Barry stands alone at #2 Hits #715

[Bigbobby]

SAN FRANCISCO -- No. 715 played out exactly the way Barry Bonds wanted -- he hit it at home, in front of the fans who love him.

 

Barry Bonds

Bonds' 715th home run was a 445-foot, two-run shot to center before a sellout crowd.

 

It just took him a little longer than he hoped it would.

 

The San Francisco slugger moved past Babe Ruth on the career home run list with a mammoth shot Sunday, and now stands behind just one person.

 

Hank Aaron owns baseball's most revered record with 755 homers. And so the debate begins: Will Bonds stick around long enough to break it?

 

"If you keep playing long enough anything is possible," Bonds said, wearing a new 715 shirt and cap. "I'd like to win a World Series and be home run king. I'd like to do both. I would take a World Series first."

 

Bonds' latest milestone -- a mightier homer than No. 714 -- was a 445-foot, two-run shot to center before a sellout crowd. The homer came on the last day before the Giants begin a road trip to Florida and New York.

 

"For the fans of San Francisco, it can't get any better than this -- even though I made them wait longer than I have in the past," he said. "Age ain't catching up with me."

 

But at 41, Bonds has been slowed by health problems. He underwent three operations on his right knee last year, and also has bone chips in his left elbow.

 

And many believe his rapid ascent up the home run chart was fueled by performance-enhancing drugs -- though he was always denied knowingly taking steroids.

 

Bonds' teammates toasted him with champagne in the clubhouse after the Giants' 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

 

"Everybody was waiting for a moment like this," shortstop Omar Vizquel said. "A couple of words were said."

 

Bonds homered off Byung-Hyun Kim in the fourth inning. The ball glanced off a fan's hands about 15 rows up and then dropped onto an elevated platform beyond the fence.

 

The souvenir sat there for a few minutes before rolling off the roof and into the hands of 38-year-old San Francisco resident Andrew Morbitzer, who was waiting for a beer and peanuts. He was quickly ushered away by security.

 

Bonds circled the bases as shiny orange, gold and black streamers fell from the upper deck.

 

Bonds connected at 2:14 p.m. on a 90 mph fastball with the count full, then immediately raised his arms and clapped his hands before beginning his historic trot. Kim became the 421st pitcher to surrender a homer to Bonds.

 

"It's a great honor," said Bonds, who watched Aaron hit his 715th home run at age 10. "It's a wonderful honor. Hank Aaron is the home run king and I won't disrespect that ever. ... I have a lot of respect for Babe Ruth and what he's done."

 

Bonds embraced and kissed his 16-year-old son, bat boy Nikolai, as he crossed home plate, then was greeted by his teammates at the top of the dugout. He took one curtain call in which he tipped his hat and raised both arms and blew a kiss to the crowd.

 

Moments later, he came out again and waved.

 

After the homer, the Giants unfurled two banners from the light towers on either side of the main scoreboard in center field: one of Bonds on the left side and the other of Hammerin' Hank's 755, and 715 flashed on the scoreboard.

 

"I'm just happy," Nikolai said. "It was a good moment."

 

Thousands of fans stayed put in the stadium to watch Bonds' news conference being played on the center-field scoreboard.

 

Bonds, who had walked on five pitches in the first inning, went five games between 714 and 715. He hit 714 on May 20 at Oakland, a span of 17 at-bats and 25 plate appearances. Aaron had a four-game wait between 714 and 715.

 

He singled to right in his next at-bat in a drive off the right-field facade that looked as if it might be headed out, too, for No. 716. He grounded out to third to end the eighth and was replaced in the ninth.

 

Bonds is still loved at home despite the steroid accusations that surround his home run pursuit.

 

This is the first time in nearly 85 years that Ruth hasn't been in the top two on the career home run list, according to David Vincent of the Society for American Baseball Research. He passed Sam Thompson to move into second on June 20, 1921, when he hit his 127th home run.

 

Bonds has hit most of his other milestone home runs in San Francisco: 500, 600, 700 along with 660 and 661 to tie and pass godfather Willie Mays. In 2001, Bonds hit the final three of his 73 homers at home to break Mark McGwire's single-season record of 70.

