Let me get this out of the way: I’m not a big fan of Barry Bonds, and believe it or not it has little to nothing to do with the whole BALCO thing. It’s that whole swaggering arrogance thing, that I’m-better-than-you attitude he lords over pretty much everyone. Having said that, the fact that his passing of Babe Ruth on the home run leaders list was met with equal parts indifference and hostility is nothing short of tragic.
Here’s why: Bonds is a better ball player than everyone else in his generation. He was well on his way to the Hall of Fame before any of this alleged steroid nonsense took place. Purists would like to wipe his numbers off of the books, and while that opens a whole can of worms involving Ken Caminiti’s MVP award, Rafael Palmeiro and a half dozen other hitters, not to mention pitchers, let’s take 150 home runs — which roughly translates to the number of dingers he hit from 2001-2003 — off of the books. That still makes him the sole member of the 500-500 (home runs & stolen bases) club. Only four players are in the 300-300 club, and no one is in the 400-400 club. That is simply staggering.
And yet, we curse his name and pray to God, Allah or anyone who will listen not to let him pass Hank Aaron as the all time home run leader. Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen. His knees are shot, and if it took him this long to hit seven home runs this season, it’s going to take him three years to hit another 40. But Bonds, warts and all, is truly one of the greatest players in baseball history, and while there was no way he was going to force people to like him, he could have made it very difficult for people not to respect him. But pride got the best of him, and he threw it all away in order to keep that “white boy” from getting his glory.
Let’s count the number of deadly sins that were committed in this whole sordid affair.
Bonds – Envy (of McGwire and Sosa), Pride (insisted that everyone acknowledge him at the best player in baseball)
MLB – Greed, Sloth (owners clearly knew something was up, but did nothing to stop the players from juicing, since it was filling the ballparks again after the strike in 1994)
Fans – Lust (for dingers at first), Wrath (lust for blood later)
And now, instead of celebrating Bonds passing Ruth, everyone is celebrating each home run hit by Albert Pujols, the “clean one,” and holding out hope that one day he will pass Bonds, thereby making everything “better” again. Sad, sad, sad.
