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Eric
07-13-2006, 11:15 AM
Former Bonds Friend May Be Key To Possible Indictment


POSTED: 7:53 pm PDT July 11, 2006
UPDATED: 9:43 am PDT July 12, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO -- If Giants slugger Barry Bonds is indicted on perjury charges, KTVU Channel 2 News has learned that his defense will focus in part on a little-known figure in the case: a former friend and business partner of Bonds' named Steve Hoskins. The defense will charge that Hoskins turned informant against Bonds to save his own neck.


New York resident and baseball enthusiast Jeff Kranz is what you might call a rabid collector of all things related to Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Kranz says that he has spent a lot of money since 1993 on over 350 game-used items of Bonds'.


Kranz says that Barry Bonds stopped being his hero one day in 2003, when Bonds and FBI agents showed up at his house claiming that some of Kranz memorabilia were fake, forged, or stolen.


Eight months later, Kranz says, the FBI returned without Bonds and seized an additional 14 autographed items, leaving him with a nothing but a receipt. He thinks he has an idea what was behind the FBI's actions.

"My conclusion was something was going on; the IRS was after him," explains Kranz.


Bonds' attorney Michael Rains denies this. He says the Major League star discovered that Steve Hoskins -- Bonds' friend and partner in the memorabilia business who sold Kranz most of his items -- was ripping him off.


"He was Barry's best friend, He turned his back on his best friend and started forging things and started pocketing money," argues Rains. The attorney claims that in early 2003, a check mistakenly came to Bonds' accountant as part of a contract that Bonds supposedly knew nothing about. The check was for a picture of Bonds on a Christmas ornament.


"The check was to go to Kent Collectibles, and Steve managed Kent Collectibles," explains Rains. The attorney says that Bonds then discovered that Hoskins was signing his name to baseballs.

Rains says Bonds confronted Hoskins, then went with another attorney to the FBI to investigate Hoskins and recover any forged memorabilia.


A few months later, Bonds was called as a witness before a grand jury investigating BALCO and testified that he'd never knowingly taken performance enhancing drugs. Four months later, FBI agents seized the memorabilia from Jeff Kranz's New York home.


Soon after that, Rains says the FBI stopped treating Hoskins as a criminal suspect under investigation for doing Bonds wrong and started using him as an informant against Bonds.


Hoskins became an unnamed source, Rains says, for the book "Game Of Shadows" and for the government investigating whether Bonds lied to the grand jury about steroids.


"I hope the government took the time to explain to the grand jurors that they were putting a man up there who Barry had reported for criminal conduct and a man who had threatened to get even with Barry by accusing him of steroid use," says Rains.


Michael Cardoza, the attorney for Hoskins, disagrees.


"Absolutely not true. My client was investigated by the FBI because of the false allegations of Barry Bonds. He was cleared in that investigation," says Cardoza. "It was not a trade: 'Well, if you drop ... we'll testify against Barry.' That's absolutely untrue."


The U.S. attorney wouldn't comment and an FBI spokeswoman said that the case against Hoskins was closed.


Cardoza does agree that Steve Hoskins and Barry Bonds were friends since childhood. Their fathers -- both professional athletes -- were friends, too. Cardoza says that Steve Hoskins, a graphic artist and son of San Francisco 49er Bob Hoskins, worked with Bonds selling his memorabilia but he gives a different reason for the split:


"Barry demanded more and more of his time and couldn't understand why Stevie wanted to stay home with his children and his wife. Barry, in his own inimitable way, demanded that Steven come now … and it didn't happen that way. And that started the rift between the two," explains Cardoza.


Bonds' attorney says it's nonsense and claims that Hoskins forged memorabilia and embezzled money from Bonds.


So why is what may seem like an internal business split, now so important? Bonds' attorney says, "if" Bonds is indicted, the 'split' will be used as part of his defense.


"They don't want to tell the people who this guy, is because the minute they admit that their informant is in fact a liar and a cheat, then people have to wonder. People have to ask. So far, the federal government has worked around this guy," insists Rains.