 

Aaron passed Ruth in April 1974 -- and now Aaron is the only one left for Bonds to chase.

 

This was Bonds' last chance during the six-game homestand before the Giants left town for another week. He hadn't homered at home since May 2 against San Diego's Scott Linebrink.

 

Kim has a history of giving up notable homers -- he allowed tying two-run homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to the Yankees' Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius in Games 4 and 5 of the 2001 World Series.

 

Giants manager Felipe Alou wrote Bonds into the lineup without checking with the seven-time NL MVP about playing in a day game following a night game, aware that Bonds wanted to make history at home.

 

"That's one of the reasons I'm playing him without even asking him," Alou said. "We're going to be gone for a week. Today's the perfect day."

 

Hitting it in Florida in a near-empty stadium was far from what Bonds or the Giants wanted for his latest feat.

 

Fans at San Diego's Petco Park booed when a replay of Bonds' homer was shown on the big screen during the sixth inning of the Cardinals-Padres game. Bonds was booed repeatedly during a season-opening series at San Diego, and a fan threw a toy syringe at him on Opening Day.

 

"I'm just wondering how much longer he can do it," Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz said. "He's the greatest -- in my era -- home run hitter I have ever seen."

 

Beginning Monday morning, fans with tickets to Sunday's game were able to bring their stub to a Giants store for their special Bonds 715 home run pin.

[Guest]

And I was having a good day before I heard this news.....At least the press coverage will subside for a while.

[TJC_fan]

Best "extra power" chemicals can provide ......

 

It was bound to happen ... just a matter of when.

[clawsnstripes]

glad it's finally over

[TxBroadcaster]

Sorry to be the dissenter, but I have to say congrats to him..I might not like his attitutde at times, and he is not my favorite player, but to accomplish what he did is still outstanding, and I am glad it happened in our generation.

[Guest CNOrtega]

I personally am glad he's past the fat lard. Only 41 to go before Barry takes his place as the king of home runs.

[Immortal13]

Originally posted by Bigbobby

"If you keep playing long enough anything is possible,"

 

He should have said, "If you take enough steroids, anything is possible."

 

He then goes on to say about three times that Ruth was good, but Aaron is the homerun king. NO KIDDING! His brain apparently did not grow along with his giganitc melon if he thinks he needs to remind fans who #1 and #2 on the home run list are.

[TxBroadcaster]

Originally posted by Immortal13

His brain apparently did not grow along with his giganitc melon if he thinks he needs to remind fans who #1 and #2 on the home run list are.

People might know who is number 1, but Ruth is held up on a far higher pedestal than Aaron. So I had no problem at all with what he said.

[TJC_fan]

A couple of things on Ruth being on the higher pedestal ...

(1) in most of the pictures I've seen, he's always smiling .. outgoing .. with the fans/kids .. good old boy with the writers. Perception or reality, I know.

(2) he was the first "HOME RUN" hitter .... THE FIRST .... brought MLB out of the dead ball era .. and also away from the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919.

(3) Yankee Stadium .. "the house that Ruth built" ..he played with the Yankees ... who now have 26 world championships (yeah, they bought a few of them, but it's still 26).

(4) when he retired, I believe that at 714 home runs, he had around 400 more than the next home run hitter .... 400!!!!!!!!!!!!

(5) he had an all-around game in that he was a very good pitcher. In fact, held the World Series "shutout innings" string until Whitey Ford broke it in the late 50's.

 

He, with the writers and fans, created a legend that is still talked about today, and will be talked about 50 years from now. Even though (I think), A Rod and Albert Pujols will have both passed Ruth in home runs, dropping him at least down to #5 position on the All-Time list.

[chase.colston]

Originally posted by CNOrtega

I personally am glad he's past the fat lard.

 

If that's all you think of when you think about Babe Ruth, then ... something's wrong.

 

Bonds passed Ruth, just like we all expected he would. And I expect Bonds to stick it out just long enough to pass Hank Aaron, simply because he's selfish enough to want it that bad. But no matter how many home runs he hits, he'll never measure up to Babe Ruth. Period.

