2002 World Series: Of Monkeys and Angels

The Teams
American League: Anaheim Angels (99-63) - First World Series
National League: San Francisco Giants (95-66) - Third World Series

What Happened
It was the seventh inning stretch of Game 6, and the Giants were up 5-0. Russ Ortiz threw his final warmup pitches, ready to go for the bottom of the seventh, his team nine outs from their first World Series title since moving west from New York in 1958. The Anaheim crowd was mostly sitting on their hands, stunned, accepting of their team's fate. It looked like the Angels' magical run through the postseason was over.

And then it happened. On the big center field scoreboard, there appeared a monkey. She was jumping up and down as the words "Rally Time" flashed above her. It was cute, but something you'd expect at a low-level minor league game. And the crowd went nuts.

That's the thing with lucky charms. By themselves, they don't bring luck. They don't have magical powers allowing would-be fly balls to drift over the outfield wall, allowing screaming liners to drift just low enough to land right in a fielder's glove. Their success or failure is entirely random. But what lucky charms can provide is something that can't be measured. If enough people believe that something is lucky, it doesn't have to be true. Baseball is among the most mental of sports, for both the participants and the fans, so a stadium-wide belief in a recording of a jumping monkey can be surprisingly powerful.

For the Angels, the Rally Monkey was all powerful. Several times in 2002, they had overcome a late-game deficit immediately after the Rally Monkey showed up on the scoreboard, and so the fans believed in him. And sitting in their dugout, hearing their fans going nuts and urging them on, the Angels must have started to believe in themselves.

Up to that point late in Game 6, the Angels had lost all momentum in the series. After splitting the first two games at home - including a mind-numbing 11-10 win in Game 2, the Angels had pounded the Giants 10-4 in Game 3. But then the Giants took over, scoring the final four runs in a 4-3 Game 4 win, eviscerating the Angels 16-4 in Game 5, then taking a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh here in Game 6. The Giants had all the momentum, until that damn monkey took it away.

Garrett Anderson started the inning by grounding out. That didn't quiet down the fans. The Rally Monkey had never let them down before, after all. Two straight singles came next, making the crowd yell even louder and sending Ortiz to the showers. Felix Rodriguez came in to face Scott Spiezio, and after an eight-pitch at bat, Spiezio belted a home run to make it 5-3. The Giants got out of the seventh, but the Rally Monkey wasn't done. Darin Erstad led off the eighth with a home run. After two more singles, the Giants brought in closer Robb Nen. The first batter he faced, Troy Glaus, blasted a double. Two runs scored. The Angels were ahead. The Rally Monkey had done his job.

The Angels got through the ninth without having to face Barry Bonds, who was in his unstoppable prime, and the series went to Game 7. And after the drama of Game 6, Game 7 was a bit anticlimatic. John Lackey and three relievers held Bonds to just a single and the Giants to just one run on six hits. The Angles took a 4-1 lead after three innings, then shut the door, taking that lead into the ninth inning. The Giants got two runners on base in the ninth, but could get no further, and the Angels and their magical monkey won their first World Championship.

MVP
If there was ever a series where a player from the losing team deserved to win the MVP, it was this one. No hitter in baseball history was as feared as Barry Bonds in 2002, and with good reason. Against the Angels, he batted .471 with four home runs and eight runs scored, all despite being walked a mind-numbing 13 times in seven games. But, the writers will likely never again vote someone from the losing team as MVP, so Troy Glaus got the award. His 10 hits and 8 runs batted in were highs for the series, and he got the hits that put the Angels ahead for good in both Games 3 and 6.

Scores
(Home team shaded; winners in Bold)

San Francisco	4	10	4	4	16	5	1
Anaheim	3	11	10	3	4	6	4

The List
I'm ranking all the World Series, from worst to best. Here are the ones I've done so far:

21. 2002 - Anaheim (A) def. San Francisco (N) 4-3
22. 1980 - Philadelphia (N) def. Kansas City (A) 4-2
23. 1911 - Philadelphia (A) def. New York (N) 4-2
24. 1915 - Boston (A) def. Philadelphia (N) 4-1
25. 1971 - Pittsburgh (N) def. Baltimore (A) 4-3
26. 1918 - Boston (A) def. Chicago (N) 4-2
27. 1988 - Los Angeles (N) def. Oakland (A) 4-1
28. 1946 - St. Louis (N) def. Boston (A) 4-3
29. 1925 - Pittsburgh (N) def. Washington (A) 4-3
Numbers 30-39
Numbers 40-49
Numbers 50-59
Numbers 60-69
Numbers 70-79
Numbers 80-89
Numbers 90-99
Numbers 100-107