Not surprisingly, Hoskins' attorney has a different viewpoint: "He will testify and he will testify truthfully. This is a game that Barry Bonds shouldn't have started; [he] shouldn't have accused my client falsely knowing that he was the one that was wrong," counters Cardoza.


As for Jeff Kranz, he says after two years, he finally got his Barry Bonds items back from the FBI; items he believes are authentic, but now is trying to sell.

Kid4hof03
07-13-2006, 11:56 AM
That is a very interesting article. What goes around comes around.

Abe

ChrisCavalier
07-13-2006, 01:05 PM
New York resident and baseball enthusiast Jeff Kranz is what you might call a rabid collector of all things related to Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Kranz says that he has spent a lot of money since 1993 on over 350 game-used items of Bonds'.

Kranz says that Barry Bonds stopped being his hero one day in 2003, when Bonds and FBI agents showed up at his house claiming that some of Kranz memorabilia were fake, forged, or stolen.

Eight months later, Kranz says, the FBI returned without Bonds and seized an additional 14 autographed items, leaving him with a nothing but a receipt. He thinks he has an idea what was behind the FBI's actions.
Hello Everyone,

I saw this article and thought I would give Jeff Kranz a call this morning. I dealt with Jeff back when I did a lot of buying and selling and I would have to agree with the others who have posted previously here that Jeff probably knows as much, if not more, than anyone out there when it comes to Bonds memorabilia. In addition, in my dealings with him, I found Jeff to be very candid with his views and very helpful in helping me understand more about Bonds merchandise.

BTW, Jeff also has a very good eye for talent. When I meet Jeff a number of years ago he kept telling me about a pitching prospect who he thought was going to be a star. I had never heard of the guy Jeff was touting but I started watching the player and began to think Jeff did know his stuff when it came to talent (Jeff began investing big in Bonds in the late 1980s). Specifically, the player Jeff was praising when I met him was Brandon Webb. Though I don't think Brandon is as well-known as he should be, close followers of baseball already recognize this guy is likely going to be a star for some time.

Thus, if anyone has any questions about Brandon Webb memorabilia, I would suggest talking to Jeff. In fact, I believe Jeff signed up on the site today so if you have any questions about Brandon Webb as a player, or his memorabilia, I would suggest directing them to Jeff.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Jeff to the site and, among others, I am sure Brandon Webb fans will enjoy having him aboard.

Sincerely,
Christopher Cavalier
CEO - Game Used Universe

hblakewolf
07-13-2006, 01:30 PM
Chris-
I'm curious about your statement, "I hope you will join me in welcoming Jeff to the site and, among others, I am sure Brandon Webb fans will enjoy having him aboard.

Are there really a bunch of Webb fans clamoring to gain insight about him on this Game Used Forum site? Manny Ramirez, Albert Pujols maybe. Brandon Webb??????

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

byergo
07-13-2006, 01:31 PM
Barry Bonds is a worthless piece of trash as a human being, and all of his records are fraudulent and will be stricken from the games record book. I expect he will soon be banned from baseball by the Commish.

byergo
07-13-2006, 01:33 PM
I honestly feel sorry for Jeff, as his financial investment in Bonds is starting to look like Enron stock! Hope it was money he could afford to lose.

mr.miracle
07-13-2006, 01:36 PM
byergo:

I don't think anyone will ever have their records "stricken from the games record book" regardless of guilt. There are just too many implications of going down that road that I don't ever see it happening with anyone from this or any era of baseball.

Thanks
Brett

byergo
07-13-2006, 01:40 PM
Even if not officially stricken from the game by the Commish (which I feel SHOULD happen) Bonds records are already stricken in the hearts and minds of most baseball fans. Indeed, the damage is already done. This is no innocent until proven guilty situation.

skipcareyisfat
07-13-2006, 01:46 PM
I'm with Brett on this one. Bonds won't and shouldn't have any of his records stricken, especially since he was a HOF and 500 HR lock before he juiced. His punishment is that he's a jerk and everybody knows it, and he may not live too long after retirement. Rumor has it equestrian-strength riods aren't good for the bod.

byergo
07-13-2006, 01:50 PM
The old adage "What comes around goes around" certainly applies to Barry. His bad kharma is returning back in spades.

