDEST MOMENT 04
2002 WORLD SERIES · GIANTS VS ANGELS
In The 2002 World Series — While Never Having
Won A Ring — He Hit .471 With 4 HR.
Bonds hit .471 with 4 HR and 6 RBI in the 2002 World Series — the only World Series he ever
reached. The Giants were up 3 games to 2. They had a 3-run lead in the 8th inning of Game 6.
They lost. Then lost Game 7. Bonds went 13-for-17 in the series and left without a ring. It remains
the most dominant World Series performance that didn't end with a championship.
I gave everything I had. The ring didn't come. That's baseball.
— BARRY BONDS
THE STAT VAULT 05
ON-BASE PERCENTAGE — 2001
CAREER HOME RUNS
762 .515 Highest single-season OBP in baseball
The official all-time record. His pre-1999
history. He reached base more than half
total alone (411) is Hall of Fame territory.
the time.
WALKS IN A SINGLE SEASON — 2002 NL MVP AWARDS
All-time record. Teams simply refused to Four consecutive (2001-04). No player
let him beat them. before or since has won 4 straight MVPs.
4 HR IN 2002 WORLD SERIES
While hitting .471. The Giants lost the series in 7 games. He never got another chance.
THE FORGOTTEN MAN 06
OVERLOOKED · UNDERRATED · DESERVES MORE
Tim Raines
MONTREAL EXPOS · 1979-2002
HOF 2017 (15TH YEAR ELIGIBLE) · .294 BA · 808 SB
84.7% Stolen Base Success Rate. .385 Career OBP. HOF Eligible For 9 Years
Before Finally Getting In.
Tim Raines stole 808 bases with an 84.7% success rate — higher than Rickey Henderson. He hit .294 with a
.385 OBP across 23 seasons and was considered the second-best leadoff hitter of his era. He was eligible
for the HOF for 9 years before finally being inducted in 2017 on his 10th try.
THE CONNECTION:
Raines played in the steroid era alongside Bonds and in the shadow of Rickey Henderson. His stolen
base total and success rate are elite. He waited 9 years to be recognized. The ballot voters took too
long.
COMING NEXT MONDAY
Next Monday: McGwire hit 70 in 1998. Sosa hit 66. The home run chase saved baseball. Then it complicated
everything.
Who's Your Forgotten Man?
Reply with a player from any era who deserves more credit. Best answer gets featured next Monday.
All Eras. All Stats. No Debate.
Every Monday. No exceptions.