Leave Barry ALONE. LEAVE HIM ALONE.

[The Comic Book Guy]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Barry Bonds helped the San Francisco Giants win the World Series last season. And he could help them win it again this season.How? Because he's not a Giant anymore.

When Bonds and his toxic presence was finally removed by the hazmat people after the 2007 season, the Giants began to win more games. Not a lot at first, but enough to realize that Bonds' forced departure was like an emergency tracheotomy on the franchise's windpipe. The Giants could finally breathe again.

Bonds wasn't just a dark cloud in the clubhouse; he was an entire storm system of scowls and controversy. Everything centered on him, his history of alleged steroid use and, in that 2007 season, his joyless pursuit of Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. It was Bonds' team and Bonds' rules. His depressing aura was stretched tightly across the Giants like Saran Wrap.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...e=MLBHeadlines

Not even going to get into the whole team chemistry thing, past the fact that last time I checked a SF team with "toxic presences" like Bonds and Jeff Kent came within a couple outs of a World Series in 2002.

But to me, this was a pointless slam by Wojciechowski (who, in fairness, I've always thought was kind of a hack). Look, Bonds hasn't been in any sort of baseball-related news since receiving a thunderous ovation at AT&T when he threw out the first pitch (and again looked like a normal human being). He was basically forced to retire after '07, despite, you know, having a higher OPS than Albert Pujols.

The steroid era, which for a number of reasons was probably good for Major League Baseball in the long run, is over. It's done with. The pointless, tax-payer funded prosecution of the guy is going to come to a head next week, and regardless of the outcome, no one is going to come out a winner (well, actually Bonds might, I guess, but everyone already knows he's a cheater).

Look, I have no doubt that Bonds is an angry, paranoid, maladjusted jerk, in no small part due to his upbringing. But has he ever done anything in his career that was as morally reprehensible than, say, some of Miguel Cabrera or Brett Myers actions?

Certain members of the media just need to move on.

[Hitman23]

When Bonds was playing there wasn't a club in baseball that would not have wanted and benefited from him being in the lineup. This is just ridiculous and unnecessary, no matter how horrible of a person he may have been.

[BronxYanks45]

yea the steroid era is over, but everyone in the media brings it up cause it gets more eyes to a story since its scandelous.

[awy]

that was the most asinine, childish, moronic, inept, disgusting, worthless, fking stoopid article i've ever seen.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

yea the steroid era is over, but everyone in the media brings it up cause it gets more eyes to a story since its scandelous.

Would have been something if one reporter could have broken a story about one player using steroids during the time the game was filled with them.

[The Comic Book Guy]

Would have been something if one reporter could have broken a story about one player using steroids during the time the game was filled with them.

Well, there was that guy who reported in 1998 that McGwire had a bottle of andro in his locker, but everyone preferred to vilify the reporter and bury their heads in the sand than hear the truth. Funny how things change.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Well, there was that guy who reported in 1998 that McGwire had a bottle of andro in his locker, but everyone preferred to vilify the reporter and bury their heads in the sand than hear the truth. Funny how things change.

Yeah, but I mean the prescription stuff that players were using. It's pretty amazing that none of it was reported.

[Tyler Durden]

Would have been something if one reporter could have broken a story about one player using steroids during the time the game was filled with them.

Indeed, though I think fear of being blackballed had a lot to do with why that never happened.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Which Barry? The one who's tipping his pitches or the one who is going to court facing perjury charges?
Nevermind, I saw the quoted article.

[BroadwayBomber55]

that was the most asinine, childish, moronic, inept, disgusting, worthless, fking stoopid article i've ever seen.

It is a headscratching article. Barry Bonds didn't help the SF Giants win the World Series.

It's Brian Sabean who constructed the team. It was Bruce Bochy who managed the team.

It was the players who played as a team.

[BroadwayBomber55]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...e=MLBHeadlines

Not even going to get into the whole team chemistry thing, past the fact that last time I checked a SF team with "toxic presences" like Bonds and Jeff Kent came within a couple outs of a World Series in 2002.

But to me, this was a pointless slam by Wojciechowski (who, in fairness, I've always thought was kind of a hack). Look, Bonds hasn't been in any sort of baseball-related news since receiving a thunderous ovation at AT&T when he threw out the first pitch (and again looked like a normal human being). He was basically forced to retire after '07, despite, you know, having a higher OPS than Albert Pujols.

The steroid era, which for a number of reasons was probably good for Major League Baseball in the long run, is over. It's done with. The pointless, tax-payer funded prosecution of the guy is going to come to a head next week, and regardless of the outcome, no one is going to come out a winner (well, actually Bonds might, I guess, but everyone already knows he's a cheater).

Look, I have no doubt that Bonds is an angry, paranoid, maladjusted jerk, in no small part due to his upbringing. But has he ever done anything in his career that was as morally reprehensible than, say, some of Miguel Cabrera or Brett Myers actions?

Certain members of the media just need to move on.

A couple of innings and Dusty Baker's mismanaging/abusing his bullpen in Game 6 was the reason why the SF Giants had their 2002 World Series crown slipped through their grasp.

[delv]

Certain members of the media just need to move on.

Thanks for posting this. I saw that article earlier and was disgusted. The media loves to spit on the villains it creates.

[Yankee Tripper]

A couple of innings and Dusty Baker's mismanaging/abusing his bullpen in Game 6 was the reason why the SF Giants had their 2002 World Series crown slipped through their grasp.