ChrisCavalier
07-13-2006, 01:57 PM
Chris-
I'm curious about your statement, "I hope you will join me in welcoming Jeff to the site and, among others, I am sure Brandon Webb fans will enjoy having him aboard.

Are there really a bunch of Webb fans clamoring to gain insight about him on this Game Used Forum site? Manny Ramirez, Albert Pujols maybe. Brandon Webb??????
Hello Howard,

I think there are a number of collectors out there who enjoy looking for the next great prospect. This is obviously not a big revelation given the interest in rookie baseball cards, etc. While the Pujolses and Ramirezes of the world are already recognized, I think there are collectors who are trying to determine who the next Pujols, or Greg Maddux, might be. In fact, there are dealers and collectors who may even speculate in their memorabilia and, if they are right, might see some handsome returns (for example, I think some dealers and collectors who were buying Pujols stuff a few years ago are feeling pretty good right now).

Personally, I think Brandon Webb fits into that category. That is, while he's not really well known right now (playing in Arizona probably doesn't help), he is the type of pitcher who has the potential to be a long-term star. Thus, to the few who know about him, I think there might very well be interest in him. However, that would be something dealers and collectors will have to determine for themselves.

Does anyone else know about Brandon Webb? Maybe I'm wrong but I think that guy is going to be a many time all-star (in fact, wasn't he an all-star this year?).

Sincerely,
Chris

mr.miracle
07-13-2006, 02:00 PM
I totally agree with you there byergo. His punishment if and when he is found guilty but already in the court of public opinion will be the shame of the public eye and questions he will have to endure. Unfortunately, there is simply no way to ever definitively determine if and when each player took steroids and to what degree this enhanced their playing ability to ever officially wipe their records from the books.

The public shame and embarrassment will have to serve as this punishment as well as a very, very questionable debate about whether or not these players will be enshrined in Cooperstown. If the vote was left up to the current HOF's and a player was caught taking steroids, there seems to be no question that the current HOF's would not vote for that player for enshrinement. It will be interesting to see what the HOF voters do as players from this era become eligble over the next couple of years. Ultimately, I don't see how you can keep players like McGwire, Sosa, Bonds and even Palmeiro out of the hall. After all at least in Palmiero's case, steroids would not have done a great deal in helping him amass over 3000 hits which is an instant tick punch into the HOF. In the case of the three other players I mentioned, none have ever tested positive for anything despite everyone's suspicions of them. Fortunately we are still innocent until proven guilty in this country. Just my two cents

Brett Herman
brettherman2131@hotmail.com

trsent
07-13-2006, 02:05 PM
I don't know why Barry Bonds gets all the blame.

Think, all those baseball players who were not violating the rules of baseball putting crap into their bodies all those years.

Think, all those football players who were violating the rules of football putting crap into their bodies all those years.

Think, all those pro wrestlers who were not violating the rules of sports entertainment putting crap into their bodies all those years.

Think, all those weight-lifters putting crap into their bodies all those years.

Think, everyone ever, like those allegations of Lance Armstrong using Steroids, putting crap into their bodies all those years.

In the end, the public will single Barry Bonds out because he has shown the most success.

Also in the end, they must all answer to a higher power who will determine if they should be punished, but that higher power is not you, me, The US Government or Major League Baseball.

I personally bet that higher power has more important issues to deal with.

mr.miracle
07-13-2006, 02:39 PM
Joel, while I agree largely with what you said, I believe that the Federal Government has a direct obligation to its citizens to waste more of their hard earned money investigating every player who ever played professional sports to determine if they in fact used performance enhancing drugs during the course of their professional careers. God knows that the government has nothing better to do with its time and our money so why should any investigation they do come as a shock to anyone. :rolleyes:

However, I don't necessarily believe that the IRS is singling Barry out as they have proven over the years to be equal opportunity investigators of all who break the tax laws. It just appears that not everyone is dumb enought to get caught. But Joel, you are right, why not try to catch the biggest fish in the sea?