Game 7s
Simultaneously, I'll rank all the Game 7s. The ones that have appeared in my countdown so far:

7. 1946: St. Louis (N) 4, Boston (A) 3
9. 1925: Pittsburgh 9, Washington 7
12. 1979: Pittsburgh 4, Baltimore 1
13. 1955: Brooklyn 2, New York (A) 0
15. 1971: Pittsburgh 2, Baltimore 1
16. 1940: Cincinnati 2, Detroit 1
18. 1987: Minnesota 4, St. Louis 2
19. 1958: New York 6, Milwaukee 2
21. 1968: Detroit 4, St. Louis 1
22. 1931: St. Louis (N) 4, Philadelphia (A) 2
24. 2002: Anaheim 4, San Francisco 1
26. 1982: St. Louis 6, Milwaukee 3
28. 1965: Los Angeles (A) 2, Minnesota 0
29. 1964: St. Louis 7, New York (A) 5
30. 1957: Milwaukee 5, New York (A) 0
31. 1967: St. Louis 7, Boston 2
32. 1945: Detroit 9, Chicago (N) 3
33. 1909: Pittsburgh 8, Detroit 0
34. 1934: St. Louis (N) 11, Detroit 0 
36. 1985: Kansas City 11, St. Louis 0

1992 NLCS: A dynasty dies; a dynasty begins

How They Got Here
The rivalry was born the year before, when the Braves and Pirates played seven tight games in the NLCS before Atlanta finally prevailed. As the Braves were celebrating and the Pirates were moping, there was little doubt they would meet again.

After losing to the Twins in one of the greatest World Series ever played in 1991, the Braves came back even better in 1992, perfectly set up to repeat as National League champions. The Pirates were a different story. Everybody knew that they couldn't keep their team around for much longer. They won their third straight NL East title in 1992, and their talent base had already taken a hit. But they still had Barry Bonds, so they still had a chance in any series they played.

Things didn't look optimistic for Pittsburgh in the early part of the 1992 NLCS, as they fell behind Atlanta 3 games to 1. But they fought back, winning the next two, including Game 6 in Atlanta, to set up Game 7. Just like in the previous year, the Pirates would have to deal with John Smoltz in Game 7. This time, though, they had their ace ready in Doug Drabek.

The Game
Bases loaded. Two outs in the ninth. Game 7. Trailing by one. The ultimate dream scenario. At the plate was somebody called Francisco Cabrera, who even Braves fans might have forgotten was on the roster. So of course he singled to left. The tying run scored. Bonds came up with the ball and fired home, hoping to throw out Sid Bream, only the slowest player on either team. The throw came toward home...

... It's possible that Barry Bonds' ninth-inning throw in Game 7 changed baseball throughout the 90s. If that throw had connected, maybe Atlanta's budding rivalry gets snuffed out before it had a chance to get started. Maybe Pittsburgh wins that game in extra innings and goes on to win the World Series, finally getting something out of all those postseason close calls. Maybe with the win, Bonds thinks twice about leaving for greener - and richer - pastures, or maybe Pittsburgh decides it can afford to shell out money to the player who just got them a World Championship.

But the throw didn't connect. It was up the first-base line, giving Bream just enough time to slide in safely, allowing the Braves to complete their three-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth and advance to their second straight World Series.

Between first and second base, Francisco Cabrera jumped up and down. He had just lived the ultimate baseball dream, the two-out ninth-inning single to win Game 7, and he became quite possibly the most unlikely hero in baseball history. Each team had 25 players on their postseason roster; it was likely that Cabrera was the 50th best player on the field. Yet it was him jumping up and down between first and second, the unlikely hero. At first, the Braves piled on Bream, ignoring their third-string catcher. Then they came to their senses and mobbed him, celebrating the birth of a dynasty. The Pirates walked off the field with heads hung as a dynasty died.

Aftermath
It was the second straight World Series for the Braves, the second straight instant classic. Though not remembered as fondly as the 1991 edition - most likely because it only went six games instead of seven - the 1992 World Series was just as tense. And the Braves lost again. But the team of the 90s was born, and they appeared in the next 12 postseasons.

