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Posted at 6:43 a.m., Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Baseball: Sadaharu Oh still home run king of world

By JIM ARMSTRONG
AP Sports Writer

TOKYO — Barry Bonds still has a way to go before breaking the true world record for homers says one of the most prolific hitters in Japan.

Tuffy Rhodes, who is just three shy of 400 homers in Japan, says Sadaharu Oh's all-time mark of 868 home runs between 1959 and 1980 deserves to be recognized on both sides of the Pacific.

"No disrespect to Barry, but Oh does have the world record," said Rhodes. "Hitting home runs is hitting home runs. It doesn't matter where you do it."

Bonds surpassed Hank Aaron's major league record of 755 homers last week but with 758 is still well behind Oh.

Because of the smaller ballparks and a perception that the level of professional baseball in Japan was lower than the major leagues at the time, many in the U.S. play down Oh's record, set with the Yomiuri Giants.

"Maybe the parks here were smaller but you still have to connect," said Rhodes. "A lot of people back home don't recognize Oh's record but I think that's starting to change because guys like Ichiro (Suzuki) are going over and people are starting to realize the quality of Japanese baseball."

Oh hit 868 homers in 127 fewer games and 524 fewer at-bats than Bonds needed to pass Hank Aaron.

Oh, who is close friends with Aaron, was diplomatic in congratulating Bonds on breaking Aaron's record.

"I want to express my congratulations on him reaching the world record of 756 homers," said Oh, who currently manages the Softbank Hawks of the Pacific League.

When Oh passed Aaron on Sept. 3, 1977 with his 756th homer all of Japan celebrated.

Because of accusations of taking performance-enhancing drugs, Bonds' 756th was met with only moderate interest here.

The use of performance-enhancing drugs has not been an issue in Japan. The only case came just last week when American pitcher Rick Guttormson was suspended for 20 days for using a hair-growing agent that contained Finasteride.

Bonds has previously mentioned the possibility of someday playing in Japan.

"I'd go there and play for fun and have a good time," said Bonds. "With what I've accomplished and what I'm doing, it's not funny to say I'll go break the record in Japan."

Rhodes, for one, would love to see Bonds try.

"If he comes over here it would be great for the sport in Japan but personally, I don't see it happening," said Rhodes, who has played 11 seasons in Japan. "Barry Bonds is a great hitter, one of the best in baseball so I wouldn't be surprised if he hit a lot of homers here. If he wants to come over I'm all for it but you've got to be hungry."

Rhodes, formerly of Houston, Chicago Cubs and Boston in Major League Baseball, tied Oh's single season home run record of 55 in 2001. He has 37 homers in 104 games this season.

When he came close to breaking the single season record, Rhodes started seeing fewer and fewer pitches in the strike zone. Something Bonds would have to contend with in Japan if he ever got close to Oh's all-time record.