[Guest]

Originally posted by MantleLives4Ever

But no matter how many home runs he hits, he'll never measure up to Babe Ruth. Period.

 

Well said....Your position in history is about way more than stats. I don't believe there is anything Bonds could ever do to reverse the damage he has done to the game and the way people perceive him.

 

I do not think he will pass Aaron, because there are too many people that do not want it. It may be injuries, pitchers that won't pitch to him, or some crazy fan that comes and bumps him off (remember Aaron received death threats). If Hank Aaron got threatened being a good guy, imagine the outcry with Bonds...who has made himself into somebody people love to hate.

[Guest]

Originally posted by TJC_fan

(4) when he retired, I believe that at 714 home runs, he had around 400 more than the next home run hitter .... 400!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm not sure how many HR's he led by when he retired, but it was a bunch. To put his accomplishment in perspective, he set the career record with his 127th HR!

[boydawg1]

Ya'll can say what you want, everyone has their own opinion, when its all said and done Bond's will be the greatest homerun hitter ever in over 2000 less at-bats than Aaron, and regards to steroids, no matter what ya say he still had to hit the ball.

[clawsnstripes]

bonds is a cheater, plain and simple

[chase.colston]

Originally posted by boydawg1

no matter what ya say he still had to hit the ball.

 

That point is made a lot, but just like it's always been said ... Barry Bonds is a great baseball player. I've always said that he is a fantastic player, and one of the best I've ever seen. What separates him is what he used to enhance his ability to make the ball go FARTHER ... not the art of hitting the ball.

 

Barry Bonds has always been able to HIT the ball ... no one has ever questioned that. The question/criticism comes from his ability to hit the ball monstrous distances ...

 

Don't forget that Bonds was a leadoff hitter when he first entered the league. He was a skinny, cocky little guy who could indeed hit the ball and steal bases. Bonds never hit 30 home runs until his fifth year in the league and 40 until his eighth season. The only time he's ever hit more than 49 was in 2001 when he hit 73.

 

Like I've said before, Bonds is a great player and has always been. But he's done things, and he's admitted to it in some form or fashion, to enhance his ability. That's where his integrity is gone ... and add that to his terrible character and personality, and he's just as much or more hated than Ty Cobb.

 

He can have all the numbers in the world, but when it comes down to it, he'll never be able to measure up to Babe Ruth, and on many levels, Hank Aaron.

[shoelessjoelives]

Or Ted Williams, who would have had the 700 homer plateau topped had he not taken the time out of his life and career to risk it for you and his country.

 

Gehrig 340.

Babe . 342

Ted .344

barry .299

 

Lifetime batting average shows how great a hitter these three were and of course Lou might have been at the top of the list had he not been stricken with the disabling disease.

[Straw]

Im pretty sure more than one person in MLB used steriods. How many records have they broke? And Ricky Henderson was skinny when he first started but was and is a beast now. All records Bonds makes should stand.

[boydawg1]

Babe Ruth was skinny when he started.

Sammy Sosa was skinny when he started.

Roger Clemens was skinny when he started.

Mark McGuire was skinny when he started.

 

Everybody was skinny when they started, its a fact of life that most of the time people get bigger with age or just plain workout a lot.

[chase.colston]

It doesn't necessarily have to deal with skinny or big ... it's the correspondence between their size and performance.

 

As Babe Ruth got "bigger" ... he began to play worse.

[cheaptrick77]

Originally posted by Living4Christ

I'm not sure how many HR's he led by when he retired

ALL-TIME HOME RUN LEADERS AT THE END OF THE 1935 SEASON:

 

1. Babe Ruth, 714

2. Lou Gehrig, 378

3. Jimmie Foxx, 302

4. Rogers Hornsby, 300

5. Al Simmons, 256

6. Cy Williams, 251

7. Hack Wilson, 244

8. Mel Ott, 242

9. Chuck Klein, 232

10. Goose Goslin, 218

[Immortal13]

Yeah but Bonds, McGuire, and Sosa all went from skinny to Incredidible Hulk. All of them took 'roids......Ruth did not. Look at a before and after picture of Bonds' head. That will show you all you need to know.