Brett

trsent
07-13-2006, 03:08 PM
They already nabbed The All-Time Hit King, they are just trying to get to Barry before he is The All-Time Home Run King.

allstarsplus
07-13-2006, 05:42 PM
Eric - Thanks for the article. Along with guys like Jeff Kranz and others that dealt with Barry Bonds and Steve Hoskins, it is almost surreal to see all this unfolding in newspaper articles and Steve vs. Barry and Barry vs. Steve.

I dealt with Stevie and his assistant Dan for years not only with Barry Bonds items, but also with Willie Mays and Jerry Rice.

Kent Collectibles was the only game in town if you wanted the "real" Barry stuff.

By reading the article, I doubt the truth will ever come out. It is a shame that many other people were affected by the fallout and the tarnish that has been put on baseball.

Byergo's analogy to Enron is pretty close to reality if you bought at the height of the Bond's market.

jon_8_us
07-13-2006, 05:58 PM
I for one absolutely ignore all that is going on with Bonds.He was at one time my favorite non Boston player.All the talent in the world without all the non sense.He may not have hit 700+ Hr's but would have won all the MVP's and been a first ballot Hofer.Damn shame to see this star come crashing out of the sky.Don't even care anymore.....By the way i would be interested to hear about Brandon Webb stuff from Jeff.Why not?He is a great pitcher.And now would be the time to get some of his stuff.
jon

webb17
07-13-2006, 09:54 PM
We all know Barry Bonds is one of the greatest players of all time and is being picked on. But the truth be told is that he has brought all of this on himself "I'm Barry Bonds and You're Not" We punish people who get caught doing something wrong in our society. He didn't have to bring anyone else into his arena to try to cover up his mess. Barry couldv'e got out of this mess 2 years ago, just like Pete Rose. They chose to fight and thought they were above the law. Barry Bonds is not a good person trust me, but he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

webb17
07-13-2006, 09:59 PM
My web site for Brandon Webb is WWW.webbsite17.com (http://www.webbsite17.com). Thank you for your interest. Brandon is one of the top ten pitchers in the majors since he has come up in 2003. He will end up on the east coast in 4 years with a better team and will be recognized than.

Eric
07-13-2006, 10:22 PM
Jeff-

Welcome to the forum. I think I can speak for everyone here when i say we look forward to any insight you have on this Bonds memorabilia situation.

Personally, I would love to hear details about the day Bonds and the FBI showed up at your door. Must have been surreal.

I will check out your site right away!
Eric
moderator

mphcollectibles
07-14-2006, 09:36 AM
Bonds,

He deserves to go to jail and so does Palmerio. Barry has never been out of the public eye. His lame ESPN show, interviews, and his off field antics (dressing up like a woman) goes to show you he doesn't care. He is so full of shi_. There may have been hundreds of guys doing steroids at the same time Bonds was doing them, but HE always reminded everyone of how great he was with his arrogance and flashiness. Is it fair to single out Bonds? No, but when you put yourself in the lime light purposely, you better be able to reap the reprocussions that will follow. If I or any other regular Joe lied in front of a grand jury, you better believe we would sitting in the pokey. Bonds, Palmerio, Giambi, McGwire, Canseco, and Selig tarnished the games image. Now, the media looks at every player who hits Bombs on a regular basis and asks the question "Is He Juiced?" What a shame. I love baseball and always will, but there are not many guys coming out of the late 80' and early 90's that can hold a candle to guys like Dimaggio, Aaron, Maris, or Mantle.

hblakewolf
07-14-2006, 09:45 AM
Very well said-nice summary. I was on the field in Philadelphia a few years ago when they played the Giants, and know first hand what a total prick Bonds is. Several kids on the field with me asked for his autograph, and all went home with nothing. No photos with Bonds, no autographs, not even a handshake. His ego and lack of interest in the fans was amazing, to say the least.

