SC:
I own "The Glory of Their Times" and do recommend it as a must-have for baseball fans.

Irishman:
None of the other player you mentioned are eligible for the HOF yet. That's the only reason Big Mac is being singled out. Baseball created a helluva problem when it allowed rampant steroid use in the 80s and 90s. This will become a recurring debate when all the players you mentioned are HOF eligible. BTW, no way does Luis Gonzalez get in HOF without buying a ticket.

As to why this is such a big deal: baseball records are the most hallowed in sports, bar none. And the all-time HR record is at the top of that list. Many people, myself included, have a huge problem with Bonds being ready to break the record with much circumstantial evidence that he juiced up. The problem, at least in my eyes, is that Bonds can pass one of the all-time greats and classiest athletes in Henry Aaron. He was a pro's pro. And the HR record is cheapened by allegations of someone who took a shortcut to attain the record.