By Mike Kahn
CBS SportsLine Executive Editor
Aug. 24, 1998

Age has done wonders for the initially higher profile character of the Bash Brothers. Remember that wild and crazy Jose Canseco ... the 6-3, 240-pound powerhouse who could run like a sprinter?

OK,

Barry Bonds shares an impressive record with his father. (Allsport)

so he hasn't lived up to his billing in either category. But that doesn't mean he's enjoying it any less. Now Canseco is just becoming a bit of a philosopher. He sits back in awe of the other Bash Brother -- Mark McGwire -- making history with 53 home runs and plenty of games left to break the all-time home-run record of 61 set by Roger Maris.

"McGwire ... man, he's doin' it," Canseco said. "Nobody wants him to break the record any more than I do. I've never seen anybody with so much power. He's always been that way and he's the type of guy who deserves to be the all-time home-run king. It would make me feel better."

WORDS OF MATURITY NEVER USED TO come from the mouth of Canseco. He was always about "me" and never "us." He has grown beyond that point where fast cars, his equally rambunctious wife and everything else on the periphery detracted from his immense talent.

Now he even enjoys watching and encouraging young talent as it blossoms. Playing on the Toronto Blue Jays, his fourth change in teams over the past seven seasons, has caused him to reconsider his career.

"Sometimes, I think about the time that has passed and it really bothers me what I missed," Canseco said.

Still, at age 34, he's having his best season since the beginning of the decade. With 35 home runs and 28 stolen bases, he's showing the combination of speed and power he showed early in his career, when he became only the second player in history to record at least 40 home runs (42) and 40 stolen bases in the same season. Incredibly enough, that was 10 years ago. Only Barry Bonds, who became the first ever to have 400 home runs and 400 stolen bases in a career just this weekend, is in that exclusive club with Canseco, posting exactly the same numbers in 1996.

"A lot of it is just being healthy," Canseco said. "But that guy over there ... if he stays healthy, should do 40-40 more than once and 30-30 even in average years. That's how good he is. It's a tough combination because it's harder to hit home runs, but it's just as hard to steal bases -- especially once your legs start to go."

'That guy over there' would be Alex Rodriguez, the 22-year-old shortstop for the Seattle Mariners. With 33 games left, Rodriguez has 36 home runs and 37 stolen bases.

"It's funny -- we're both from Miami," Rodriguez said. "(Canseco) was my hero. When I was 17, he came over to the playground where we used to hang out. We'd play basketball. He told me then, 'I've watched you play baseball. You've got a chance to do 30-30 for a long time and maybe do 40-40.' For Jose Canseco to say that to me when I was still in high school was really something. But I didn't know it would happen this fast."

A-ROD AGREES WITH CANSECO IN the matter of health being the determining factor of not only joining the exclusive 40-40 club, but becoming a repeat performer with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases is no easy task either.

Canseco appears to be ready for his second time if he can steal two more bases. But the only two players in history to do it more than twice just happens to be Barry Bonds and his father Bobby. Bobby did it an amazing five times -- three times in the American League and twice in the National League -- and with four different teams. Barry has done it three times, and with 26 home runs and 21 stolen bases this year, still has a shot at a fourth trip to the circle.

Rodriguez, at 6-3, 190, appears destined for that exclusive company, not to mention the all-time home-run record for shortstops. Only Ernie Banks began so quickly, and most of his career was at first base. Rodriguez is a far more natural shortstop.

"People look at me and don't think I've got the power to be a 40-40 guy," Rodriguez said. "That's a media thing. How can I not be a power hitter if I've already got 36 home runs in the middle of August?"

Rodriguez isn't about to concede a 50-50 season is impossible, although nobody has ever done it.

"I'll never say never." Rodriguez said. "I'd have to be really lucky with injuries and be hitting the ball hard all season ... but it's not impossible."

TOO BAD HIS BUDDY Canseco disagrees. Stretching out on the dugout steps in a recent game, he contemplated the possibilities. These are interesting years for Canseco, as youth slips by. Watching Rodriguez crush a couple of 400-foot shots during taking batting practice really put a sparkle in his eye.

"A-Rod is a great talent, but I really don't think anybody will ever get to the 50-50 point," Canseco said. "Too many things have to go right. Fifty home runs is happening more now, but it's still really hard to do -- and 50 stolen bases, too? I can't see it happening. I guess when I was his age, I thought I could do it too."

So did we.