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........................... Oct. 05 - Oct. 18, 2001
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Barry Bonds: The New Home Run King And Soon TO Be Four-Time NL MVP |
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In a season completely overshadowed by the remarkable success of the Seattle Mariners, let us not overlook the stunning accomplishments of Barry Bonds. The San Francisco Giants is on pace to hit 71 home runs, surpassing the single season mark of 70 set by Mark McGwire in 1998.
By reaching the 71 mark, Bonds would move into seventh on the all-time home run list, with 561 in his career. The man he'll pass for seventh on the list is his uncle, Reggie Jackson. Pretty good for a guy who prides himself on his defensive abilities. This home run record will certainly be earned and well deserved for Bonds, who is truly a "Giant."
Cooperstown has become a family affair for Bonds. His father, Bobby, is in the Hall of Fame. His Uncle Reggie is a Hall of Famer, and even his godfather, Willie Mays, is enshrined in Cooperstown. Coincidence? Maybe not.
In his long and illustrious career, Bonds has truly established himself as one of the greatest to ever play the game of baseball. His stats clearly show that although he has power, he can put up numbers in other areas as well. Bonds really made a name for himself in the '90s. Many journals, including the Sporting News, have praised him as the best player of that decade. In this time, Bonds racked up eight Gold Glove Awards as well as three MVP Awards. He also became the first player to reach the 400 home run and 400 stolen base milestone. Next year Bonds is expected to become the first to join the 500 home run and 500 stolen base mark.
His career statistics have him headed straight for the Hall of Fame when the time comes.
The 2001 season could very well see Bonds break the home run record, but there are more numbers of significance to go with that distinguishment. Bonds is having one of the most productive offensive seasons baseball has ever seen. His .502 on-base percentage is the best in over 40 years; Babe Ruth has only matched his .837 slugging percentage. This season also saw Bonds walk over 170 times, taking away an infinite amount of home-run swings.
With the events of September 11 still looming over the country and the world of sports, I feel this record, in a sense, is good for the game of baseball and should be recognized. Barry Bonds did his best to keep us following the chase as well as remembering all those who lost their lives. When baseball resumed, Bonds said that he would donate $10,000 for each home run he hit in the last few weeks of the season.
When the league votes for National League Most Valuable Player, I hope Bonds gets his votes. Many may contest that his team is not in the playoffs, and as such Bonds does not deserve this award. I disagree. He kept his team in the hunt all year and was truly the most valuable player for the San Francisco Giants. The award is not called, "The Most Valuable Player To Make the Playoffs Award," and should be given to Bonds for having one of the best seasons this sport has ever seen.
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| by Matt Lattier | |
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