Biographical

Portrait of Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds LFGiants

Giants Player Cards | Giants Team Audit | Giants Depth Chart

Career Summary
Years PA AVG OBP SLG DRC+ WARP
23 12606 .298 .444 .607 174 163.5
Birth Date7-24-1964
Height6' 2"
Weight240 lbs
Age60 years, 3 months, 30 days
BatsL
ThrowsL
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
1986 PIT 21 113 484 92 26 3 16 65 102 2 36 7 .223 .330 .416 100 0.6 4.2 11.9 3.3
1987 PIT 22 150 611 144 34 9 25 54 88 3 32 10 .261 .329 .492 108 6.2 6.5 21.0 4.9
1988 PIT 23 144 614 152 30 5 24 72 82 2 17 11 .283 .368 .491 141 27.9 7.2 6.0 5.8
1989 PIT 24 159 679 144 34 6 19 93 93 1 32 10 .248 .351 .426 115 12.7 4.5 23.4 5.9
1990 PIT 25 151 621 156 32 3 33 93 83 3 52 13 .301 .406 .565 159 41.4 4.5 24.5 8.9
1991 PIT 26 153 634 149 28 5 25 107 73 4 43 13 .292 .410 .514 155 41.7 1.1 21.4 8.2
1992 PIT 27 140 612 147 36 5 34 127 69 5 39 8 .311 .456 .624 190 63.6 -0.8 7.2 9.0
1993 SFN 28 159 674 181 38 4 46 126 79 2 29 12 .336 .458 .677 194 80.3 3.5 4.0 10.4
1994 SFN 29 112 474 122 18 1 37 74 43 6 29 9 .312 .426 .647 174 47.3 4.8 3.9 6.5
1995 SFN 30 144 635 149 30 7 33 120 83 5 31 10 .294 .431 .577 161 51.5 1.0 6.5 7.2
1996 SFN 31 158 675 159 27 3 42 151 76 1 40 7 .308 .461 .615 175 70.3 1.5 10.5 9.3
1997 SFN 32 159 690 155 26 5 40 145 87 8 37 8 .291 .446 .585 168 62.2 0.4 5.4 8.0
1998 SFN 33 156 697 167 44 7 37 130 92 8 28 12 .303 .438 .609 161 55.7 3.7 6.5 7.8
1999 SFN 34 102 434 93 20 2 34 73 62 3 15 2 .262 .389 .617 156 34.9 1.5 1.0 4.3
2000 SFN 35 143 607 147 28 4 49 117 77 3 11 3 .306 .440 .688 183 73.4 2.0 5.0 8.9
2001 SFN 36 153 664 156 32 2 73 177 93 9 13 3 .328 .515 .863 247 128.7 -0.1 -16.6 12.5
2002 SFN 37 143 612 149 31 2 46 198 47 9 9 2 .370 .582 .799 250 117.2 -4.9 -9.4 11.7
2003 SFN 38 130 550 133 22 1 45 148 58 10 7 0 .341 .529 .749 227 90.0 -1.2 3.3 10.2
2004 SFN 39 147 617 135 27 3 45 232 41 9 6 1 .362 .609 .812 240 110.1 -2.1 -5.6 11.4
2005 SFN 40 14 52 12 1 0 5 9 6 0 0 0 .286 .404 .667 144 2.8 0.3 -1.4 0.3
2006 SFN 41 130 493 99 23 0 26 115 51 10 3 0 .270 .454 .545 165 44.0 -0.3 -7.8 4.6
2007 SFN 42 126 477 94 14 0 28 132 54 3 5 0 .276 .480 .565 183 52.2 -5.0 -11.4 4.6
Career29861260629356017776225581539106514141.298.444.6071741214.732.3109.5163.5

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
1985 PRW A+ CRL 71 296 .000 .000 .000 .332 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1986 PIT MLB NL 113 484 .250 .314 .376 .256 100 4.3 13.4 1.2 100 11 11.9 4.2 0.6 3.3
1986 HAW AAA PCL 44 186 .000 .000 .000 .355 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1987 PIT MLB NL 150 611 .260 .324 .402 .270 100 11.5 18.0 -2.3 108 9 21.0 6.5 6.2 4.9
1988 PIT MLB NL 144 614 .249 .308 .365 .295 99 32.2 16.1 -3.7 141 11 6.0 7.2 27.9 5.8
1989 PIT MLB NL 159 679 .245 .307 .364 .265 99 17.9 17.7 -4.2 115 8 23.4 4.5 12.7 5.9
1990 PIT MLB NL 151 621 .259 .321 .388 .301 98 51 16.7 -3.9 159 9 24.5 4.5 41.4 8.9
1991 PIT MLB NL 153 634 .249 .315 .368 .292 98 46.4 17.2 -4 155 9 21.4 1.1 41.7 8.2
1992 PIT MLB NL 140 612 .251 .313 .371 .300 97 69.4 15.9 -3.8 190 11 7.2 -0.8 63.6 9.0
1993 SFN MLB NL 159 674 .264 .324 .398 .321 98 80.5 19.3 -4.6 194 9 4.0 3.5 80.3 10.4
1994 SFN MLB NL 112 474 .262 .325 .407 .271 96 51.6 14.4 -3.4 174 15 3.9 4.8 47.3 6.5
1995 SFN MLB NL 144 635 .262 .327 .403 .294 99 53.6 19.0 -4.5 161 9 6.5 1.0 51.5 7.2
1996 SFN MLB NL 158 675 .259 .325 .401 .289 100 73.9 20.9 -4.7 175 8 10.5 1.5 70.3 9.3
1997 SFN MLB NL 159 690 .264 .331 .414 .280 99 63.6 18.4 -4.8 168 7 5.4 0.4 62.2 8.0
1998 SFN MLB NL 156 697 .268 .331 .418 .303 98 62.6 18.1 -4.9 161 7 6.5 3.7 55.7 7.8
1999 SFN MLB NL 102 434 .270 .339 .433 .225 97 35.5 11.8 -3.4 156 13 1.0 1.5 34.9 4.3
2000 SFN MLB NL 143 607 .267 .339 .433 .271 107 61 19.1 -4.5 183 9 5.0 2.0 73.4 8.9
2001 SFN MLB NL 153 664 .261 .328 .429 .266 98 120.2 19.8 -5 247 11 -16.6 -0.1 128.7 12.5
2002 SFN MLB NL 143 612 .261 .328 .423 .330 99 114.9 17.6 -4.4 250 9 -9.4 -4.9 117.2 11.7
2003 SFN MLB NL 130 550 .259 .329 .414 .304 96 88.7 14.5 -4.2 227 14 3.3 -1.2 90.0 10.2
2004 SFN MLB NL 147 617 .263 .329 .420 .310 100 112.9 18.4 -4.7 240 10 -5.6 -2.1 110.1 11.4
2005 SFN MLB NL 14 52 .262 .320 .417 .219 97 5.8 1.5 -0.3 144 28 -1.4 0.3 2.8 0.3
2006 SFN MLB NL 130 493 .270 .333 .435 .251 91 43.7 14.8 -3.7 165 6 -7.8 -0.3 44.0 4.6
2007 SFN MLB NL 126 477 .265 .330 .414 .254 97 45.1 14.2 -3.6 183 11 -11.4 -5.0 52.2 4.6

