Jason Smith and Mike Harmon discuss Barry Bonds’ wild remarks about Shohei Ohtani with Jason saying it’s ironic that a guy who crowded the plate and took PED’s is questioning one of the greatest athletes in the world. Mike brings up that despite different styles of baseball that has been played throughout history, people automatically decide which hitters would thrive and which wouldn’t in certain eras for no reason.
Jason Smith:
“Barry Bonds has to understand that things were a lot easier for him than they were for Mike Schmidt in the 1970’s and 80’s...yeah of course things are a bit easier for you because things that were open to you now that weren’t back then and what teams are able to do to be able to stay in shape. You don’t come to Spring Training to get in shape anymore...It’s also really ironic that a guy that took PED’s and tested positive for PED’s is saying how [Ohtani] has it easier than I did. Oh and by the way easier at the plate who also would crowd the plate hang over it and wear that big armor brace.”
Mike Harmon:
“What he’s saying there in between the lines is I mean it levels out. What we did back then versus all the training habits or whatever you have. Remember, they’re always building a better mousetrap. IE they’re always ahead of whatever regulations the game enforces... but for Barry Bonds, you know, we always have that imaginary line of all right. When do we think it all began? I don’t know. We arbitrarily decide which guys we liked that there’s no way they could have ever done anything during that period when it’s been talked about pretty relentlessly going back to Jose Canseco, oh no, that was everyone.”