The Pirates, of course, never recovered. After three straight division titles, Bonds and Drabek were gone after the season. Pittsburgh hasn't had a winning season since.

What I did.

The final list:
1. 1992 NLCS: Atlanta 3, Pittsburgh 2
2. 2003 ALCS: New York 6, Boston 5
3. 1980 NLCS: Philadelphia 8, Houston 7
4. 2006 NLCS: St. Louis 3, New York 1
5. 1976 ALCS: New York 7, Kansas City 6
6. 1977 ALCS: New York 5, Kansas City 3
7. 1972 NLCS: Cincinnati 4, Pittsburgh 3
8. 1981 NLCS: Los Angeles 2, Montreal 1
9. 1982 ALCS: Milwaukee 4, California 3
10. 2008 ALCS: Tampa Bay 3, Boston 1
11. 1984 NLCS: San Diego 6, Chicago 3
12. 2003 NLCS: Florida 9, Chicago 6
13. 2004 NLCS: St. Louis 5, Houston 2
14. 1972 ALCS: Oakland 2, Detroit 1
15. 1973 ALCS: Oakland 3, Baltimore 0
16. 1985 ALCS: Kansas City 6, Toronto 2
17. 2007 ALCS: Boston 11, Cleveland 2
18. 1991 NLCS: Atlanta 4, Pittsburgh 0
19. 1973 NLCS: New York 7, Cincinnati 2
20. 1987 NLCS: St. Louis 6, San Francisco 0
21. 1988 NLCS: Los Angeles 6, New York 0
22. 2004 ALCS: Boston 10, New York 3
23. 1986 ALCS: Boston 8, California 1
24: 1996 NLCS: Atlanta 15, St. Louis 0

2002 NLDS: Bonds' redemption

Pregame
The 2002 playoffs were put up or shut up time for Barry Bonds. For all his brilliance, first with the Pirates and then with the Giants, Bonds had never won a playoff series. Most of the time, he was scuffling while his team was valiantly fighting, his team often losing at the bitter end when all they would have needed was one big hit from Bonds.

Bonds headed into the 2002 season coming off a shocking 2001, in which he hit a record 73 home runs. In 2002, teams started walking him en masse, putting him on base 198 times, shattering the single-season record Bonds had set the year before. When he did get pitches to hit, Bonds was nearly unstoppable, winning his first batting title with an impressive .370 average.

Bonds entered the 2002 season with just one postseason home run in 26 career games. After the Giants beat the Braves in Game 1 of the NLDS, Bonds hit a relatively meaningless home run in the ninth inning of Game 2 in the Giants' 9-3 loss. Game 3 featured another Bonds home run and another Braves blowout victory. The Giants came back to win Game 4, setting up Game 5.

At that point, Bonds was hitting .214 for the series. The two home runs he had hit were meaningless. He had to be feeling the pressure going into Game 5 in Atlanta.

The Game
Sometimes it isn't a big blast that gives a player redemption. In the second inning of Game 5, Bonds got a bit of redemption, leading off with a single hit the opposite way against the shift to start the Giants' rally. Three batters later, he was trotting home with the game's first run. But that's now where his redemption ended.

Leading off the fourth, Bonds worked the count full against Atlanta's Kevin Millwood before putting the sixth pitch into play. Like his second-inning at bat, it was hit the other way. Unlike that one, though, this one went a long way, clearing the left-field fence for his third home run of the series. This one wasn't a meaningless blast, though. This one gave the Giants a 2-0 lead, letting Giant fans breathe a little easier.

But things never seemed to go easily for Bonds in the playoffs. The Braves loaded the bases in the fifth before Chipper Jones grounded out to end the threat. They scored a run in the sixth and had runners on first and second before to fly outs to center ended that threat.

The Giants led 3-1 entering the ninth, but the Braves put runners on the corners with nobody out. Out in left field, Bonds had to be replaying his teams' past postseason failures, specifically Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS against Atlanta, when the Braves came from behind at home in the ninth to stun the Pirates. This time, it was the Giants in town, but the scene looked eerily familiar.

But Gary Sheffield struck out, continuing a rotten series for him, and Chipper Jones grounded into a series-ending double play. Finally, Bonds had the monkey off his back. For the first time, his team had won a playoff series.

