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Since my last entry daring to express slight hope in the Giants' chances of making the playoffs, their pitching has collapsed like a detonated high rise. I no longer dare to dream. But at least Barry had one of his classic Barry games tonight, getting six RBIs. And he tied Hank Aaron's record for home runs in the National League and got his OPS solidly over 1000.
I am loyal, people. More than that, though, I recognize that his greatness exceeds that of all but a few players in Major League history, whether he did it or not. Moreover, I also understand that the many, many folks who apparently can't see that are suffering from severely clouded judgment.
As I've said before, all you have to do is look at his numbers before the McGwire-Sosa show of 1998 to perceive that A) with the exception of the aberrant 2001 campaign, none of his supposedly "enhanced" seasons are much different, especially when compared to league averages, than his early 1990s MVP years or his 40-40 season in 1996; and B) he would have been a certain Hall of Famer if his career had ended in 1998. I mean, it bears repeating. But, yes, I'm also loyal as fuck and proud of it.
