It's funny how fast things go from questionable to inevitable. Before the 2007 baseball season, whether Barry Bonds could reach 755 was like the question of whether Phil Mickelson would win a major before his Masters victory in '04. Sports fans knew he was certainly capable, but getting over the hump could prove to be difficult.
As of April 24, the question of Bonds passing Hank is more like the question of, Tiger Woods winning a Major in a given year. It's no longer an ""if,"" but rather a question of ""when.""
The Giants slugger has played 15 games this year and knocked six out of the park. His .348 batting average and .466 on-base percentage are reminiscent of his dominant seasons just a few years ago. And his OBP will only climb when pitchers realize they'd much rather face Ryan Klesko or Ray Durham than the greatest slugger of all time. With homers in his last two games, Bonds sits at 740 for his career, just 15 behind baseball's all-time leader Aaron. And when analyzing the Giants' schedule, a certain three-game set in the middle of the summer sticks out when guessing where Bonds will take the record.
But before we get to that, let's make sure we're on the same page. There's no doubt that Giants owner Peter Magowan and the rest of the San Fran brass want Barry to slug numbers 755 and 756 into McCovey Cove. Having Bonds hit the historic shot at Pac Bell Park is a must, solely because of the fans' reaction. While it was nice to have Mark McGwire slug number 62 off of Steve Traschel at Busch Stadium in front of a sea of red, he would have gotten his due at say... Bank One Ball Park as well.
Bonds, on the other hand, won't get the same love. He is statistically the best player in baseball over the past 10 years and still the most hated. His alleged use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs coupled with his statistical boom at such a late age has led many fans around the country to believe that he's tarnished the great game they hold so dear. A 755 or 756 in the aforementioned BOB, would elicit some cheers, but mostly boos. So, while Giants manager can use his size-eight noggin to figure out how to try and give Bonds a day off here and there to improve his chances of getting to slug the dingers in the Bay Area's National League park, he can't guarantee anything.
However, what could be really interesting is when the Giants take the field in a series from June 18-20. Right after Bochy's club gets done with their time at Fenway Park, the Giants take a plane ride over to Milwaukee for a three-game set with the Brewers.
Now, why is this interesting you ask? The Brewers and the Giants are far from rivals and aside from maybe Tony Gwynn Jr.'s dad once playing for Bochy's old club, I don't think there's much of that ""Player Haunts Former Club"" talk. Well, there are two main reasons this series could be absolutely riveting if Bonds is closing in on the greatest number in sports.
The first is the man in charge: Bud Selig. Selig was baseball in Milwaukee. After purchasing the Seattle Pilots of Jim Bouton fame after the club went bankrupt in 1969, he brought baseball to a city in desperate need of it after the Braves left in '66. He then became ""acting-commissioner"" of baseball in 1992, later being instated in a permanent role, but transferred power to his daughter Wendy Selig-Prieb.
Despite being Commissioner, Miller Park is his back yard. Yet Selig has not said whether or not he will attend Bonds' historic game.
""I wasn't there when Roger Clemens won his 300th game,"" he said. ""That's a matter I'll determine at some point in the future. Let me say it, and I'm not going to say anymore. That's it.""
But Bonds' blast isn't a 300th win. No players have hit 756 career dingers and after Tom Glavine ties Lefty Grove and Early Wynn at 300 wins, 23 players will have had 300 victories. Really, the case in point is that Selig doesn't like what Bonds represents. The last part of Selig's tenure has been dedicated to ridding the sport of steroids, and Bonds' success represents his failure to do so. He even considered suspending Bonds after the publishing of the book Game of Shadows.
The second reason is the case of the man, whom Bonds is passing: Aaron himself. Hammerin' Hank has made it abundantly clear that he will not be attending the record-breaking feat. From here on out, he will be avoiding all questions regarding the topic. But Bonds' record-tying or record-breaking shot has a chance to head out in a building with Aaron's retired number 44. While Hank only played for the Brewers in his last two years, he actually spent his first 12 years with the Milwaukee Braves, before following them to Atlanta.
So Bonds' shot has a chance to head out in a place that made both the Boss Man (Selig) and the King (Aaron) famous, yet there's a pretty good chance that both won't be in attendance. Aaron's 715 to pass Babe Ruth off the Dodgers' Al Downing is memorable. Everyone remembers the shot in the Braves' home opener with the two kids running alongside the new Sultan of Swat.
If Bonds goes yard in Milwaukee for the big one, the reaction of Brewers fans will be on record forever and can make or break how Bonds' accomplishment is truly remembered. But when it comes down to it, Bonds' character may have already predetermined just that.
Want to share how much you either hate or adore Barry Bonds? E-mail Sam at sepepper@wisc.edu.