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
1985 PRW A+ CRL 296 254 49 76 16 4 13 139 37 37 52 15 3 .299 .387 .547 .248 1 1
1986 PIT MLB NL 484 413 72 92 26 3 16 172 48 65 102 36 7 .223 .330 .416 .194 2 2
1986 HAW AAA PCL 186 148 30 46 7 2 7 78 37 33 31 16 5 .311 .443 .527 .216 0 0
1987 PIT MLB NL 611 551 99 144 34 9 25 271 59 54 88 32 10 .261 .329 .492 .230 3 0
1988 PIT MLB NL 614 538 97 152 30 5 24 264 58 72 82 17 11 .283 .368 .491 .208 2 0
1989 PIT MLB NL 679 580 96 144 34 6 19 247 58 93 93 32 10 .248 .351 .426 .178 4 1
1990 PIT MLB NL 621 519 104 156 32 3 33 293 114 93 83 52 13 .301 .406 .565 .264 6 0
1991 PIT MLB NL 634 510 95 149 28 5 25 262 116 107 73 43 13 .292 .410 .514 .222 13 0
1992 PIT MLB NL 612 473 109 147 36 5 34 295 103 127 69 39 8 .311 .456 .624 .313 7 0
1993 SFN MLB NL 674 539 129 181 38 4 46 365 123 126 79 29 12 .336 .458 .677 .341 7 0
1994 SFN MLB NL 474 391 89 122 18 1 37 253 81 74 43 29 9 .312 .426 .647 .335 3 0
1995 SFN MLB NL 635 506 109 149 30 7 33 292 104 120 83 31 10 .294 .431 .577 .283 4 0
1996 SFN MLB NL 675 517 122 159 27 3 42 318 129 151 76 40 7 .308 .461 .615 .308 6 0
1997 SFN MLB NL 690 532 123 155 26 5 40 311 101 145 87 37 8 .291 .446 .585 .293 5 0
1998 SFN MLB NL 697 552 120 167 44 7 37 336 122 130 92 28 12 .303 .438 .609 .306 6 1
1999 SFN MLB NL 434 355 91 93 20 2 34 219 83 73 62 15 2 .262 .389 .617 .355 3 0
2000 SFN MLB NL 607 480 129 147 28 4 49 330 106 117 77 11 3 .306 .440 .688 .381 7 0
2001 SFN MLB NL 664 476 129 156 32 2 73 411 137 177 93 13 3 .328 .515 .863 .536 2 0
2002 SFN MLB NL 612 403 117 149 31 2 46 322 110 198 47 9 2 .370 .582 .799 .429 2 0
2003 SFN MLB NL 550 390 111 133 22 1 45 292 90 148 58 7 0 .341 .529 .749 .408 2 0
2004 SFN MLB NL 617 373 129 135 27 3 45 303 101 232 41 6 1 .362 .609 .812 .450 3 0
2005 SFN MLB NL 52 42 8 12 1 0 5 28 10 9 6 0 0 .286 .404 .667 .381 1 0
2006 SFN MLB NL 493 367 74 99 23 0 26 200 77 115 51 3 0 .270 .454 .545 .275 1 0
2007 SFN MLB NL 477 340 75 94 14 0 28 192 66 132 54 5 0 .276 .480 .565 .288 2 0

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2009-01-01 2009-01-01 FA 0 0 - Hip Surgery Date Is Approximate - -
2007-09-16 2007-09-26 DTD 10 10 Right Sprain Big Toe - -
2007-07-18 2007-07-19 DTD 1 1 Right Knee Soreness -
2007-07-15 2007-07-16 DTD 1 1 Right Knee Soreness -
2007-07-04 2007-07-05 DTD 1 1 Right Knee Soreness - -
2007-06-05 2007-06-06 DTD 1 1 Right Lower Leg Inflammation Shin Splints - -
2007-05-13 2007-05-15 DTD 2 1 - Thigh Tightness Hamstring - -
2007-03-05 2007-03-05 Camp 0 0 - General Medical Illness - -
2006-10-05 2006-10-05 Off 0 0 Left Elbow Surgery Bone Chips 2006-10-05 -
2006-08-26 2006-08-26 DTD 0 0 - Low Back Tightness - -
2006-08-17 2006-08-18 DTD 1 1 Left Elbow Soreness - -
2006-08-01 2006-08-04 DTD 3 2 Right Knee Swelling - -
2006-07-27 2006-07-28 DTD 1 1 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
2006-07-21 2006-07-21 DTD 0 0 Left Knee Contusion HBP - -
2006-07-08 2006-07-09 DTD 1 1 Right Knee Soreness - -
2006-06-26 2006-06-27 DTD 1 0 Left Knee Inflammation - -
2006-06-07 2006-06-13 DTD 6 5 Left Trunk Soreness - -
2006-05-30 2006-06-03 DTD 4 2 - Low Back Stiffness - -
2006-05-24 2006-05-26 DTD 2 1 Right Knee Soreness - -
2006-05-17 2006-05-19 DTD 2 1 Right Knee Soreness - -
2006-05-04 2006-05-05 DTD 1 1 - Head Headache - -
2006-04-19 2006-04-20 DTD 1 1 Left Elbow Soreness - -
2005-04-05 2005-09-12 60-DL 160 142 Right Knee Surgery Infection 2005-05-02
2005-03-17 2005-04-05 Camp 19 0 Right Knee Surgery 2005-03-17
2005-01-31 2005-01-31 Off 0 0 Right Knee Surgery Meniscus 2005-01-31 -
2004-10-12 2004-10-12 Off 0 0 Left Knee Surgery 2004-10-12 -
2004-08-05 2004-08-06 DTD 1 1 - General Medical Illness Earache - -
2004-07-19 2004-07-20 DTD 1 1 - General Medical Root Canal - -
2004-05-19 2004-05-21 DTD 2 2 - Low Back Soreness -
2004-05-14 2004-05-18 DTD 4 3 - Low Back Spasms - -
2004-05-03 2004-05-06 DTD 3 2 - General Medical Illness Sinus Infection - -
2004-03-10 2004-03-15 Camp 5 0 - Low Back Spasms - -
2003-08-31 2003-09-01 DTD 1 1 - General Medical Irregular Heartbeat - -
2003-05-24 2003-05-27 DTD 3 3 Right Knee Inflammation Patellar Tendonitis - -
2003-04-30 2003-04-30 DTD 0 0 Right Ankle Contusion HBP - -
2003-04-21 2003-04-24 DTD 3 2 - Neck Stiffness - -
2003-04-16 2003-04-18 DTD 2 1 - Thigh Tightness Hamstring - -
2003-02-17 2003-02-28 Camp 11 0 - Elbow Surgery Removal of Buried Suture 2003-02-19 -
2002-08-29 2002-08-29 DTD 0 0 - Low Back Stiffness - -
2002-08-24 2002-08-25 DTD 1 1 - Knee Soreness - -
2002-07-23 2002-07-31 DTD 8 7 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2002-07-20 2002-07-22 DTD 2 2 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2002-04-15 2002-04-15 DTD 0 0 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2002-04-07 2002-04-09 DTD 2 1 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2002-03-25 2002-03-27 Camp 2 0 Right Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
2001-06-30 2001-07-01 DTD 1 1 Left Hand Contusion Fielding - -
2001-04-28 2001-04-29 DTD 1 1 Left Lower Leg Soreness Calf - -
2000-09-27 2000-09-28 DTD 1 1 - General Medical Illness - -
2000-08-05 2000-08-06 DTD 1 1 Right Lower Leg Strain Calf - -
2000-07-02 2000-07-08 DTD 6 6 Right Thumb Stress Fracture - -
2000-06-25 2000-06-25 DTD 0 0 Right Thigh Tightness Hamstring - -
2000-06-15 2000-06-16 DTD 1 0 Right Groin Strain - -
2000-06-01 2000-06-02 DTD 1 0 Bilateral Knee Inflammation - -
2000-05-25 2000-05-25 DTD 0 0 - Lower Leg Tightness Calf - -
2000-05-21 2000-05-23 DTD 2 1 - Low Back Tightness - -
2000-05-14 2000-05-19 DTD 5 4 - Low Back Sprain - -
2000-05-09 2000-05-09 DTD 0 0 - Neck Stiffness - -
2000-04-20 2000-04-21 DTD 1 1 - General Medical Illness - -
1999-10-01 1999-10-03 DTD 2 2 Right Knee Surgery 1999-10-01 -
1999-09-25 1999-09-28 DTD 3 2 Right Knee Inflammation -
1999-09-13 1999-09-15 DTD 2 1 Right Knee Tendonitis - -
1999-08-07 1999-08-08 DTD 1 1 - Low Back Spasms - -
1999-07-28 1999-07-28 DTD 0 0 Left Elbow Soreness - -
1999-07-07 1999-07-11 DTD 4 3 - Groin Strain - -
1999-06-30 1999-07-01 DTD 1 1 Left Elbow Soreness - -
1999-06-13 1999-06-13 DTD 0 0 Left Elbow Fatigue - -
1999-04-18 1999-06-09 15-DL 52 47 Left Elbow Surgery Torn Triceps Tendon and Bone Spur 1999-04-22 -
1998-09-22 1998-09-22 DTD 0 0 - Low Back Stiffness - -
1998-07-15 1998-07-15 DTD 0 0 Left Hip Soreness - -
1998-06-15 1998-06-17 DTD 2 2 - Neck Stiffness - -
1998-06-10 1998-06-10 DTD 0 0 Left Lower Leg Contusion HBP - -
1992-06-15 1992-07-04 15-DL 19 18 Right Trunk Strain Rib Cage - -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2007 SFN $15,800,000
2006 SFN $20,000,000
2005 SFN $22,000,000
2004 SFN $18,000,000
2003 SFN $15,000,000
2002 SFN $15,000,000
2001 SFN $10,300,000
2000 SFN $10,658,826
YearsDescriptionSalary
8 yrPrevious$126,758,826
8 yrTotal$126,758,826

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
21 y 129 dBoras Corp. (formerly Dennis Gilbert)1 year/$15.8M (2007)