In terms of your statement, "there are not many guys coming out of the late 80' and early 90's that can hold a candle to guys like Dimaggio, Aaron, Maris, or Mantle". How about two of my favorites, Mike Schmidt and Ripken? I dare you to try to dig up any dirt on these two (O.K., so Schmidt did wear a wig one time in Philly!). Another player who I don't collect, however, must be considered is Pujols-seems like a great player on and off the field.

Again, a nice post.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

ham1963
07-14-2006, 10:58 AM
I was listening to one of the ESPN radio shows the other days and the question was brought upon the show is how the witch hunt:p is on Bonds but how people have forgave and forgotten what Giambi has done. I feel that here in America we forgive people that make mistakes (Nixion, Giambi, Rose, Clinton and so on) if they ask for our forgiveness. But people do not forget if a person is a jerk and continues to act like a jerk like Bonds. Just my 2 cents
John

stkmtimo
07-14-2006, 11:12 AM
There is not a man I hate more in the game of baseball than Barry Bonds. A classless, racist jerk who deserves to rot in prison for his defamation to the very fibers that make up the game of baseball!

Tim

mphcollectibles
07-14-2006, 12:08 PM
Very well said-nice summary. I was on the field in Philadelphia a few years ago when they played the Giants, and know first hand what a total prick Bonds is. Several kids on the field with me asked for his autograph, and all went home with nothing. No photos with Bonds, no autographs, not even a handshake. His ego and lack of interest in the fans was amazing, to say the least.

In terms of your statement, "there are not many guys coming out of the late 80' and early 90's that can hold a candle to guys like Dimaggio, Aaron, Maris, or Mantle". How about two of my favorites, Mike Schmidt and Ripken? I dare you to try to dig up any dirt on these two (O.K., so Schmidt did wear a wig one time in Philly!). Another player who I don't collect, however, must be considered is Pujols-seems like a great player on and off the field.

Again, a nice post.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net


Howard,

I stated players coming out in the late 80's and 90's. Schmidt was at the end of his career and Ripken started before the Roids craze. I am sure there are more players that are possible HOFers that experimented or used roids on a consistent basis that haven't been caught. Who knows? These ALLEGATIONS hurt baseball and the current players who play the game the way it is supposed to be played. What is the resolve? Drug test the way the olympics athletes are tested. I forgot to mention other people that are just as guilty such as; trainers, MLB Players Union, and some coaches. Yes, these people turned a blind eye as well. The only people that lose are the fans and HOFers whose records are in jeopardy from these so-called immortal baseball players.

mr.miracle
07-14-2006, 01:30 PM
Just to clarify though, there is still no reliable test according to many experts for HGH. Until one is developed no amount of testing in the world will completely clean this problem up. Nobody mentions Football which also does not test for HGH. Is anyone suggesting that some of the 350 pound linemen who are benchpressing over 600 pounds are not possibly taking HGH? Yet all we hear about is baseball, baseball, baseball. I am not saying that Selig and others in the front office did not screw up, but lets be fair. No other sport tests for HGH either and the current MLB policy really cannot improve on the cheating until better testing is readily available and even then, Donald Fehr will fight tooth and nail to prevent additional testing from getting passed through just has he has done all along.

Brett Herman

brettherman2131@hotmail.com

mphcollectibles
07-14-2006, 02:43 PM
Just to clarify though, there is still no reliable test according to many experts for HGH. Until one is developed no amount of testing in the world will completely clean this problem up. Nobody mentions Football which also does not test for HGH. Is anyone suggesting that some of the 350 pound linemen who are benchpressing over 600 pounds are not possibly taking HGH? Yet all we hear about is baseball, baseball, baseball. I am not saying that Selig and others in the front office did not screw up, but lets be fair. No other sport tests for HGH either and the current MLB policy really cannot improve on the cheating until better testing is readily available and even then, Donald Fehr will fight tooth and nail to prevent additional testing from getting passed through just has he has done all along.