Postgame
With the first playoff victory behind him, Bonds and the Giants ripped through the Cardinals in five games in the NLCS. Bonds hit a home run, but was mostly neutralized by Cardinal pitchers unwilling to throw him a strike. Enter the World Series, where the Giants faced off against Anaheim. Bonds dominated, hitting .471 with four home runs in the seven-game series. But the Giants, having taken a 3-2 series lead, blew a 5-0 lead in Game 6, then took an early lead in Game 7 before losing that one, as well.

Bonds only played in the postseason one more time, with the Giants losing in four games in the next year's NLDS. They wouldn't make the postseason again until 2010, long after Bonds had retired. Their first-round opponent that year? The Atlanta Braves, whom the Giants beat in four on their way to their first World Championship.

The Rundown

18. San Francisco 3, Atlanta 1 (2002 NLDS)
19. N.Y. Yankees 5, Oakland 3 (2001 ALDS)
20. Seattle 3, Cleveland 1 (2001 ALDS)
21. Chicago 5, San Francisco 3 (1998 NL Wild Card tiebreaker)
22. N.Y. Yankees 7, Oakland 5 (2000 ALDS)
23. Los Angeles 4, Houston 0 (1981 NL West Division Series)
24. Montreal 3, Philadelphia 0 (1981 NL East Division Series)
25. N.Y. Yankees 7, Milwaukee 3 (1981 AL East Division Series)
26. Seattle 9, California 1 (1995 AL West tiebreaker)
27. Chicago 5, Atlanta 1 (2003 NLDS)
28. Houston 12, Atlanta 3 (2004 NLDS)
29. N.Y. Mets 5, Cincinnati 0 (1999 NL Wild Card tiebreaker)
30. Cleveland 8, Boston 3 (1948 AL tiebreaker)
31. Houston 7, Los Angeles 1 (1980 NL West tiebreaker)

1998 NL Wild Card tiebreaker: Bonds' blast falls short

Pregame
The 1998 season was a magical one on the north side of Chicago, as the Cubs began a resurgence fueled by two of the biggest breakout stars in the Majors. The first to break through was Kerry Wood, the flame-throwing rookie who made National League hitters look foolish through most of the summer. Later that year - in June, to be specific - came Sammy Sosa. The enigmatic outfielder hit 20 home runs in June, jump-starting a season that eventually saw him go neck-and-neck with Mark McGwire as the two sluggers chased Roger Maris' single-season home run record.

But, despite having Wood and Sosa at the peak of their powers, the Cubs still had no chance in the NL Central, as Houston was riding a dream season of its own on its way to an easy division crown. The Cubs were left to settle for the wild card race, and that was a tight one.

Through most of the first half of the season, the San Francisco Giants were comfortably in front in the wild card race. Almost immediately after the all-star break, though, the Cubs soared past the Giants into the lead. Eventually, the Cubs found themselves in a tight race not with the Giants, but the Mets, who battled the Cubs game-for-game through most of September. Just when it seemed like it would stay a two-team race, the Giants ripped off six wins in a row at the end of September. On September 25, with two days left in the regular season, the Cubs, Mets, and Giants were tied for the wild card lead.

On September 26, the Mets lost to NL East champion Atlanta, while Chicago and San Francisco inched ahead with wins. The last day of the season was September 27, and the Mets were eliminated with a loss. Chicago had an opportunity to clinch, and took a two-run lead into the eighth inning in Houston before falling in 11 innings. The Giants had an even better chance, leading 7-0 over Colorado with four innings to play, but they, too, blew the game. That set up a one-game playoff between the Cubs and the Giants, just a week short of 90 years after they played the makeup game after Fred Merkle's infamous baserunning blunder.

The Game
With Wood injured and out for all of September, pitcher Steve Trachsel took over Wood's role as staff ace played a big part in getting the Cubs to the tiebreaker game, so it was appropriate that he was picked to start the deciding game. For the Giants, the pitcher was Mark Gardner, who had been their best or second-best starter all year.

With the celebrated Sosa in the lineup for the Cubs and San Francisco boasting dangerous 3-4 hitters Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent - and considering the game was played in Wrigley Field - the game seemed destined to be a show of offensive fireworks. Instead, Trachsel and Gardner were in control early, and the game was scoreless through four. The best threat came in the top of the fourth, when the Giants loaded the bases on Trachsel before catcher Brian Johnson struck out looking.