Details
  • 1 year/$15.8M (2007). Re-signed by San Francisco as a free agent 2/07. 07:$15.8M. $5.8M of 2007 salary is deferred. $4.2M in performance bonuses (earned $3.5M in bonuses, to be paid, plus 3% interest, in 2009): $0.5M for 250 PAs. $1M each for 300, 375 & 450 PAs. $0.7M for 525 PAs. If Bonds is indicted, club has right to 1) terminate contract under sections 7(b)(1) and 7(b)(3) of Uniform Player Contract, 2) convert contract to a non-guaranteed deal, allowing club to release him before Opening Day & pay 30 or 45 days' termination pay. Bonds agreed not to ask the players' union to file a grievance if he is released after an indictment. Under the agreement, Bonds' personal trainers are no longer club employees & no longer allowed in restricted areas at Major League parks. Perks: hotel suite on road, use of luxury suite for 5 homes games, 5 free lower box seats for each road game. (Bonds' agent maintained that any provision allowing the club to void the contract in the wake of an indictment is not enforceable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.)
  • 5 years/$90M (2002-06). Signed extension with San Francisco 1/02. $10M signing bonus ($2.5M paid in 2002, $3.5M in 2003, $4M in 2004). First 4 years/$72M guaranteed. 02:$13M, 03:$13M, 04:$16M, 05:$20M, 06:$18M club option. Club may void 2006 if Bonds has less than 500 PAs in 05. Club may not void 2006 option if Bonds has 950 PAs in 2004-05 and at least 400 PAs 2005. $5M/year of 2002-06 salaries deferred at 3.5%, paid 2007-11. $0.1M All Star award bonus. No-trade clause. 10-year personal services contract begins after playing career ends, paying nearly $1M annually to the Bonds Family Foundation. San Francisco exercised 2006 option 9/04.
  • 2 years/$22.9M (1999-2000), plus 2001 club option. Signed extension with San Francisco 2/97. 99:$9.7M, 00:$10.7M, 01:$10.3M club option ($2.5M buyout). $0.425M annually in performance bonuses. San Francisco exercised 2001 option 7/99.
  • 6 years/$43.75M (1993-98). Signed by San Francisco as a free agent 12/92. $2.5M signing bonus. 93:$4M, 94:$4.75M, 95:$7.75M, 96:$8M, 97:$8.25M, 98:$8.5M. Highest annual average salary at signing. Largest-ever total package at signing. Bonds agreed to defer $500,000 in salary annually at the prime rate, to be paid 1999-2008. Award bonuses: $0.1M for MVP (won 1993). $0.25M for second MVP. $0.75M for third MVP. $1M for fourth MVP. Limited no-trade protection allowing Bonds to block deals to Toronto and Montreal.
  • 1 year/$4.7M (1992). Re-signed by Pittsburgh 2/92 (avoided arbitration, $5M-$4M). $0.15M signing bonus, 92:$4.55M one-year salary record at time of signing. Hotel suite on road trips to LA, SF & San Diego (first player to be guaranteed a suite on the road). $0.6M in award bonuses. $0.25M for MVP ($0.1M for 2nd in MVP vote). $0.15M for World Series MVP. $0.1M for The Sporting News player of year. $0.1M for LCS MVP.
  • 1 year/$2.3M (1991). Lost arbitration with Pittsburgh ($3.25M-$2.3M).
  • 1 year/$0.85M (1990). Lost arbitration with Pittsburgh ($1.6M-$0.85M).
  • 1 year/$0.36M (1989). Re-signed by Pittsburgh 3/12/89. Performance bonuses.
  • 1 year/$0.22M (1988).
  • 1 year/$0.1M (1987).
  • 1 year/$60,000 (1986).
  • Drafted by Pittsburgh 1985 (1-6). Drafted by San Francisco 1982 (2-39) (did not sign).

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
Weighted Mean???????00??.000.000.00000.0?0.0

BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Barry Bonds

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2021-04-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)New proposal for Manfred to speed up the pace of play: cancel Max Muncy’s ABs just give him an out 1/3 of the time and put him on first the other 2/3... seriously though, maybe it’s just recency bias but has anyone walked like this since Barry Bonds?
(pats1124 from Durham, NC)		He's been on a hell of a tear, although the Dodgers offense could probably use his swings a bit more at the moment. Using our new leaderboards (https://www.baseballprospectus.com/leaderboards/hitting/) you can sort by BB% and min PA. I just did this with a min of 20 PA and was stunned to find Matt Joyce a 23.8% and Joey Gallo at 23.5%. Muncy tops the leaderboard and has a good chance of finishing there, but he's just on a bit of a hot streak right now, I think. (Craig Goldstein)
2019-02-05 17:00:00 (link to chat)If today's Roger Clemens were to pitch to today's Barry Bonds for 600 PA, what would their head to head stats look like?
(Bo Dingus from KCK)		Now this is a fun question. Bonds and Clemens rarely faced each other in their ML careers--the sample size is too small to be helpful there. Clemens is 2 years older, which probably wouldn't have made a major difference during their careers, but now that they are well into their 50s, might be a bigger factor. I think I'd give Bonds the advantage because Clemens would struggle to consistently hit the strike zone (and Bonds wouldn't bite on out of the zone pitches), but any such matchup would be a real mess. What do you guys think? (Rob Arthur)
2017-05-15 17:00:00 (link to chat)Do Flags truly Fly Forever? In the middle of the 2011 season, I traded a 2012 1st round pick and Mike Trout for Robinson Cano. I won my first ever league championship in 2011, and another in 2013. Yet years later, I still feel guilty for having traded away the best player since Barry Bonds. Am I silly to talk about this with my therapist, or should I just suck it up and be happy with what I got out of the deal?
(Paul from DC)		It sounds to me like you did OK. I'd only feel bad about that deal if I hadn't won the league. And you won multiple times! Therapy is for when you make a deal like that and lose the league by half a point because Brandon Kintzler got a save on the last day of the regular season. (Mike Gianella)
2016-06-23 14:00:00 (link to chat)If you'd be so kind as to help me settle a weekly argument: in a 30 run/game slow pitch softball environment, is there ever a time where an intentional walk makes mathematical (i.e. by The Book) sense? Specifically in the middle innings of the game, an opinion based answer will do. Thanks Nick
(alexohconnor from Chicago)		I mean I'm not exactly familiar with the mathematical semantics of slow-pitch softball, but theoretically, probably yes? But riddle me this, Batman. Why are we IBB'ing people in slow-pitch softball? Everyone is basically Barry Bonds. Just goof out and have fun, and remember, if you get hit with a pitch, it's a pox upon your honor and you MUST charge the mound. Very serious business. (Nicolas Stellini)
2016-05-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Best hitter/ pitcher you've seen in person
(Bobby V from San Diego)		Barry Bonds and Pedro Martinez. h/t Joe Dolansky (Jim Walsh)
2015-04-06 20:15:00 (link to chat)Hi Kevin, thanks for the late night chat. Give me your top 5 amateur players right now not affiliated with a MLB team.
(Devon from Detroit)		1) Barry Bonds 2) Barry Bonds 3) Barry Bonds 4) Barry Bonds 5) Mike Mordecai (Craig Goldstein)
2014-10-17 12:00:00 (link to chat)Gore wasn't a difference maker in ALCS. Any chance he's left of WS roster?
(Aaron from El Do, Mo)		That would be a surprise. Ned Yost compared Gore to Barry Bonds coming off the bench. True story. (Andy McCullough)
2014-09-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)An article in the Atlantic recently said that PITCHf/x has contributed to the lower run-scoring environment in baseball the last few years and higher strikeouts. Do you agree?
(Dan Rozenson from Washington, DC)		Yep, I read that. Interesting theory but I thought his conclusions were overly narrow. Not stated at all in his article is the fact that baseball is a very cyclical game... it was only 14 years ago that Barry Bonds hit 73 homers, but go back 14 years before that and we were in the height of a pitching/baserunning era. The 1985 Cardinals had 314 (!) steals as a team! We are clearly in a pitching cycle right now but eventually the hitters will have their day, for one reason or another. (Cory Schwartz)
2014-08-06 16:30:00 (link to chat)Is there anything Yuniesky Betancourt could beat Barry Bonds at?
(Tanner from Nebraska)		Hot dog eating contest?
Mario Kart Double Dash, but not the original Mario Kart (Yuni thrives on his ability to swap powers)
Bunting
Parcheesi (Cespedes Family BBQ)
2014-08-06 16:30:00 (link to chat)I bet you Barry Bonds could bunt that baseball over them mountains
(Charlie from Rockville)		Oh the ones over there *points to mountaints* Yeah probably. (Cespedes Family BBQ)
2014-08-06 16:30:00 (link to chat)How many pitches would Nick Tepesch have to throw before he struck out 2000-2003 era Barry Bonds? And how many Dingers would Bonds have hit before three strikes went past him?
(Frazer from (Exeter, UK))		Wonderful question. Does the at-bat start over if/when Bonds hits a dinger? If that's the case, I could see 40+ pitches. (Cespedes Family BBQ)
2014-04-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)Totally random question, and feel free to offer a completely opinionated, unsubstantiated answer: do you think Barry Bonds' HOF chances/votes go up or down if he came out today and admitted PED usage?
(johnpark99 from Chicago)		If Bonds were contrite? Way up. Look at how Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi are treated. You'd never know. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-01-23 12:00:00 (link to chat)Imagine that there was something out there that was as effective at improving player performance as people *think* steroids are. Something like, if you listen to Lose Yourself just before a game, you become Barry Bonds in 2001. If you don't, you're just a regular old player. And this thing was 100 percent effective; it's an outside aid that makes players way better than they really are. Middle infielders hitting 45 homers again, Bryce Harper hitting 82 homers, records all fall, historical numbers all get skewed. And it's totally harmless. In other words, it's steroids but without the health effects or the legal issues. Would MLB outlaw it?
(Sam from Bay Area)		The problem with steroids so we've been told is that they're unhealthy. They shrink your balls and kill children and make you AAAAAAANGRY SMASH SMASH and all bad things. That's the justification for outlawing them, not the effect they have on the game (assuming there is an effect, which I think there is, though not a super huge one). So MLB would have to some sort of after-the-fact justification to outlaw this new harmless substance/song. I think they would is the answer I am giving, but it would be fun to watch them jump through and set on fire all the logical hoops they'd have to to do it. (Matthew Kory)
2013-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)As a baseball writer/fan, how great is it to see teams like the Pirates/Royals/Indians still very much in contention in September? Even though it's only the 2nd year, you have to call the new playoff format a success, right?
(Chad from OKC)		Super great? Super duper great? Something maybe in between those? The Pirates success this year is, honestly, wonderful. It's been so long. The last time the Pirates won anything Barry Bonds had a normal sized head. That joke works on a literal and figurative level. You're welcome.

