Barry Bonds: A trip down memory lane – Part 2
During the 1996 season, Barry Bonds managed to steal 40 bases and amazingly smash 40 home-runs in a season. Also during this time, Bonds had managed to climb up in the record books as he had amassed 300 career home-runs and 300 stolen bases.
In 1997 and 1998 Bonds had managed to hit over 30 home-runs in the season and his performance dipped a little. However, his hitting was still top of the League and he was respected by all as a massive hitter of the ball. Interestingly, in 1998 Bonds was
only the fifth player in MLB history to be given an intentional walk with the bases loaded. This showed the respect and outright fear most pitchers had of his hitting prowess.
As 2000 rolled around, Bonds had a tremendous slugging percentage of .688 and he had managed to hit an amazing 49 home-runs in 143 games. It seemed that he was just getting started as records were about the fall by this great ballplayer. In 2001 Bonds had
gotten his 500th career home-run as his batting performance was off the charts as his slugging percentage was a record breaking .863. Bonds managed to end the season with an amazing 73 home-runs and had broken the record set by the great Mickey
Mantle with a record 177 walks and a .515 on-base average. The records were tumbling and Bonds was looking to go even further with his brilliant batting talents.
In 2002 Barry Bonds was given a $90 million contract and he re-signed with San Francisco Giants. He was on fire as he during this season he managed to get his 600th career home-run. In 2004 Bonds got his 661st career home-run and broke
Willie Mays record. It looked as if Bonds was still going strong and more records would be tumbling at the hands of this heavy hitter.
Unfortunately in 2005 he suffered a knee injury and had to have multiple surgeries and rehabilitation. Although many thought that he might have lost his touch due to his injury, Bonds proved them all wrong as he ended up having five homers in 14 games.
During the 2006 season Bonds became the highest paid baseball ever after it was estimated that he earned almost $172 million during the span of his 21-year career. Bonds was sitting on 713 career home-runs, basically one home-run short of Babe Ruth’s 714
home-runs. On May 20 Bonds tied Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home-runs. A few months later Bonds surpassed Henry Aaron’s career home-run record of 733.
As the 2007 season came, Bonds was looking strong to break the all time home-run record. However it was also during this time that word of possible steroid use was creeping into the media from all sides. Unfazed, Bonds went on in August of that year to get
his 755th career home-run and tied with the legendary Hank Aaron. A few days later, Bonds managed to break the record and get 756 career home-runs.
At the end of the 2007 Bonds did not re-sign with Giants and subsequently became a free-agent. However no team signed him for the next two seasons and he retired from baseball.
There has been a lot of controversy in recent times regarding whether he should be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Based on his career statistics there is no doubt that he should be but the steroid scandal has tainted his name. However, Bonds should be remembered
for who he was, a player who has broken multiple records and created even more of his own.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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