The Giants would rue that lost opportunity in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff single by Henry Rodriguez, veteran third baseman Gary Gaetti, acquired mid-season specifically because of his playoff experience, blasted a ball deep into the left field bleachers to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.

The Cubs broke through again in the sixth when Matt Mieske, pinch-hitting for Rodriguez with the bases loaded, lined a shot off first baseman J.T. Snow that scored two more runs, including a hustling Sosa from second base. Though Gaetti subsequently grounded into a double play, the damage was done.

San Francisco responded immediately in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs and Bonds coming to the plate. Considered the National League's best player over the past decade, Bonds had been eclipsed in 1998 by the sensational seasons of Sosa and McGwire. This was his chance at redemption. Instead, he grounded weakly to first, ending the threat.

Chicago added a run in the bottom of the eighth as Sosa came home on a wild pitch. Leading 5-0 entering the top of the ninth, the game seemed well in hand.

But the Giants had made their late-season run largely because of their explosive offense, and they weren't going away quietly. The first three batters for the Giants hit singles, the third one cutting the lead to 5-1. A walk loaded the bases with nobody out ... and with Bonds coming to the plate. Given another opportunity at hitting a game-tying grand slam, Bonds got into one, lifting one to deep right field. The ball died at the warning track, falling into Sosa's glove for a sacrifice fly. Though a run scored, it seemed like the biggest threat was over. The Cubs were very willing to trade runs for outs at this point in the game, and they did so again when Kent grounded into a force play in the next at bat. Though another run scored to make it 5-3, the Giants were down to their last out.

Joe Carter was the Giants' last hope, standing at the plate representing the tying run. In 1993, Carter had hit the World Series-ending home run, so he was familiar with clutch at bats. This time, though, there would be no joy in San Francisco. Carter popped harmlessly to foul territory, where Mark Grace caught the final out that sent the Cubs to the postseason for the first time since 1989.

Postgame
For the Cubs, half the battle had been merely getting to the postseason, and it showed in a three-game sweep to Atlanta that ended their season. The Cubs had hoped that their 1998 season would be a springboard to a string of playoff seasons, but Wood kept getting hurt, and the lineup kept deteriorating around Sosa. Chicago didn't make it back to the postseason until 2003.

San Francisco stayed in contention for the next handful of years. They made it to the postseason in 2000, 2002, and 2003, each time riding the hitting of Bonds, who kept growing and growing while the balls he hit traveled farther and farther. Some say that Bonds started using steroids after the 1998 season. It's (somewhat) noble to think that he was simply trying to atone for his failures in the two late-game bases-loaded at bats in the tiebreaker game against Chicago. More likely, he knew that Sosa and McGwire were using steroids and saw that nobody seemed to care and figured he would get in on that, too.

Either way, the 1998 season, and the seasons immediately thereafter, look quite different when viewed from historical perspective. The 1998 tiebreaker game, featuring stars Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds, certainly fits into that category.

The Rundown

20. Chicago 5, San Francisco 3 (1998 NL Wild Card tiebreaker)
21. N.Y. Yankees 7, Oakland 5 (2000 ALDS)
22. Los Angeles 4, Houston 0 (1981 NL West Division Series)
23. Montreal 3, Philadelphia 0 (1981 NL East Division Series)
24. N.Y. Yankees 7, Milwaukee 3 (1981 AL East Division Series)
25. Seattle 9, California 1 (1995 AL West tiebreaker)
26. Chicago 5, Atlanta 1 (2003 NLDS)
27. Houston 12, Atlanta 3 (2004 NLDS)
28. N.Y. Mets 5, Cincinnati 0 (1999 NL Wild Card tiebreaker)
29. Cleveland 8, Boston 3 (1948 AL tiebreaker)
30. Houston 7, Los Angeles 1 (1980 NL West tiebreaker)

October 14, 1992: Francisco Cabrera?

ATLANTA - Brian Hunter lifted the popup behind second base. That wasn't going to get the job done. Jay Bell closed his glove on it, and the Pirates were one out away. So painfully close.

As everybody waited to see who would pinch hit for the pitcher for Atlanta, you couldn't blame the Pirates for taking a look around and taking in the moment. Leading game 7 3-2, one out away from the World Series, they knew this was the high point thus far of their recent dynasty. They also had to know that this was their last chance.

