Back in those days we didn’t take for granted when we got to see Hank playing at Shea when the Braves visited New York. I still recall going to games to see opposing players: Johnny Bench, Mike Schmidt, Willie Mays, Lou Brock, Fernando Valenzuela, Ozzie Smith, and so many others. One of the amazing things about baseball is the connectivity between generations, the feeling that I having saw Hank play could last forever because I would tell my kids, just as my grandfather told me about seeing Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb, and my father spun tales of Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial, and that kind of thing lasts forever, even long after the ballplayers are pushing up daisies in their personal field of dreams.
But at that moment watching Bonds step to the plate (against Roger Clemens no less) I had a bout with the Angel Vic on my right shoulder and the Devil Vic on my left. Angel said, “Oh, let’s give this fellow a pass no matter what he has supposed to have done. He still has accomplished something wonderful.” This was working for a few seconds until Devil groaned, “What’s he going to say when Bonds hits Number 800?” Now, I really was feeling benevolent until Devil said that, and then I started wondering about it all, and Devil added, “How many of those homers were hit when he was juiced?”
In the end the "dramatic" showdown between Roger and Barry resulted in a base on balls. I sighed in relief that number 750 didn’t go sailing over the wall, but it also seemed like Clemens bailed out. I thought he was so tough (you know, this was the guy who threw a splintered bat back at Piazza because he thought Piazza broke his bat on purpose), but in the end he was more Roger Dodger than Buck Rogers.
How many homers will Bonds end up hitting? He could make it to 800 if he hangs around long enough, so this will be the target for A-Rod and any other guys who follow. But, considering what Devil Vic said, there is a serious question hovering over some of those homeruns. How many of his homeruns actually should count? Well, when did Barry start looking like one half of Hans and Franz on Saturday Night Live? We can do the math and subtract however many from the total, but in the end Bonds will retire with his copious amount of homers intact (even if a phantom asterisk forever haunts the final total).
Article comments
1 - RJ
Bean him. Every at-bat. EVERY at-bat.
Until he is injured. And cannot play anymore. Forever.
That is how opposing teams should treat BB after he hits #754.
Never allow him another pitch to swing at. EVER.
Pitchers will be tossed. There will be suspensions. There will be fines. The Giants will gain a small advantage in their games during the regular season. (But they still won't make the playoffs.)
Keep him at #754 for months. For seasons, if need be. He'll get the hint, eventually. And then retire. As #2. Forever.
And he is "number two" (shit) in my book.
2 - Jonathan
it'll be glorious. Review his whole career and you'll see a Hall of Famer. MVPs, homers, hits, steals, walks--see the whole picture. Compare with his father, Bobby Bonds' career.
3 - Victor Lana
Thanks for the comments. I don't know about keeping him at bay, RJ. Doesn't that make everyone else as bad? As for it being "glorious," Jonathan, I would say that pitching a perfect game is glorious; pitching it whilst high on crack would be something less. The problem with Bonds is that some people still don't think that what he did was wrong.
4 - alessandro Nicolo
I don't know what I would say. I think I'll go with "what the dilio?" or "pass the catsup."
The shitty thing about Bonds is that he was a Hall of Famer (character notwithstanding) before all this garbage of taking special spinach. As a result, because he was such a great hitter, he began to hit dingers. And now, as if life isn't absurd enough, he's out to crack one of baseball's most hallowed (and over-obsessed) records.
Angels and Devils, Vic. You said it. Bonds chasing of the record mirrors life.
5 - mark
The biggest difference between baseball then and now is our access to information. Steroids were around in the 50s. We know now that many bodybulders were already at least trying them then. (WARNING: IDOL BASHING TO FOLLOW!) If Micky Mantle took steroids,(and if that was part of his liver disease, as it would be), we'd never know. It's only common sense that the "old-school", (legal at the time, they'd be doctors and scientists),steroid purveyors would offer them to the power players of the day, just as they did to the bodybuilders. GET REAL: The "good old days" were as corrupt as any other time.
6 - Victor Lana
Mark, one thing you can see on the archive tapes is that no one in those days was engorged like Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, and company. Mantle's body broke down on him, and he admitted that he would have taken better care of himself (meaning less partying) if he knew he would live as long as he did.
I think the hot period for steroids was like 1990-2002 or so, before all the manure hit the fan. I'm sure there werre drugs around before that, but even if the guys were taking them they didn't look like Hans and Franz.
7 - Paotie
Steroids or not 800 homeruns, is freaking hard to do in MLB. I don't think the majority of Americans pumped up on steroids could even get close to 300 homeruns.
I don't know. I'm tired of seeing the Bonds watchlists on newspapers and ESPN. The sooner he gets the record, the sooner he can retire and move the hell on.
8 - Victor Lana
You know, Paotie, I first read what you wrote as "the sooner he can retire and move on to hell," but then I read it again and realized it was just what I wanted to read (I guess). Good point either way though.
9 - Johnny
I love to see Bonds hit 800 homers.That will make my day.He will be up there with Josh Gibson. Alllright.Go for it Barry.
10 - mark
Everyone has their "unfair advantage". Yes, even Hank Aaron, who was liked and respected by other players, and was served up a lot of "gifts" to add to his total, as Bonds surely -never- was. Subtract Bonds's steroid homers, and subtract Aaron's gift homers. The biggest difference between now and the so called good old days is that we'll never know what happened back then. Things -did- happened though. Would anyone really be all that surprised if the Babe got shot up with stimulants before games. Just to cure the hangover, of course.