not necessarily.
People always ask me, if not for steroids how did Barry put up such insane numbers as an old man.
I think the perception of steroids helped Barry more than the steroids.
Follow me down this path, for arguments sake accept that;
a). Barry Bonds used steroids, but they don't really help you hit home-runs.
b) Baseball began juicing the baseball in 1994.
c) Hitting 60+ home runs is as much a matter of luck as it is skill, no matter how much power you have you need some to be aided by wind, no mike trouts to pull them back over the wall. case in point Roger Maris hit 60 and never hit more than 39 before or after.
Barry Bonds, had an incredibly lucky season where he hit 70+ home runs, being aided mostly by the juiced baseball, and a random valley in the quality of major league pitching during the early 2000's (fastball velocity has risen almost 2 mph since bonds 70 season pitchers and defenses are unquestionably better.)
Barry Bonds greatest skill is his batting eye, its without question the greatest in the history of baseball, that 70+ home run season and his physical stature put the fear of god into pitchers, and basically nobody ever challenged him again, even as he got older/fatter/slower.
Batting eye/pitch recognition is know in baseball as an old man skill, and because of the fear and perception, Barry was getting worse but pitchers were still pitching him like 70+ home run Barry, they presumed he was an inhuman being aided by magic home run beans, this allowed Barry to leverage the one skill that doesn't age. His impeccable command of the strike zone.
This is my alternative non steroid theory as to why Barry could put up such video game numbers as 38+ years old.
Barry Bonds was uniquely qualified to take advantage of the power spike in 1994.
@ steroids not playing a major part in helping hit home runs.
