Chris Davis still views Roger Maris as the single-season home run record holder

Chris Davis arrived at Yankee Stadium Friday night leading the American league with 32 home runs — mathematically putting him on a pace to hit 60 this season. There have only been eight instances where a player has jacked 60 or more homers in a season — six with 63 or more— but the Baltimore Orioles slugger still believes the Holy Grail of home run totals is still Roger Maris' legendary 61.

Davis views every one of those season totals topping Maris as tainted because they came during the so-called "Steroid Era."  Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are all members of the exclusive "60 Club" but that trio have all been connected to PEDs to different degrees -- including McGwire openly admitting steroid use.

According to Davis, this means he believes chasing Maris' single-season 61 is the real goal, not Bonds' 73.

“I do and the reason being, he was the last guy to do it clean,” Davis said on ESPN's Mike and Mike morning show (via baltimoresportsreport.com). “There's a lot of things that have been said about the guys who have come after him and have achieved the record, but I think as far as the fans are concerned they still view Maris as being the all-time home run record [holder] and I think you have to. There's no doubt that Barry and Mark and any of those guys had ridiculous seasons and had some great years, but I think when you get to the root of the record, I still think it's Roger Maris'.”

It's ironic because  Davis himself has heard the whispers of fans and media members speculating his own breakout year this season is somehow drug-assisted. He addressed the issue of being clean to Mike & Mike:

“I think the biggest thing for me to remember is you know as long as I continue to do things the way I've always done [them], you know can't really rely on what other people are going to say,” Davis said on Mike and Mike. “We get drug-tested just like everybody else, we have the strictest drug testing policy in all of professional sports and I actually think in a way it's kind of a backhanded compliment.”

In 86 games this year, Davis has already equaled his 139 game totals of last year — except on the strikeout front.  He is still on pace for a 190 strike threes this season but seems to gotten a better grasp of the strike zone.

Here is the legendary list of players with 60 or more home runs in a season.  According to Davis, No. 7 is the real No. 1.

1. Barry Bonds, 73, 2001
2. Mark McGwire, 70, 1998
3. Sammy Sosa, 66, 1998
4. Mark McGwire, 65, 1999
5. Sammy Sosa, 64, 2001
6. Sammy Sosa, 63, 1999
7. Roger Maris, 61, 1961
8. Babe Ruth, 60, 1927