Brett Herman

brettherman2131@hotmail.com

It's quite fair to go after baseball and its instituition cosidering it is "Our National Pastime". Any other business you get caught cheating or frauding your company, you are FIRED or GO TO JAIL. Baseball players make more money on average than any other sport in the United States. That is why the media kills these so-called stars of the game when they screw up or cheat. You are right when it comes to HGH, but that still doesn't mean that the MLB can't test to Olympic Standards and adopt testing for HGH when it does come out. You have to remember this is a business that sells STATS and ACCOLADES of these players. Guys like BONDS taint the STATS and what baseball means to the fan period...

mr.miracle
07-14-2006, 03:19 PM
It may be our National Pastime, but it certainly is not our most popular sport. All I am saying is that we need to be fair and not throw baseball under the bus by itself. MLB has certainly not done itself any favors with the botched handling of testing or lack thereof over the past 15 years as well as turning a blind eye to everything all in the name of increased profits. I too agree that whatever testing that is available should be used but as long as HGH cannot be properly tested for any player that can get his hands on HGH or other designed substances that are undetectable that wants that edge will continue to cheat.

Brett

webb17
07-14-2006, 09:13 PM
I knew they were coming to my house. I had to hire a lawyer. Any time you deal with the feds you must protect yourself. Barry called me every other day for about 4 months asking me for help againist Hoskins and trying to talk me into believing that Hoskins was stealing from him and that he (Barry) would never sell his game used items. I can go over the entire senario it would take days.
Jeff

webb17
07-14-2006, 09:20 PM
Just so you know players have admitted taking steriods back in the early seventies. They have been around since the 60's. The difference is players drank all day and now they work out. Don't forget the most important drug thay have for the old guys (Human growth hormones) the fountain of youth drug. You should see how it helps their eye sight. Sports have been trying every drug that gives them an edge. Technology has come a long way.

mr.miracle
07-14-2006, 09:22 PM
Hello Jeff:

Welcome to the forum. I am wondering, you had been collecting Barry's game used equipment at that point for many years. How is it that Barry would suggest that he would never sell his game used stuff, when obviously being the hugh Bonds collector that you were, you had been collecting his game used for many years which he had to know. If it was not a problem for ten plus years how did it all of a sudden become such a hugh matter?

When Bonds showed up with the feds, did they literally rip items off your walls and out of your displays and take them out of your house with no explanation other than Barry said these are stolen?

This is just a sad, sad story. I cannot imagine what I would feel like if I had collected literally hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of a players memorabilia over the years and then have the player turn around and treat me like that. I would be devastated and angry all at the same time.

Thanks
Brett Herman
brettherman2131@hotmail.com

sportscentury
07-14-2006, 11:16 PM
How about two of my favorites, Mike Schmidt and Ripken? I dare you to try to dig up any dirt on these two

Howard,

Schmidt was/is friends with radio personality Howard Eskin ... that's pretty bad! :)

Reid

earlywynnfan
07-15-2006, 11:08 AM
Say, I can't help but wonder why so many people seem to hate Barry Bonds more for being an A-Hole than for being on steriods, yet they all seem to love Joe DiMaggio! Excuse me, earth to Yankees fans, Joe D. was an A-Hole, too!

(Go ahead and reply, I'm ready to duck!)
Ken

thomecollector
07-15-2006, 01:35 PM
Very well said-nice summary. I was on the field in Philadelphia a few years ago when they played the Giants, and know first hand what a total prick Bonds is. Several kids on the field with me asked for his autograph, and all went home with nothing. No photos with Bonds, no autographs, not even a handshake. His ego and lack of interest in the fans was amazing, to say the least.

In terms of your statement, "there are not many guys coming out of the late 80' and early 90's that can hold a candle to guys like Dimaggio, Aaron, Maris, or Mantle". How about two of my favorites, Mike Schmidt and Ripken? I dare you to try to dig up any dirt on these two (O.K., so Schmidt did wear a wig one time in Philly!). Another player who I don't collect, however, must be considered is Pujols-seems like a great player on and off the field.