There was Barry Bonds out in left field. He had been absolutely brilliant in his six years in Pittsburgh, but everybody knew he was leaving. His contract was up after the year, and the Pirates would never be able to afford him. He's gone. Doug Drabek there in the dugout, who pitched so brilliantly in game 7, like he had all year. He was probably gone, too. The Pirates had to know that this was it, that if they didn't get this last out and get to the World Series this year after three straight division titles, they might not get another chance. At least not with this group of players.

Atlanta's pinch-hitter was announced. Francisco Cabrera. Who? He was Atlanta's third-string catcher and had batted only 11 times during the season. Why was he even on the playoff roster, much less batting with the season on the line? There were probably some Atlanta fans who would rather have seen a pitcher, maybe a starter like Tom Glavine, batting in this situation rather than this guy. Their chances at a second straight World Series appearance seemed remote.

So now the situation. We know Cabrera was batting. The bases were loaded, the tying run on third and the winning run on second. Too bad the runner on second was Sid Bream, one of the slowest Braves runners. It might take an extra-base hit to score him. Chances are remote. But take a look again: two outs in the bottom of the ninth in game 7, trailing by 1, bases loaded. How many kids grow up dreaming of batting in this exact situation? How many times has this exact situation come up in baseball history? What a moment for Cabrera, regardless of how he did.

Stan Belinda's first two pitches were out of the strike zone. This was getting into the danger area, even with someone as inexperienced as Cabrera batting. You surely can't walk him.

The third pitch was a foul. 2-1 count, a hitter's count. Belinda took the sign, nodded, went into the stretch. He took a look around at the baserunners, at the fielders. Pittsburgh's fielders got on their toes, ready for the pitch. Cabrera wiggled his bat slightly. This was the moment of his career.

Solid contact. A seeing-eye single between third and short. Tie game. But the Braves are sending Bream. What the hell? Bonds fielded the ball cleanly and came up firing. Bream looked dead in the water. But the throw was up the first-base line. Mike LaValliere had to reach over to catch it, then dive back to try to get a sliding Bream. It was a bang-bang play.



The Braves players piled on Bream in exaultation, an absolutely shocking victory. Cabrera was jumping up and down between first and second, no teammates bothering to celebrate with him for a few seconds before they realized who had gotten the hit. Fulton County Stadium was rocking. The Braves were back in the World Series.

The Pirates walked off the field in shock, heads down. This was the closest they had come yet, the most painful defeat of all. Three straight division titles, three straight trips to the NLCS, and nothing. And they knew it was over. They would have no more chances.

Bonds hadn't left the field yet. He remained in left field, down on one knee. He hadn't moved since his throw. He knew it was over, too. And despite his brilliance, his two MVP awards and three gold gloves, he knew his time in Pittsburgh was a failure. He hadn't been able to bring the Pirates to the promised land. And when his team needed him the most, he hadn't been able to throw out Sid freaking Bream.

......

The Pirates haven't been to the playoffs since, haven't had a winning season since their 1992 season was destroyed by Francisco Cabrera and Sid Bream. Cabrera's hit not only cost the Pirates a World Series berth, but it also knocked the franchise from the loftiest point it has occupied in the last 25 years.

While Cabrera's hit destroyed Pittsburgh's dynasty, it jump-started Atlanta's. Having gone to the World Series the previous year, the Braves proved it wasn't a fluke in 1992. They would make the playoffs for each of the next 13 seasons.

August 7, 2007: 756

SAN FRANCISCO - Where were you when the record fell?

... Wait, you don't remember? Maybe the date will help: August 7, 2007, just before 9:00 Pacific. Oh, see, that might be the problem - that's nearly 11:00 Central and approaching midnight on the East Coast. And that was a Monday, so you probably had to work the next day. But still, you didn't stay up to wait for Barry Bonds to break the home run record? I mean, that's historic!

Everybody remember when Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth. April 8, 1974, in the 4th inning off Al Downing, a fastball hit into the Atlanta bullpen. Everybody knows the scene - Aaron being congratulated by the Dodgers players as he rounded the bases, the two fans catching him to congratulate him, Aaron meeting his mom at home plate - touching. Same thing with Bonds, right?

Really? Nothing?

Would it help if I reminded you of the pitcher? It was ... crap. I had it. I have to look this up, hold on ... Mike Bacsik. Wait, really? Who's Mike Bacsik? Anyway, that's not important. You really don't remember? He didn't run right away, just lifted his arms in celebration and watched it fly. Nothing? You don't remember him meeting his son at home plate? Or the video message Aaron recorded in congratulations? Or seeing Bonds' godfather, Willie Mays, join in the celebration? Nothing, huh?

