Yeah, so when you go from a 20-25hr/yr guy to a 40-60hr/yr guy well after your prime that's normal right?
If you think even for a second steriod use isn't extremely prevelent in baseball you need to up your medication. The idea that being stronger doesn't make for more home runs is absurd. Taking steroids increases a players strength, bat speed, and flexibility during swings. It takes a good player (like Bonds) to a new level without the effort his peers made for this great 100 year legacy for which you speak.
It took YEARS for the fans to come back last time, and that strike is still in the memory of fans this time. If you think baseball will somehow just be like nothing happend, you're crazy. You can kiss the sport goodbye. Take a look at the posts here. I think you'll get the feel for the general public. They're pissed, and I seriously doubt many care about baseball anymore.
I'm not complaining that players don't deserve fair market price, if you'll read my post, it's mostly the owners fault. They have the power to enforce their own salary cap. As for the NYY, compare their record, and their payroll to Minnesota. Excuse me if I disagree completely with buying a pennant. I think fans are sick and tired of paying out huge sums to watch a bunch of spoiled brats. You think it's ridiculous to not support an industry that doesn't cater to your needs, that overcharges you, and the employees strike every chance they get? Might want to take a look at real world results from striking. UPS went on strike a few years ago and lost dedicated customers by the thousands. Many never went back. Baseball should be prepared for that, and expect it in fact. Minnesotan's as a general rule could care less about the sport, and the last strike was a HUGE contributor to that. The sport just died here. Around the country it died, for fricken years. Look at the value of baseball cards. Baseballs popularity isn't as high as it was, and another strike is going to kill that popularity as well.
Duece, excuse me for being blunt, but football is every bit like your description of baseball. Teams are extremely important, and individual players can make huge differences on the team. Look at Barry Sanders. Soccer is the same way. Again, hockey is exactly the same. Baseball isn't special in the way it works.