As for the Royals, we kind knew they'd be better, and they have been better, but they're still not good enough and I have serious doubts about their ability to become good enough if the same people remain in charge over there.

As for the Indians, well, I was wrong about them. They're not great, but they're not a horrible train wreck either, so that's something. But, overall, it's important for all teams to experience some success, at some time, eventually. So from that standpoint, I guess I'll go with full-on Super Duper. (Matthew Kory)
2013-08-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)Not that I liked it, but Barry Bonds's wild unpopularity came from his surliness with writers and from his race. Why is A-Rod so universally disliked? Vainity?
(Jim Clancy from Exhibition Stadium)		I think there's an overly polished, semi-artificial aspect to his persona that rubs people the wrong way. And he's done some silly things, from a PR perspective. Also, he's taken PEDs repeatedly. Generally not the best way to baseball fans' hearts. (Ben Lindbergh)
2013-06-27 13:15:00 (link to chat)What do you think of Ryan Braun? I'm getting more and more skeptical about his long-term future. yeah yeah I know people are saying he is not gonna be suspended during this season.. But MLB seems just dogging him to the hell.. It seems like the suspension is coming on some time in the future at least. On the other hand, Chris Davis transformed himself from strikeout machines to Barry Bonds, well with more strikeouts, of course. Who do you like better for the rest of their careers: Ryan Braun or Chris Davis? Will Ryan Braun ever stop from free falling?
(Jay from Vancouver)		"Free falling" seems a little extreme, and even if he is suspended at some point, I don't know that that would affect my expectations for his long-term future all that much. Chris Davis is incredible, but Braun has been on a Hall of Fame-type trajectory for some time. I think it would be premature to jump ship. (Ben Lindbergh)
2013-04-11 13:00:00 (link to chat)Do you think Vernon Wells has remade himself, or is he due to regress?
(Alex from Anaheim)		Remade himself as what? Barry Bonds? Wells is hitting .360/.467/.720 so far this season which amounts to seven games. I'm reasonably certain Wells has hit that well over a random seven consecutive game sample sometime in the past couple seasons. But even if he hasn't, no I don't think he's remade himself. Wells could always hit for power. He's just so poor at hitting for average and getting on base that he wasn't much of a useful player outside certain roles and situations. So, no I don't see this as any kind of reinvention. That said, if he had a decent season it wouldn't shock me. (Matthew Kory)
2012-12-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)Screw Barry Bonds, and everyone who votes to put him in Cooperstown. Q: Do you scout more players via videotape, or in person? Thanks!
(Hank Aaron's Subconscious from Carl Jung's Place)		Barry Bonds is a no shit HOF. One of the best players to ever wear a uniform. I don't care about the PEDs.

I prefer to scout in person. I don't scout any player from video, but I'm not against it. Do whatever works. (Jason Parks)
2012-12-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)What's more "tragic": that Barry Bonds was a sure-fire HOFer without the PEDs but did them anyway because he's a sociopath, or that Shoeless Joe isn't in the HOF?
(richardkr34 from Saint Paul, MN)		I don't think he used PEDs because he was a sociopath.

I really don;t care about Shoeless Joe Jackson. (Jason Parks)
2012-12-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)I am TOO a sociopath! Whenever a reporter asked if I did PED's, I accused him of being a racist, and attacking my *children* along with myself. I'm pathologically self-absorbed and dishonest, like Pete Rose. You underestimate what a rotten person I am. Q: Could Gregory Polanco be Trout-lite (i.e. .290 with 20-25 HR, 35 SB's, and average CF defense)?
(Barry Bonds from Not in jail)		I like Barry Bonds. I'd gladly put him on my team. He's an asshole. I get it. He's also one of the greatest baseball players in history. You have to be somewhat pathologically self-absorbed to reach that level.

Polanco will not be Trout-lite. He could develop into a first-division talent, but that's a long way away. (Jason Parks)
2012-11-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Ben, I'm not sure if you noticed but the Hall of Fame ballot this year includes names such as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens, and Mark McGwire. We hear a lot about should they be in the hall of fame or not, what do you think the writers will do?
(Steve G. from Athens, OH)		They're going to vote Bonds and Clemens in eventually, I think--it's much harder to justify an argument that they wouldn't have been Hall of Famers without steroids than it is for Sosa and McGwire, and the Hall is going to have to have the best players ever in it if it wants people to pay to get in. But as that guy in Gladiator says, "Not yet...not yet." (Ben Lindbergh)
2012-07-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)If you are the Pirates (yes, all of them, you're very big) what would you try to do by the deadline?
(mattymatty2000 from Portland, OR)		The Pirates are in such an unusual position this year versus, oh, whenever Barry Bonds left. They could use help in any area not covered by Andrew McCutchen, James McDonald, or the bullpen. I'd be looking to upgrading at shortstop and the rotation. I don't have specific names in mind, but that would be my focus. The division, and the entire league, is still pretty wide open. (Geoff Young)
2012-06-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who are the best pitcher and non-pitcher not currently in the Hall of Fame? And if you could kick out one player, who would it be?
(oira79 from san francisco)		As of the 2013 ballot, which will be released this fall, the answers are America's most wanted couple, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. They'll retain those titles until the voters hold their noses and put them in the Hall, which I don't think will happen this year but will happen within three or four years. (Jay Jaffe)
2012-03-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)Quick! Give me an amazing Barry Bonds fact.
(j from Berkeley)		From 2001 to 2004, Barry Bonds slugged over .600 when he was behind in the count. (Sam Miller)
2012-01-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)Could the Mariners sign Manny to a one year deal for $750,000 to be their DH? Should they?
(Tim from reno)		I wouldn't be surprised if his price is pretty low, probably not much above that range, but I'd guess he'll either get a slightly higher offer from somewhere or he won't get any offers at all, much like Barry Bonds.

As to whether they should, well they could certainly use some power hitters. Or really a hitter who knows how to create runs in any fashion. If it's Manny or Prince, well clearly Prince brings more to the team. I don't know enough of the specifics of their budget to know how much they have to worry about saving dollars in adding to their offense.