That's so strange. It was such a historic moment, and you can't picture it. Do you remember Mark McGwire's 62nd? Of course you do - a sharp line drive right down the line, sinking and hooking the entire way, barely clearing the fence. McGwire forgetting to touch first, shaking hands, greeting Sammy Sosa. Easy to remember. But not so much with Bonds, huh?

So tell me, what's the difference? You can't tell me it's the "S" word, because McGwire's just as guilty, if not more so. Is it a personality thing, then? I can buy that. But that's not enough of a reason. It's not a race thing, is it? I hope not. Some people will buy that reasoning, of course, but Aaron is black, too, and while he received far more abuse and grief than any player of his time for that very fact, people still remember his home run. Where they were, how they felt, and so on. Not so much with Bonds.

There are a lot of unknowns about Barry Bonds, and plenty of reasons to not like him. But the simple fact remains that he's the only man to hit 756 home runs at the Major League level. That's gotta be worth something.

May 28, 2006: A confusing home run

SAN FRANCISCO – Great. Now what are we supposed to think? I mean, numbers don’t lie, and according to the numbers, this is something that everybody’s supposed to be celebrating. But instead, we’re debating. What are we supposed to think?

The basic background of the story is this: in the fourth inning of a game on May 28, 2006, San Francisco’s Barry Bonds worked a full count against Colorado’s Byung-Hyun Kim, then hit the payoff pitch deep into the centerfield bleachers at AT&T Park. The San Francisco fans stood and cheered, and fireworks went off, and everybody was happy, though the Giants were still down 6-2.

Woah, wait. What’s that? You say that was Bonds’ 715th home run? Isn’t that one more than Babe Ruth? Huh. That makes things interesting. Historic, even. I mean, there’s no more iconic figure in baseball than Babe Ruth. And Bonds just passed him. Shouldn’t that be cause for massive celebration?

See, that’s where it gets confusing. Drugs will do that, will blur the line between an impressive achievement and a massive case of fraud. Sure, Bonds has never tested positive for drugs, nor has he definitively proven to have taken them, but come on. Look at the guy! I mean, compare what he looked like in Pittsburgh to what he looks like now. There’s no way he’s clean!

But so what, you ask. How much can drugs really help you? Sure, they can help you get stronger than otherwise would have been humanly possible, but that doesn’t help you hit the damn ball. That doesn’t help you recognize the difference between a ball and a strike, a hanging slider and a good slider. And what about all of Bonds’ accomplishments from earlier in his career, when he was truly the best player in the National League long before anybody suspects he took anything? Did his possibly (nay, probably) tainted accomplishments from the later part of his career simply erase everything he did earlier in his career?

It doesn’t help matters that Bonds was and is, by all accounts, a complete and utter ass. I mean, look at home plate after he just passed the Babe. The only person there to greet him is his son. Even the guy who was on base for the home run seems like he was waiting for Bonds only as an afterthought. I know it was only the 4th inning, and that the Giants were losing, but doesn’t it seem strange that he doesn’t have more people waiting to, at the very least, give him a high-five? Is that so much to ask for the guy who now has more home runs than Babe Ruth?

And that’s what really doomed Bonds. Sure, people don’t like the drugs. But he could have been forgiven in the eyes of many if he had just been a nicer guy about it, if he had gotten over his persecution complex a little. Yes, Babe Ruth was white, and Barry Bonds is black, and yes, Babe Ruth never hit a home run against a black pitcher because black pitchers weren’t allowed to play back then. But here’s the truth: If black players had been allowed to play when Ruth was in the league, he still would have hit 714 home runs, or come damn close to it. Talent transcends race. He just would have had competition as the sport’s biggest star. And he probably would have thrived on that competition and, seeing somebody out there who had a chance to outhit him, he likely would have been properly motivated to hit more.

The simple fact is people loved Babe Ruth because he was gregarious, outgoing, dedicated to children, and so on. Everybody who met him had glowing stories about him. People hated Barry Bonds because he was an asshole, or at least seemed that way from afar. Race had nothing to do with it.

There should have been a lot of reasons to celebrate Bonds’ 715th home run. Instead, we were left with a lot of reasons why we weren’t.