 

 

Ruth..... the Sultan of Swat

Bonds....the Sultan of Steroids

[Guest CNOrtega]

So much for America. So much for innocent until proven guilty. You'll quote "Game of Shadows" all the livelong day. I say, "That's cute. How much does the author stand to make off this book?" Who's to say he's lying or not? We automatically believe the author, whose name escapes me, because we are so desperate to hang Barry Bonds that we'll believe just about anything. If someone said Bonds had WMD's in his back yard, but had no proof, you guys would probably call for the military to blow his house up. You guys sicken me. A phenomenal player approaches and ultimately passes the single most over rated player in all of sports, and you "purists" dig and dig and dig for something to bring him down. The Tub of Lard Babe Ruth faced a bunch of nobody pitchers, and the only other superstar player in the league was on his team. I bet you or your older relatives were calling in the death threats to Hank Aaron when he approached your beloved obese Ruth.

[Immortal13]

It's sad that there are people like you who make excuses for any behavior. Bonds is a cheater and America will never embrace him.

 

Look at his freakin' head....it's ginormous!

[chase.colston]

Originally posted by CNOrtega

So much for America. So much for innocent until proven guilty. You'll quote "Game of Shadows" all the livelong day. I say, "That's cute. How much does the author stand to make off this book?" Who's to say he's lying or not? We automatically believe the author, whose name escapes me, because we are so desperate to hang Barry Bonds that we'll believe just about anything. If someone said Bonds had WMD's in his back yard, but had no proof, you guys would probably call for the military to blow his house up. You guys sicken me. A phenomenal player approaches and ultimately passes the single most over rated player in all of sports, and you "purists" dig and dig and dig for something to bring him down. The Tub of Lard Babe Ruth faced a bunch of nobody pitchers, and the only other superstar player in the league was on his team. I bet you or your older relatives were calling in the death threats to Hank Aaron when he approached your beloved obese Ruth.

 

Do you even know anything about anything when it comes to Babe Ruth. My guess would be ... no.

 

News Flash: Bonds admitted to taking the Cream and the Clear.

[cheaptrick77]

Originally posted by CNOrtega

A phenomenal player approaches and ultimately passes the single most over rated player in all of sports, and you "purists" dig and dig and dig for something to bring him down. The Tub of Lard Babe Ruth faced a bunch of nobody pitchers, and the only other superstar player in the league was on his team.

Gee - can't argue with someone who knows so much about Baseball history :whome:

 

CNOrtega -- how do you expect any of us to take you seriously when you resort to third-grade name-calling ("tub of lard") & asinine accusations ("I bet you or your older relatives were calling in the death threats to Hank Aaron when he approached your beloved obese Ruth") ??

 

You have run out of articulate rebuttal to the fact that Bonds had a very questionable power surge after his 35th birthday, so this is your course of action ??? To attack Babe Ruth ? To bring up unrelated-to-subject-at-hand death threats to Hank Aaron ?? :ermm:

 

BTW -- do a little research on these "bunch of nobody pitchers" Ruth faced in his career:

• Walter Johnson
• Lefty Grove
• Wes Ferrell
• Urban Shocker
• Eddie Rommel
• Red Faber
• Stan Coveleski
• Jim Bagby

... and the other "superstar" players in the league:

• Rogers Hornsby
• Al Simmons
• Chuck Klein
• Paul Waner
• George Sisler
• Bill Terry
• Jimmy Foxx
• Harry Heilmann
• Earl Averill
• Lefty O'Doul
• Hack Wilson
• Mel Ott

P.S. Before someone else chimes in and accuses me of something, allow me to make one thing perfectly clear:

 

The fact that Barry Bonds is a great player (and a HOFer IMO) & his questionable power surge after his 35th birthday are TWO SEPARATE ISSUES !!

 

Please do not assume that I diminish Bonds' greatness by questioning the 304 home runs he has hit after his 35th birthday.