As for the PR aspects of a signing like that, I'll leave that to others with more capable insight. (Mike Fast)
2012-01-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)Hey Jay - Do you feel that the Hall of Fame will start to give guidelines to the voters sooner rather than later when it comes to steroids? I have seen comments regarding how quickly Bagwell shrunk in size as to why someone was not going to vote for him (Chicago Tribune). As Phil Rogers says, 580+ writers, 580+ opinions on the matter. Thanks
(Brian from Tinley Park)		Good question. I think we're years away from that, because while there are several candidates about to hit the ballot whose careers have been linked to PED use, there are also a bunch of milestone candidates whose elections are a virtual lock. Even without Barry Bonds and Roger Clmeens, you'll still have Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson and Craig Biggio on that score, as well as solid candidates without the milestones OR PED connections such as John Smoltz and Curt Schilling. I think we're years away before the Hall feels a need to interject itself into the debate on the guideline grounds. (Jay Jaffe's Hall of Fame Special)
2011-08-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Have we reached the point where we can delcare Bautista's performance is no longer a fluke?
(Bobby from Las Vegas)		To misquote Mother Superior, "That point was reached and breached long ago." I read something somewhere about his post-ASB "slowdown", with only 5 home runs. Well, that's a .257/.421/.475 "slowdown" we're talking about. He's not Barry Bonds, he's probably not the best hitter in baseball the next few years, but to call him a fluke is absolutely, positively, and in all other ways inconceivable. (Ken Funck)
2011-08-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)I'm convinced there's a non-zero chance that Ned or some McCourt minion puts Kemp or Kershaw on waivers. Looking forward to it.
(Beau from San Francisco)		Not gonna happen. Just for suggesting that, I'm gonna tell you to go bob for Barry Bonds' balls in McCovey Cove. (Jay Jaffe)
2011-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Do you have a favorite marriage between baseball and the thriller genre? For me it would have to be the novel Lights Out by Jason Starr who is an all around good New York writer.
(Aceball from Reno)		I know it's not that movie with DeNiro and Wesley Snipes as Barry Bonds... I haven't read Jason Starr, I never got around to finishing Parker's book about Jackie Robinson, and it's been too many years since I read former BP collaborator R.D. Rosen's books to report accurately. I've been meaning to read something in Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series (which are sports oriented but may or may not have baseball in 'em) as I've enjoyed several of his stand-alone books.

Seems to me that the relationship between a story and its setting has to be organic, as quite often the attempt to graft a mystery plot onto baseball seems forced. You wind up with something that doesn't quite work. (Steven Goldman)
2011-04-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)Apparently the Bonds jury has come to a verdict. Any thoughts? Will there be riots?
(mef from Brooklyn)		I think our country has a misguided focus on who to prosecute for crimes. But sure, why not, let's focus our limited funds on Barry Bonds and his lies and leave the people who fucked the tax payers over for decades alone. (Jason Parks)
2011-04-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)Rank these players in their feasibility to enter the MLB Hall of Fame someday: 1. Shoeless Joe Jackson 2. Pete Rose 3. Mark McGwire 4. Barry Bonds 5. Roger Clemens 6. Sammy Sosa 7. Alex Rodriguez
(UCBravesKing from Covington, KY)		I think A-Rod before any of the rest, because his usage will be seen as a dalliance and the bulk of his career is so impressive. The same, to a lesser extent, can be said of Clemens and Bonds, but the weight of his usage is so much heavier with the ongoing lawsuits, the Congressional testimony, etc. ALL the steroids candidates will benefit from some moment TBD when we have a better understanding of the impact of steroids on production, because just about everything you see is supposition. (Steven Goldman)
2010-10-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)Loving the BP Universe this postseason CK. Y'all are doing a great job, and following each game on Twitter has been a blast. What do we do in cincy to cement the gains we've made and repeat in the postseason?
(Scartore from The Queen City)		The more I think about it, the more I think dealing from depth to get Greinke would be one worthwhile move. The other, non-mutually-dependent move is getting in on one of the real boppers in the outfield--thank you, Jonny Gomes, here's a fruit basket, but we need more. If that's going nuts for Carl Crawford, that works for me, pace Jayson Werth. Even a one-plus-option deal for His Mannyness would be interesting--if Dusty's handled Barry Bonds, he ought to be up for that particular challenge as well. (Christina Kahrl)
2010-10-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)Speaking of the career home run leader, every time I chmod a file to 755 I think of Hank Aaron. Why did Barry Bonds have to stop at an ugly number like 762? Couldn't somebody have signed him so he could hit a few more and get to a (somewhat) common access mode like 775 or 777? Sorry if that was too nerdy.
(The Flying Bernard from Acton, MA)		764 would even be better, because it's conceivable that someone, at some time, would want to do that. (Colin Wyers)
2010-09-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)Big fan of your work and your strongly held opinions. Does your book deal with some of the more contentious issues you deal with in articles and the newsletters or is more of an "ode to baseball?"
(Jen from Queens, NY)		It's a mix. My favorite material is certainly the stuff that explores being a fan, as opposed to the analytical stuff or the commentary. However, there's a lot of business-of-baseball in there, stuff on steroids and Barry Bonds and tactics. I was actually a little surprised that there didn't end up more of the latter, but I didn't do a lot of dedicated tactical material. It tended to be contextual ("Bob Brenly did this; here's why it's dumb.")

I think it's the right mix. I haven't run a table of contents because I'm still not sure what will make the final book, and the ordering of stuff is up in the air. (Joe Sheehan)
2010-07-06 14:00:00 (link to chat)So, how did Barry Bonds get into Brennan Boesch's body, a la Man in Black / Locke.
(Phil from NY)		Has anyone actually seen Bonds' body lately? Possibly the same way that the Man in Black got into Locke's. Regardless, I see things ending roughly the same way. (Ben Lindbergh)
2010-07-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)seriously, how much longer do I need to wait until the Bucs have a .500 season? any Padre-type miracles in the near future?
(sweet lou from Pitt)		It's hard to say patience to someone who has been waiting since the time before Barry Bonds was considered a Hall of Famer, but that's what it's going to take. I don't know if a Padres miracle is there--they need to fix the defense first. It's making that pitching staff look worse than it is. (Marc Normandin)
2010-06-07 18:30:00 (link to chat)Will the 2005 draft ever be topped??? It was topped before it ever happened, in 1985. I just wrote this for tomorrow morning's draft piece: . The first round included, in order of selection, B.J. Surhoff, Will Clark, Bobby Witt, Barry Larkin, Barry Bonds, Pete Incaviglia, Walt Weiss, Brian McRae, Joe Magrane, Gregg Jeffries, Rafael Palmeiro, and Joey Cora, as well as Cameron Drew, who put up outstanding numbers in the minors until a knee injury ended his career at 24, while the second round held Bruce Ruffin, Mike Schooler, and Randy Johnson (John Smoltz was hiding down in round 22). And Bo Jackson too (a flyer in rd 20)!
(PBSteve from Beautiful New Jersey)		See? Steven Goldman knows all. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)So...it may be slightly unlikely that John Jaso keeps hitting like the second coming of Barry Bonds. But how do you see his final line shaking out, as well as playing time at catcher for the Rays?
(Stephanie from DC)		Probably better than Kelly Shoppach and Dioner Navarro's lines. I think he can hit maybe .270/.370/.430. The OBP is sexy. I'm talking to Tommy Bennett right now, he says .280/.340/.430. Obviously, he's going to slug .430 if we both say so. (Marc Normandin)
2010-05-03 17:00:00 (link to chat)Why do I fall apart in the playoffs so often? Is there a tangible reason, or is it just a matter of time that I figure things out like Barry Bonds and A-Rod did in baseball?
(Joe Thornton from San Jose)		Looking at post-Lockout numbers, Thornton's been an elite 1.26 point per game player over 406 games. In 49 postseason games...0.84 points per game. Ruh-roh, not a mirage. Joe's goal scoring rate drops to about half of his regular season rate, but the assists fall too. Got no magic bullet answer here, but I'd say it's both player and team. (Timo Seppa (Hockey))
2010-04-29 13:00:00 (link to chat)Am I the new Babe Ruth of taunting?
(Bryce Harper from NM)		Kevin's article had a LOT of people talking last week. My take is this: short of being a violent criminal, you can't really be a worse makeup guy than Barry Bonds. Now how many of you wouldn't want Barry on your team?

Anybody? (Shawn Hoffman)
2010-02-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)David, your interviews are among the highlights of BP's site. I especially like the variety of subjects you choose, from retired players and coaches to prospects. Can you name a few living people you'd like to interview someday? Any people who have died since you started this who you regret not covering?
(Asinwreck from Chicago, IL)		Thanks. Kind words are always appreciated, to say the least. As for people who died (and, oh yeah, RIP poet/musician Jim Carroll; I was a fan), the one who first comes to mind passed away about a year before I began writing for BP. That was Dick Radatz, who was not only a brilliant closer but a bit of a character and apparently a wonderful man. Much more recently, I never did get a chance to interview, or even meet, Mark Fidrych. I regret that.

