I don’t blame the players. They play in the environment they are given, the environment that today’s game has adopted over time. No one forced ownership to pay $20 million a year for a player or build mini-stadiums that eventually would destroy the continuity of the record books. Wealthy, egocentric businessmen and television revenue support this stuff. Don’t blame the players, they’re just taking advantage of it.

Having said all of the above, the only issue is: Bonds or Aaron? Who deserves the throne until A-Rod or Ryan Howard arrives? When they do the baseball climate will be more ready for a change, and much more comfortable with the modern game. It will be their game, we will be long gone from it.

When making the Bonds-Aaron comparison, one thing everyone can agree upon, and it is central to the discussion, is that it became much easier to hit a home run after 1990.

Harder balls, maple bats, small parks, small strike zones, fewer inside pitches, elbow pads, and yes, bigger biceps, all combined to increase home run totals and thus lessen the appreciation of Barry Bonds’ achievements.

As pointed out in my book, “Clearing the Bases,” after the building of Camden Yards in Baltimore and the many new stadiums that followed, ending with Citizens Bank in Philly, the difference is close to 10 home runs a year per player.

Barry would need to reach over 900. That’s where Hank would be if he played the same number of games in the same environment in which Barry plays today. In its simplest form, over 100 of the balls Hank hit to outfield warning tracks during his career would be home runs today. This is not Barry’s fault. Barry understands that comparison, but what can he do — ask baseball to make Hank’s mark 925?

Leave the steroid issue out of this. Maybe your eyes tell you one thing, but Barry has never failed a drug test. It’s been guilt by association. He’s had a long, amazingly productive career, a career that most likely will never be matched. He has been a five-tool player most of his career, combining speed, defense, hitting for average and power. I lost count of his MVP awards.

I say appreciate it for what it is, the greatest career that spans two highly different generations. I say he is the greatest left-handed hitter of all-time, maybe the greatest player — surely of our generation. And I’ll bet that he is not that bad of a guy if you got to know him. Remember also, the guy coming after him, A-Rod, will have done it all in the modern game. In fact, he might prove the number 900 is correct.

As for Hammerin’ Hank, he is the greatest right-handed hitter of all-time and that’s saying something. Of course I’m biased. But facing 70 percent right-handed pitching, well, ask Barry how he’d like to face a lefty seven out of 10 games.

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Hank’s reign will never really end. He’s the old-school King and will, by my generation, have set the standard in baseball’s golden era.

I know he’s up there in years, but I’m sure he could have boarded a private jet, with Bud Selig, and stop by to shake Barry’s hand on the big day.

The experts on ESPN will be everywhere. Barry Bonds the person will be Barry Bonds the commodity, and everyone will see headlines, TV ratings, dollar signs and Barry’s lovable smile.

He’ll have more friends than he ever dreamed. Every network will create space, no major league licensee will boycott it, media and fans will treat it as a historical happening. By the end of all this, Barry might even win you over.

Let’s just hope this one has a happy ending. Baseball needs one.

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