Home Run Derby

Barry Bonds etched his name on the most hallowed of baseball records last night when he hit career Home Run number 756 …

Whether you like it or not.

And I think that Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik, Jr. DESERVED to serve up his career-defining pitch to Bonds … because Bacsik started showboating right before it.  Watch.

During the at-bat, Bacsik did a good job keeping the ball away from Bonds … until the count went full.  When the count went to 3-2, Bacsik threw a curve that nipped the inside edge of the strike zone a little above the knees – which Bonds hit for a chopper that went foul down the first base line.  That was Bacsik’s chance to get Bonds out.

Then, after the play Bacsik tried to showboat with a behind-the-back catch on the easy toss from the first baseman … and he dropped it.

While watching th game, I turned to my sleeping wife and said, “Uh-oh. He’s gonna give up #756 right now. Instant Karma.”

Wife:  “Shut it up or shut it off.”  Or something like that.

After what seemed like an eternity before the next pitch (at least 30 seconds), Bacsik went to almost the same spot, only a little higher and a little closer to the plate.

Right in Bonds’ wheelhouse.  And Mike Bacsik, Jr. became the answer to a trivia question.

I guess if you hit #756 that far – you get to show up the pitcher by holding your arms up for at least five seconds before trotting to first.

I thought that Hank Aaron’s video congratulation was classy.

But it was at arm’s length, and it was worded in such a way that it spoke volumes without those words being said.  Namely that Aaron hopes that Bonds’ record will inspire someone else to break it.

The fact that Aaron and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig weren’t at the game said even more.

And could Bonds have been less interested in his son when he got to home plate?

Nikolai leapt over the dugout railing and ecstatically ran to meet his father at home plate looking to recreate the Mark McGwire and son moment from 1998 …

… and got dissed while his father pointed at the sky.

When Hank Aaron hit #715 and broke Babe Ruth’s record, two jubilant fans rushed the field and congratulated him.

When McGwire hit #62 and broke the single season record held by Roger Maris, we saw McGwire ecstatically lift his son towards the sky.

This record-breaker had no such moment. Unless it was when Bonds put himself before his adoring son.

Will the Giants keep Bonds after this season?

Are we done with Barry Bonds cut-aways on ESPN now? Are we done with Barry Bonds now?

Good God I hope so.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 8th, 2007 at 9:08 am and is filed under Barry Bonds, Bud Selig, ESPN, Giants, Hank Aaron, Milestone Home Runs, Nationals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.