As for who I'd like to interview, there are certainly many. Talking to Barack Obama about baseball would certainly be enjoyable. Sitting down with Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire to talk hitting -- and only hitting -- would be great (has anyone actually done that before?). I'll be in Ft. Myers in early March, and I'd love to run into Harmon Killebrew and/or Tony Oliva in Twins camp. I want to talk to Darrell Evans. (David Laurila)
2010-01-26 14:00:00 (link to chat)You said McCutchen has a breakout year, now what do you see for his numbers??? Is his upside the Barry Bonds as a Pirate??
(Mike from Utica,NY)		Let's go with .280/.360/.485 and 18 HR (Tommy Bennett)
2009-12-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)"but the players you mention have been about as good at what they do as Tiger has at what he does" Really? Tiger is probably the greatest golfer who has ever played. His ten year stretch of dominance is basically unprecedented. I don't see how any of the players mentioned (or for that matter anyone in any sport) have had a 00s that comes even close to that. There have been other great hitters/relievers/pitchers in other decades ya know.
(Alex from SF, CA)		Like I said, it's difficult if not impossible to compare team vs. individual sports, but both Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols have shots at breaking Barry Bonds' all-time home run record and winding up as arguably the best player ever at their position. Mariano Rivera already is, without argument, the best at his, and has been so for a stunningly long time and in particular, when the heat was at its hottest (the postseason) -- though it's admittedly a lesser accomplishment than being an everyday player or even a starter. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-09-24 14:00:00 (link to chat)Do the Giants make bad decisions because they're ignorant, or because they aren't really trying to win? I burst a blood vessel every time they needlessly leave Tim Lincecum out there for a meaningless extra inning.
(mgibson from DC)		As an organization, they seem to value speed, contact and power, and they don't pay much attention to on-base skills independent of batting average. This is how you choose Nate Schierholtz instead of Fred Lewis. Let's not forget that they have drafted and developed some very good pitching; it's in constructing an offense that they've failed, and I think the presence of Barry Bonds clouded that it's been the case for a while. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-09-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)Matt Kemp: MVP candidate if Albert Pujols were not in the league?
(Terry from Bloomington)		I know you're really just trying to ask if I think whether or not a) Matt Kemp has gone unnoticed or b) if anyone on the Dodgers deserves the MVP, but I am not a fan of such hypotheticals. I mean, this isn't exactly akin to "Albert Pujols: MVP candidate if Barry Bonds were not in the league?" circa 2001-04. Say Pujols isn't in baseball. The Cardinals aren't going to be nearly as effective, making them one of those easy-to-beat-up-on teams, which could mean the Brewers and Cubs vault to the top of the standings, and then Braun/Fielder/Lee might be in line for MVP consideration. (Eric Seidman)
2009-08-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)Looking back, we will remember there was this guy named Albert Pujolus with regard to Utley. As for Morneau, we have no excuses.
(Justin from Normal)		I think Bill James wrote that in most eras, there's usually one player who is the best player in his league for several years, and that player probably could win MVP every year. I.e. Mickey Mantle in the '50s, or Barry Bonds from 1990-2004. Pujols probably should be working on his fifth MVP by now, but assuming that the voters prefer variety (which they most definitely do), it's amazing that Utley and Mauer have had combined three teammates win MVP, without ever having a better year than either of them. (Shawn Hoffman)
2009-08-19 14:00:00 (link to chat)Good afternoon Jay ... thanks for the chat. Has the cloud of PEDs tarnished or thrown into the question the relevance of election to the HOF? (and yes, I know the exclusion of African-Americans prior to 1947 tarnished the HOF already) Jeter is a HOFer, yes? A-Rod, in the wake of his "confession"? Damon?
(dianagramr from Cubehenge)		Hi Diana. I think the question of PEDs and the Hall of Fame is an open one that will take at least a decade to tell us anything even remotely conclusive. As hard as it may be to envision the players outed as steroid users via one means or another actually getting in, I have a much harder time envisioning the Hall's relevance without guys like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez.

As for Jeter, he's a lock; this year puts him over the line as far as JAWS is concerned, and he's got the kind of resume writers will love. Damon's going to have to get somewhere on his push for 3,000 hits to have much traction; he's got just two All-Star appearances and scores well below average on the Hall of Fame Monitor and HOF Standards metrics. A-Rod will get there eventually, I think, particularly if he keeps to this new STFU PR strategy. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-06-18 13:00:00 (link to chat)Is anybody else getting sick of Joe Mauer trying to selfishly distract us from talking about Matt Wieters or Bryce Harper? Give it up, dude. Hitting like Barry Bonds isn't impressing anybody.
(Minneapolitan from Chicago)		Mauer is so 2004. Give it up, old man.

Seriously though, Mauer's season has been pretty amazing so far. I'm not talking much about it, because I don't want to be responsible for jinxing it. (Marc Normandin)
2009-06-08 14:00:00 (link to chat)Brian Sabean continues to keep his job because_________?
(Chip from SF)		He's been there a long time, made some good decisions along the way, and if nothing else, had a plan for the post-Barry Bonds era. It's not what I would have done, and god knows Sabean isn't someone I praise, but giving him these two years to take a shot made sense. I suspect that barring a miracle, he may have an issue coming back in 2010. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-06-05 15:30:00 (link to chat)Did you see Bonds? I'm about 10 years older than you and I'd have to say he's both the best hitter and best player that I've seen. I always thought he was better than Griffey.
(Andy from San Fran)		My apologies, I should have worded my Pujols answer better. Barry Bonds, PEDs or not, is the most amazing talent I have seen in baseball. He could do it all, and if he were playing right now would still be better than a bunch of currently employed hitters. (Eric Seidman)
2009-05-21 14:00:00 (link to chat)I know they won't, but should the Mets at least consider Barry Bonds? I can't stand him, but I'd rather see the team win with him than lose without him.
(Rawls Johnson from Pittsburgh)		Barry Bonds' career is over. Even I've accepted that. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-05-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)Your answer is EXACTLY why I called you a steroid-apologist. What facts are you using? None. Instead we see you pull numbers out of thin air and use them to give the benefit of the doubt to Bonds and McGwire. You begin by stating "there's no evidence that PED's inflate performance THAT much," which then apparently gives you the freedom to ASSUME Bonds would have probably broken the all time single season record "naturally." Are you kidding?
(tommybones from brooklyn)		I'm using the far more well-established impact of PEDs in sports other than baseball as the basis for that judgment. A track star takes a pile of drugs and runs his race in 40:39 instead of 40:37. that's the impact of the drugs in those sports. Yet, we're supposed to believe that the same substances granted Barry Bonds 35 home runs, or whatever number you want to assign? That seems like a real stretch. I am trying to find a reasonable point of impact. Sure, it's speculative, but it's based on history. As for assuming that the home run record was vulnerable, a great many things in baseball changed in the immediate post-strike period, many of which I listed before. They all played a part. Just to name one, there has been some very persuasive arguments made on behalf of an altered ball in that period, since baseball's error bars on ball standards are so wide as to be pointless. All of these things play a part, and they have to be accounted for. So you have guys with 45 home run ability to begin with, who pick up the benefit of a half-dozen key environmental changes, and then you give them this little nudge with drugs and they break a record. Like I said, if the Angels had played 1961 at a park other than Little Wrigley, the used for the Home Run Derby show on TV, Roger Maris probably hits 59 home runs, not 61. You're looking for your smoking gun to be a big comedy cannon instead of a little tiny derringer. (Steven Goldman)
2009-04-13 14:00:00 (link to chat)Jay, if rickey henderson was born 10 years earlier or later, how different does his career look?
(Rob in WI from Madison)		Interesting question. If he were born 10 years earlier he'd certainly have been right at home in the speed-centric Seventies. Put him on those dynastic A's and he'd have a memorable mustache and a great nickname to go with his legacy. Born 10 years later he'd probably have topped 400 homers, making for a power-speed combo unmatched this side of Barry Bonds. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-03-26 12:00:00 (link to chat)A quote from The Fine Print in this week's SI: Billy Packer is having trouble adjusting to retirement. He spent the first round of the NCAAs criticizing the rotation of his microwave. Your reaction?
(G&G from Illinois)		I hope he's enjoying his retirement. I am. (Hi-yo!)

No, I actually find myself watching games sometimes and musing that "Packer would have noticed X." He really really liked to talk match-ups and there were times when he was correct to do so. I just thought that someone whose personality is even less likable than Barry Bonds' was kind of a bad match for the best sporting event of the year.

