Reggie Jackson supports Bonds in home run chase

	Reggie Jackson applauds Barry Bonds for being able to keep it together during his chase of baseball's most revered mark. AP
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TAMPA, Fla. -- Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson offers a succinct piece of advice to baseball fans and followers for when Barry Bonds breaks the home run record: "Tip your cap to him, even if it's with reluctance."

A lot of folks in baseball are going to look away or hold their nose when Bonds surpasses Hank Aaron's all-time home run mark. He has 22 to go to pass Aaron, so the day's coming. Commissioner Bud Selig is one who's still deciding whether to follow Bonds on his quest for history, considering all the suspicion of steroid use. Before making a final determination, Selig wants to see whether injuries or an indictment may stop Bonds from surpassing Aaron's coveted 755 home runs.

Eventually, Selig will probably have to decide. And others will, too.

Jackson's already decided. He's watching the chase to the end, bitter or not.

"He's going to be the home run king," said Jackson, who has 563 career home runs. "They tried to get this guy more than anybody ... and they've got nothing on him."

For Jackson, the fact that Bonds' late-career improvement in power "seems a little funny" isn't enough to indict Bonds, or even to denigrate him.

"I can't believe the defamation he is getting," Jackson said. "I think it's unbelievable, without any data."

I reminded Jackson that the book Game of Shadows, detailed serious steroid usage, the dates and amounts and other specifics.

"I never read it," Jackson said.

The book was pretty detailed. But Jackson is far from the only player or ex-player who feels this way. When they see Bonds, they don't see a cheat, they see an amazing hitter who's about to do something that seems almost impossible. And they also see that he's never been caught, at least not by the authorities or anyone official.

The book is pretty convincing. If you've read it, that is.

"I'm not big on unnamed sources -- it doesn't really count," Jackson said. "Regardless of what the public suspects ... he's not in jail. The amazing thing about Bonds is that he's held up. I think that's pretty impressive."

Jackson didn't say whether he meant physically or mentally, but I suspect he meant that Bonds has mentally kept it together. Twenty-two homers to go. Jackson's right about one thing. Barring an unpredictable mishap, Bonds is going to get there. And soon.