Again, a nice post.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net While I've never met Ripken. I did have the have the pleasure of meeting The great Michael Jack. :rolleyes: What an @$$. He had never seen,nor met me before. But, anyway. I went to Jack Russell Stadium in '03. Thome's first year in Philly. So, I was just hanging out hoping to get a few auto's before the game.Along comes Mike. I figured it would be great to have this guy sign a ball, bat, something. So, I had this coat rack. It was made out of a bat that was sawed in half. It had pegs on it and everything. I even had a few Phils sigs on it. I asked
him if he would sign it ? He said in a snotty tone .I don't sign bats. Puzzled, I asked if he would sign a ball. He said he wouldn't sign balls. So,
I finally gave up. I figured if he couldn't respect someone who he'd never
met before. I could deal without the auto. I just couldn't deal with his piss poor attitude. I was real polite , said please, and thank you. Needless to say, I don't care if I ever talk to the guy. What a jerk!!:(

Nathan
07-15-2006, 11:21 PM
Ken/Earlywynnfan,

I think it's a combination of off-field conduct as well as on-field conduct. There have been very few players throughout baseball history who have been lauded if they conduct themself in a shameful manner on the diamond. Fans don't tend to overlook something such as lazing after fly balls (better to let a ball drop for a base hit than make a bad play and be charged an error), failure to run out ground balls (inexcusable), and other stuff like that.

Albert Belle was one of the most hated men in baseball because he was a jerk off the field as well as on it. A lot of people who have never met Roger Clemens despise him because of his tendency to act in a bizarre manner on the diamond. And Bonds? Besides the countless stories of being a horse's hind end off the field, consider his failure to run out ground balls, his ability to blame everyone else for his on-field and off-field issues, and (my personal favorite) his incredibly arrogant gawking at every fly ball he's hit the last 6 or 7 years.

As I've mentioned previously here, people would not have the sort of negative attitude about Bonds if he were more pleasant to people off the field and didn't behave like such an aloof lout on it. If Ken Griffey Jr, Cal Ripken, or Alex Rodriguez was up to 720 career home runs, stadiums would be packed, people would be cheering, and it would be the first topic on everyone's mind. But because it's Bonds, there are a ton more people who would rather see him fail than succeed.

webb17
08-08-2006, 05:48 PM
I Have Been Traveling Sorry For The Delayed Response. Barry Hand Picked Out Some Items To Be Taken. The Funny Thing Is If He Did Not Give Hoskins The Okay To Sell Anything Than Why Didn't He Tell The Feds To Take Everything.

ChrisCavalier
11-27-2006, 07:38 PM
Hello Howard,

I think there are a number of collectors out there who enjoy looking for the next great prospect. This is obviously not a big revelation given the interest in rookie baseball cards, etc. While the Pujolses and Ramirezes of the world are already recognized, I think there are collectors who are trying to determine who the next Pujols, or Greg Maddux, might be. In fact, there are dealers and collectors who may even speculate in their memorabilia and, if they are right, might see some handsome returns (for example, I think some dealers and collectors who were buying Pujols stuff a few years ago are feeling pretty good right now).

Personally, I think Brandon Webb fits into that category. That is, while he's not really well known right now (playing in Arizona probably doesn't help), he is the type of pitcher who has the potential to be a long-term star. Thus, to the few who know about him, I think there might very well be interest in him. However, that would be something dealers and collectors will have to determine for themselves.

Does anyone else know about Brandon Webb? Maybe I'm wrong but I think that guy is going to be a many time all-star (in fact, wasn't he an all-star this year?).

Sincerely,
Chris
Okay...I made the quote above in the middle of July. I'm just wondering if I can now feel completely justified given Brandon Webb won the Cy Young award this year. BTW, congratulations to Jeff Kranz for setting up a relationship with Brandon. As I said, I think Jeff has a really good eye for picking talent.

Sincerely,
Chris