Though what he and Coach Knight said about the Big Ten on Selection Sunday was kind of silly. (John Gasaway)
2009-03-16 13:00:00 (link to chat)Could Barry Bonds help the Astros, or does there have to be a DH opportunity at this point?
(murphy654321 from Boston)		If I had to guess which player was more likely to play 100 games in the field between Barry Bonds and Milton Bradley, it would be a very easy decision. So, no, I don't think Bonds has to be in a DH situation. I don't know if the Astros are a fit, unless you're going to move Lee to right field, which opens up a whole new set of issues. (Joe Sheehan)
2009-02-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)Let's play a hypothetical; if Manny Ramirez doesn't get a contract he wants and retires (I know, just play along) where would it rank in bizarre career endings in American sports history? Has a player of Manny's caliber ever retired in such circumstances?
(Joe from Tewksbury, MA)		I'm not entirely sure how to frame the answer. Will Clark comes to mind. Barry Bonds. Michael Jordan's first two walkaways, maybe. Barry Sanders. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-10-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)Thoughts on MLBPA's findings that teams worked in concert against Barry Bonds? http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gy-fHFugSvgRab54rUSQMVaHKYogD93RUEU01
(Lincoln from Dallas)		I don't disagree, but it will be hard to prove I think. (Will Carroll)
2008-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)I don't recall exactly when Eric Davis retired, and I have to acknowledge that his career numbers don't come close to HOF material. However, he stands out to this Reds fan as one of the most exciting players of his era, and I'll forever wonder what might have been had he stayed healthy. What's your top-5 list of "coulda shoulda" players?
(BelongstotheReds from Seattle)		No joke, I got all verklempt when I wrote up Davis' blurb for a JAWS piece a couple years back. The man possessed the most electrifying speed/power combo to hit the majors between Willie Mays and Barry Bonds, period. What I wouldn't give to see him play at his peak again...

Davis and his childhood pal Darryl Strawberry make a good strat to a top five for the Hall of Should aWouldaCoulda, and you can't mention the straw without calling upon Dwight Gooden too. Add David Cone and Fernando Valenzuela and you've got an easy five from me, though I'm certain there are others I could include particularly from other eras. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-08-13 14:00:00 (link to chat)I miss Barry Bonds.
(Guilhem from Toronto)		I do too. I'm guessing Bud Selig isn't interested in adding his name to our list. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-07-25 14:00:00 (link to chat)Who makes your short list for Greatest Living Ballplayer?
(BL from Bozeman, MT)		Barry Bonds. Mays, Aaron and Rodriguez follow. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-07-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Why no love for Barry Bonds from ANY team? He could help pretty much every team in major league baseball, and his acquisition wouldn't cost any prospects! Isn't that worth a perceived PR hit?
(Dr. Wayne Pitcher from Castro Valley, CA)		I don't even buy the "PR hit" angle. So the guys on the beat bitch a bit, because mean old Barry will give them a few dead-eye stares. So what? Win some ballgames by scoring some runs, especially if you're short a left fielder--as Joe's talked about, he's not Albert Belle out there--or a DH. Any team that doesn't accept that is guilty of some sort of baseball malpractice. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-07-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)Ms. Kahrl, my favourite baseball writer. A few years ago we had slow-footed sluggers undervalued (and that was probably a long period, no?). Then, the As and others focused on the fragile and the defensively-gifted. Care to guess what type of talent teams might be passing over too quickly now? Or has that window closed more or less?
(Jim Clancy from Exhibition Stadium)		Ah, Mr. Clancy... is it wrong that I liked Dave Stieb better? (Hey, it isn't like I'm picking Luis Leal.) Anyway, I'd suggest that it's still "bad apples," because look what citizenship grades have done to the market value of Milton Bradley or Barry Bonds. Or Shawn Chacon. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-06-23 12:00:00 (link to chat)Braves need to fill the out-sucking black hole in LF. They have the prospects and a little fiscal flexibility. Who makes sense?
(Nate from Work)		How about Barry Bonds? OK, I know that's not going to happen. I think Matt Murton would really be a nice fit there. He could help them now and in the future. (John Perrotto)
2008-06-20 13:30:00 (link to chat)Joe, here is a hypothetical question. Your lineup spots 2 through 9 are set and you get to pick a leadoff hitter. Do you take the peak version of Rickey Henderson or Barry Bonds? Thanks!
(Mark from CT)		I take peak Barry Bonds for any role over any player in history except for Babe Ruth. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-06-17 15:00:00 (link to chat)What is a Rays fan to do, considering the report regarding Griffey Jr.? We didn't go along with the signing of Barry Bonds, so why would we trade prospects for a player that we'd be on the hook for 16 MIL and is more injury-prone than Rocco Baldelli? Isn't Gabe Gross decent enough platooned with Gomes to basically match his stats?
(jlarsen from DRays Bay)		I wouldn't lose too much sleep over the Griffey rumors. The new Rays regime is a smart one, and they're likely to judge Griffey by his relatively minimal current value rather than his impressive accomplishments, and thus unlikely to give up much in the way of value, particularly given the hefty price tag of his contract. Gabe Gross is a thoroughly capable roleplayer, and so long as the team is doing well, they can bide their time and hope Rocco Baldelli gets healthy enough to contribute as well. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-06-02 12:00:00 (link to chat)Shouldn't Barry Bonds take off his Jay Bruce costume and let the world know what he is doing?
(Scott from Greenville, SC)		As much as I think he can still help a lot of teams, I really think we've seen the end of Barry. There doesn't even seem to be any teams even kicking the tires on him. (John Perrotto)
2008-05-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)Can you give me your opinion on Barry Bonds? Odds on playing this year and with whom?
(dangor from New York)		I really don't know. It's looking less and less likely, I suppose, but teams might start dropping their show of superiority when the summer is in full swing. Given the state of slugging in the AL, and how terrible DHs in general have been, it's crazy a team like the Mariners hasn't given him a shot. At this point, and I know it's cliched to say it, but it seems like Beane is the one GM that might think about signing Bonds. But with the construction of the A's roster, with Cust and Mike Sweeney and Thomas, there really isn't any spot for Bonds. If injuries strike the A's again, though... And what about San Diego? Who do they have in left field now, Paul MacAnulty? I seem to recall Kevin Towers being more sympathetic than most GMs regarding Bonds. But that move would probably require the Padres getting back into it. (Caleb Peiffer)
2008-05-05 12:30:00 (link to chat)Was that really a UMaine question? Holy cow... I grew up watching the Black Bears go toe-to-toe with Miami and Clemson, and miss out on a CWS championship game appearance thanks to Barry Bonds' Arizona State. Do you think the removal of true regionals was a good thing for college baseball? An Omaha trip used to be guaranteed for a northeast school, now it's a pipe dream.
(Joe from Maine)		It changed college baseball for good, and I think if you talk to people at Maine, people at St. John's, people at Ohio State, they wouldn't speak up for it. But personally, I want my Omaha to be the best eight teams in the country. I think it's not a true championship if we don't have that. However, I do support the NCAA when they try to get regionals around the country -- I'm pretty sure Michigan gets a regional, and there's some real question if they deserve it. (Bryan Smith)
2008-04-25 15:00:00 (link to chat)Is Sheffield headed for the Hall of Very Good? It doesn't seem like he's made many friends in the media over the years.
(Fred from Houston)		Are you kidding? If there's been one consistent facet of Sheffield's career, its that he'll talk to the media and is almost guaranteed to say something that will stir the pot and give the writer some high profile attention. Writers bash Barry Bonds for not cooperating. They don't bash Gary Sheffield for speaking his mind, however ill-considered his words may sometimes be.

From a JAWS standpoint, Sheffield came into the year at 117.2 WARP career, 63.5 peak, 90.4 JAWS, with the average HOF right fielder at 125.0/68.7/96.8. I think he'll be a close call, because right now its not at all clear he can stay healthy enough to pass 500 homers (he's at 481), and there will be some who will hold his involvement in BALCO against him. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-05-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)Brian Bannister said after being pounded in Texas last night (paraphrasing): I'm a fly ball pitcher who pitches to contact in with the wind blowing out, I'm the last pitching in baseball we wanted on the mound tonight. His intelligence is well-known by now, but isn't it still refreshing for a major leaguer, in one quote, to reference park factors and accurately assess his own abilities and shortcomings?
(BL from Bozeman, MT)		That's a fantastic comment. It'll never catch on, but I love hearing baseball players talk about baseball, instead of interpersonal relations, or spouting cliches, or what have you. Maybe they don't all have much to say, but wouldn't you love to talk about hitting mechanics with Barry Bonds or Manny Ramirez, or pitch selection with Pedro Martinez, or footwork with Jeff Kent? There's a lot of baseball out there to be covered in the gaps between this controversy and the next one. We're working on it. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-03-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)What would Barry Bonds be worth if you could guarantee 140 games out of him?
(Mike K from Athens, GA)		Conservatively, six wins. That's $18 million or so, more to the right team.

