I doubt he would receive the adulation Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa did during their home run race in 1998. Such records no longer will inspire unabashed reverence, even if they are set by a player as untainted as Rodriguez.

This is the legacy of the Steroids Era, and the indifference toward Barry Bonds' pursuit of Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list is a sign of things to come.

Perhaps the reaction to Bonds isn't a fair gauge of the future; his reported steroids use and distasteful personality leave him with little support outside of the Bay Area.

Ten years ago, the pursuit of Ruth would have been a national showstopper. No, 714 is not the record, and commissioner Bud Selig is correct - Bonds should not be commemorated for passing Ruth when Hank Aaron's 755 is the all-time mark. But in the game's mythology, 714 is a big deal, an emotional touchstone. Bonds, at 713 after hitting one out Sunday, is evoking curiosity but little passion.

Still, fans aren't scrambling to snap up seats in the right-field stands the way they did during Bonds' 73 bashes in 2001. Heck, MLB didn't even mark the balls used for Bonds' at-bats until last weekend, even though - at the very least - he is on the verge of passing Ruth for the most home runs by a left-handed hitter.

Perhaps the excesses of the era will grow less offensive over time. Perhaps the next wave of stars will be justly celebrated for whatever milestones they reach. Though asterisks would be inappropriate, the record book should include a qualifier: MLB did not test for performance-enhancing drugs until 2003.

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