Hard to blame Dusty for that 7th/8th inning meltdown, Rodriguez and Worrel were his go to setup guys, Eyre was his LOOGY and all 3 let him down and even Nenn couldn't stop the bleeding as he gave up the go ahead double.

I mean he could have ridden Ortiz but he was near 100 picthes and gave up back to back knocks.

I think Baker's biggest blunder was starting Livan over Rueter in game 7.

[ring403]

Thanks for posting this. I saw that article earlier and was disgusted. The media loves to spit on the villains it creates.

In reality, Bonds had alot to do with the creation of the villain. He gave the media plenty of material to work with.
That said, the article was ridiculous and unnecessary. Bonds, for all his faults, was perhaps the greatest hitter of the modern era. He carried the Giants offense on his back during his time there, and should get his share of the credit for the team's success.
The notion that he was somehow holding the team back is utter nonsense.

[Yankees Empire]

He made his bed. He can lie in it. @#$% him.

[The Comic Book Guy]

He made his bed. He can lie in it. @#$% him.

Jim Leyritz killed someone. Mel Hall is a pedophile/rapist. Brett Myers punched his wife in the face (in public). Barry Bonds was using steroids in an era when possibly 85% of his peers were doing the same, and he was a bit of a prick to the media.

There are a lot of former and current players far more deserving of the type of scorn that Barry Bonds receives.

[Yankees Empire]

Jim Leyritz killed someone. Mel Hall is a pedophile/rapist. Brett Myers punched his wife in the face (in public). Barry Bonds was using steroids in an era when possibly 85% of his peers were doing the same, and he was a bit of a prick to the media.

There are a lot of former and current players far more deserving of the type of scorn that Barry Bonds receives.

Oh, those guys made their beds also. @#$% them even more.

[delv]

Jim Leyritz killed someone. Mel Hall is a pedophile/rapist. Brett Myers punched his wife in the face (in public). Barry Bonds was using steroids in an era when possibly 85% of his peers were doing the same, and he was a bit of a prick to the media.

There are a lot of former and current players far more deserving of the type of scorn that Barry Bonds receives.

there's no use, bro. the media is VERY GOOD at what they do.

[Dave B]

that was the most asinine, childish, moronic, inept, disgusting, worthless, fking stoopid article i've ever seen.

You must not read Wojo-whatever all that often.

He gives Jeff Pearlman a run for his money in the overdone sanctimony department, but without any of the occasional insight or actual reporting that Pearlman has.

Removing ESPN.com from my bookmarks 3 months ago was a wonderful and long overdue choice. No more of him, no more Simmons, no Wilbon... if only people would stop linking me to Whitlock articles, I'd be a happy sports reader. I highly recommend everyone drop ESPN altogether. Your life will be much better for it.

"THE Senior Writer." Ha.

[DontHateOnNumber2]

Barry Bonds as a player was seemingly a miserable guy to be around. He loudly expressed his indifference towards people's opinions of him and the media, along with the general public following suit, buried the guy. Personally I don't care how he was as a person. He was a freaking amazing baseball player, and I feel lucky to have grown up watching him play. If I ever saw him in public I'd still approach him to bump knuckles, even though he'll more than likely feel threatened and punch me right in the face.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Hard to blame Dusty for that 7th/8th inning meltdown, Rodriguez and Worrel were his go to setup guys, Eyre was his LOOGY and all 3 let him down and even Nenn couldn't stop the bleeding as he gave up the go ahead double.

I mean he could have ridden Ortiz but he was near 100 picthes and gave up back to back knocks.

I think Baker's biggest blunder was starting Livan over Rueter in game 7.

But Dusty Baker "abused" Felix Rodriguez in the 2002 World Series.
Felix Rodriguez and Tim Worrell pitched in 6 of those 7 games including two blowout games in Games 3 and 5.

Had Dusty Baker really know how to "manage" a pitching staff a lot of better, the Giants could've had two World titles since moving to SF instead of 1.

[Hitman23]

There is a point where talent completely overrides chemistry. A great player with a bad attitude seemingly can affect the performance of a team if it's bad enough. I don't know to what extent, I mean if a team is good enough they should be able to conquer that and play on the field but if it really does cause that much of a problem there still needs to be a point where it doesn't matter.

Barry Bonds was one of the greatest baseball players to ever step on the field. All he needed to do was walk to the on deck circle and the opposing team took notice. Everyone knew what was standing there waiting to do damage and for a few years that damage was done almost half the time he got up to the plate.

I don;t care if he was the biggest asshole in the world. I don't care if he was selfish and egotistical. The guy was the most efficient and powerful hitter I have ever witnessed play the game. if you put even a half way decent team around him they could win.

I think the Giants not winning was more of a case of them just not having a good enough team or it not being run correctly. Bonds had little to do with failure. It's an excuse. There were better teams in the league and they lost. But not because of Bonds or what he did. If anything he had more to do with whatever success the team had.

I don't buy that bad guy crap. He was just too damn good for it to hurt the team.

[TheGameEpisode2]

If the Giants had Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, and Bumgarner in the years Bonds played there they might have won 2 or 3 World Series. Bonds literally carried the Giants offensively for years after Kent left.

"Chemistry" might matter in the clubhouse and stuff, but it was the Giants pitching and timely hitting that got hot that won them the World Series.

It's not like Bonds didn't try his best to win that World Series either: .471/.700/1.294/1.994

[awy]

it's just ................ing absurd how ridiculous thsi article is. it makes me a violent person. i couldn't make it through the first sentence holy ................

[Stupid Flanders]

You put Lincecum and Cain in a time machine and take them back to 2002 and Bonds would have a ring.