Bonds Remains Shy of Hallowed Mark

Is the San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds creating another conspiracy behind the scenes? Forget about the steroids accusations for a minute and think about what is truly happening. Bonds hit his last home run July 27, leaving two more home games before he and the Giants would go on the road to face the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. After he was unsuccessful in tying Hank Aaron’s record of 755 home runs with the remaining two home games, it was thought that he would at least tie the record on the road. But instead of making history, Bonds has chosen another route. A route that has watched him go hitless in 11 at-bats on the road-trip. So therein lays the question. Is Bonds throwing his current at-bats in order to make it back to AT&T Park and make history in front of his true fans?

Let’s hope so.

A good example is Friday August 3 when the San Diego Padres played host to the Giants. Pitcher Greg Maddux took the mound as one of four pitchers who have surrendered the most home runs to Bonds (eight). While it seemed it was “in the bag” for Bonds to make history, Maddux had other ideas, holding Bonds hitless in three at-bats. It seems almost too good to be true, that Bonds can go through a slump on this road trip. But he is, and Giants fans in the Bay Area are rejoicing that their highly controversial star is bringing the spotlight back to their town.

Let’s imagine that he tied the record and, or, broke the record on the road.

It would have been a disaster if Bonds were to have made history at Dodger Stadium. Sure some might think it would have been a slap in the face to Dodger fans, but why should they get that luxury. It is about breaking the record at home in front of a sold out crowd littered with flashing lights and kayaks lining McCovey Cove. Isn’t that why Giants Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean re-signed Bonds to just a one-year deal in the first place. The Giants deserve to have this record broken at home, and it’s worth the $15.8 million that Bonds is making this season to have history bestowed upon them.

What else do Giants fans have? They have a team whose average age is 30.5, and a team that is watching their division race from the bottom of the National League West. The fact has set in with Giants' fans that they aren’t going to win anything this season, so why not cheer on one of their own. Sure steroids are an issue for some, and although Bonds might not be every fans favorite player, he’s apart of the Giants, and, which for most, means that he will be cheered for until he puts on a division rivals jersey.

So while Bonds continues his “futility” at the plate, Giants’ fans everywhere, especially in San Francisco, should be ecstatic if he comes home with the record just a home run away. I mean, what else do they have to cheer for.

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