If I could get Bonds to sign a deal for a base of $10 million and minimal incentives, or a base of $5 million and potentially much greater incentives, I'd do so in a heartbeat. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-03-26 12:00:00 (link to chat)On your Jay Bruce comment...do you really think present day Jay Bruce is better than present day Barry Bonds?
(Ameer from Bloomington, IN)		Ah, very nice, you caught me. I do not, Bonds is the exception to the rule. I do think Bruce is better than Sammy Sosa though, so there. (Bryan Smith)
2008-03-18 17:00:00 (link to chat)Based on the Depth Charts, could Barry Bonds signing with Tampa Bay be enough to swing them into the Wild Card this year (assuming he DHs for them)?
(ssteadman from Washington, DC)		Bonds makes them much better (he had a .352 EqA last year, let's not forget), but insinuation into the WC race would require depression in two of four places: New York, Boston, Detroit or Cleveland. Let's say they're already a .500 team. With some luck against RS/RA projections of say, three games, and a what?, six-game boost from a healthy Bonds, that would put them at 90 wins. Do two of the four top teams in the Central and East win less than 90? I wouldn't want to predict that. So, short answer: Bonds makes them better, but still a tough road to the wildcard owing to external forces. (Jim Baker)
2008-03-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)If you were Omar Minaya, would you sign Barry Bonds? Why or why not?
(mattstupp from bklyn)		No, because I think the Mets are a team that can afford to be a little risk-averse, and also because I think Bonds stands to gain more on a team where he can DH. But there are at least a dozen other GM chairs from which I'd sign Bonds in a heartbeat. (Nate Silver)
2008-03-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)So even with all of the Mets injuries and their aging roster, they still can treat the regular season as their toy and do whatever they want and still end up at 100 wins? I think you may be overestimating them at this point.
(Rick from Philly)		It's true that you probably need to cut a couple of wins out of that projection once you account for their spate of injuries, but at the same time, singing Barry Bonds *isn't* without risk. He can't really play defense any more and this is one of those outlier situations where it's hard to quantify the effects on the clubhouse -- I know, I know, we're not supposed to believe in that sort of thing, but sometimes statheads make the mistake of pretending those things they can't quantify are things that aren't there. (Nate Silver)
2008-02-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)I was listening to the radio yesterday and Stephen A. Smith was on... hey it was the only station I could get in my apartment. He's of the opinion that Dusty Baker got a raw deal and was ridden out of Chicago. For some reason Chicago gets stuck with alot of stubborn coaches/managers, and he was one of them. If Stephen A. had been hear to listen to many of Dusty's thoughts, he's know why the Cubs wanted a new manager. Dusty didn't want to be accountable for anything.
(Dusty from Not Chicago!!!)		Well, lack of accountability among Americans today isn't anything new. Dusty though... most overrated manager in recent history? I think so. You can't really separate his record from that of Barry Bonds. Take that away, and what's left isn't all that impressive. (Steven Goldman)
2008-02-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)Steve, Barry Bonds can clearly still play, and would be a huge benefit to a great number of teams as a full or part time player (see: Cubs, Rays, Padres, A's, etc...)... does the fact that he has had, seemingly, zero interest lead you to think, possibly, that there is a collusive element among the owners? And if so, isn't this, in reality, more damaging to baseball than any PED action or non-action that has happened in the last 25 years?
(strupp from Madison )		Meant to answer this one awhile back. I think that so many people who don't know any better (but should) are so eager to cast the first stone at Bonds that if he's kept out of the game it will actually be celebrated. Many columnists are already trying to lay the ground for this narrative, and I GUARANTEE YOU that if Bonds doesn't play you will see columns headlined, "BARRY WHO?" I don't think anything collusive is happening here, more like a combination of factors probably led by a wariness of reaping a lot of noise (as I wrote earlier today at YES, if you're the Rays, noise might not be such a bad thing), but I've been fooled before. (Steven Goldman)
2008-02-27 13:00:00 (link to chat)Dusty was the perfect manager for the Barry Bonds era Giants. He had a veteran team and he was good at keeping everyone sharp and massaging egos. He didn't waste a lot of outs and he managed his pen well. Is he adaptable? Hasn't been so far. Does he like young players? Doesn't appear so, but let's not say that the Giants won in spite of him.
(Giants Fan from Section 135)		Fair enough, and I think it's a credit to a manager who knows when to stay out of the way. But that strategy is only adaptable to a peculiar, unusual set of circumstances. If you have Bonds, you let 'em play. If you have the 1998 Yankees, you pretty much let 'em play. Teams like the Cubs and the Reds were/are looking for someone who could sort out their problems and possibilities, and that requires a whole different skill set. Heck, most teams are. I think most managers could do what Baker did in SF - not mess up when he had the horses. Fewer can take a mixed set and organize it into a team. He plainly cannot. (Steven Goldman)
2008-02-07 14:00:00 (link to chat)If Bonds signs a one year contract with a team tomorrow, how much do you think the contract would be worth? I would be exstatic if my Tigers signed him, ate Jacque Jones' contract, and rotated Bonds and Sheff through DH and LF.
(lmajersik from Ann Arbor)		You're underestimating what Jones' range means in that park. He can still run a bit, and that's a tough left field. I wouldn't want to have to use Sheffield and Bonds out there regularly.
Barry Bonds can still help many teams. It's a shame that the circus surrounding him--to a small extent his own doing--has obscured that. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-02-07 14:00:00 (link to chat)Barry Bonds to Toronto? good fit?
(dogtothedog from Toronto)		Good fit, even if it exacerbates a logjam at LF/DH. The Jays need the offensive help. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-01-17 14:00:00 (link to chat)Are Sabean/MacGowan being unfairly targeted in this Mitchel Probe? To me, singling them out as the ONLY front office with a shred of culpability is simply ridiculous. Singled out player is to Singled out Front Office as Barry Bonds is to Sabean/MacGowan??
(ericmilburn from San Luis Obispo)		Was there anything about Tuesday's non-event on the Hill that wasn't ridiculous? Well, unless you were Miguel Tejada, I suppose, but let's face it, if preening was an Olympic sport, I'm pretty sure we saw some of the medalists in action.

There isn't a GM, manager, or owner who deserves a free pass on this issue. It was an industry-wide problem, and unlike the game's uneven (and unfair) responses to the cocaine issue in the '80s, it wasn't like anybody from the last 20 years was playing Whitey Herzog and publicly stating "clean up or play for somebody else." The responsibility is pretty obviously collective, as it is with amphetamines. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-01-08 14:00:00 (link to chat)So I have to say I don't quite understand the Raines HOF love around these parts (although I guess better that than more Rice love.) He was a very good player with a couple of great years and he did all the little things yeah yeah, but basically we are talking about seven at best good/great years and a bunch of filler. He was a good basestealer and an onbase threat, but he wasn't a fantastic defender and he didn't have much power despite playing a position where you usually like to see some. That doesn't seem like a HOF shoe in at all, but rather marginal at best. Obv the Hall is filled with many such characters (and a number of well below marginal ones), but is adding one more really something we want to make a big cause celeb over?
(Alex from SF, CA)		Raines had more than a couple of great years. He's one of the top 10 LFs of all time. compares quite favorably to the average HOF LF in terms of his value at his peak and over the course of his career. He was every little bit as valuable as Tony Gwynn both at his peak and over the coursse of his career due to his ability to get on base and to advance himself.

From the JAWS piece I wrote:

"According to JAWS, Raines compares quite favorably to the average Hall of Fame left fielder, breezing past both career and peak benchmarks. By this measure he ranks as the ninth-best left fielder of all time, behind Barry Bonds, Stan Musial, Rickey Henderson, Ted Williams, Pete Rose, Jim O'Rourke, Ed Delahanty, and Carl Yastrzemski--some pretty fair ballplayers. If that sounds crazy, consider that the New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract ranked Raines eighth back in 2001, calling him the second-most valuable leadoff hitter in history, behind only Henderson. If you weren't around for it, he was that good. Raines' overall WARP score ranks 81st all-time, 62nd among hitters. His peak score ranks 122nd all-time, 91st among hitters, and his JAWS is 88th all-time, 67th among hitters. If those numbers sound low, consider that the Hall of Fame contains 198 players whose major league careers we can measure via this method (i.e., non Negro-Leaguers or late-career crossovers like Satchel Paige and Monte Irvin), and historical estimates suggest we're witnessing another 30 or so Hall of Famers currently active."

For the rest of the piece please see here: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7007 (Jay Jaffe)
2004-05-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)Do you see any chance that Bonds will finish the year with an obp of .600 or above? His PECOTA card 90th percentile BB was 161, with an EqOBP at .549. At the current rate, though, he'd go off that chart. I've seen a handful of games so far this season, and it's a shame we don't get to watch that swing more often. Does it make any sense for the opposition to keep up this walk rate rather than pitching to him?
(Terry from San Francisco)		I was truly amazed by some of the numbers in Joe Sheehan's article a couple of weeks back, that Bonds had more home runs than swinging strikes for example. Barry wasn't all that far from a .600 OBP in 2002, and considering how little incentive there is to pitch to him at the moment, it wouldn't shock me one bit if the guy maintained that level.

This doesn't get said very often, but I really thik that the Giants need to consider acquiring a big hitter at some point this summer to place behind Bonds in the lineup. Not only do they need the offense, but it would make Bonds much more effective. If somebody like Magglio Ordonez became available, he'd be perfect. (Nate Silver)



BP Roundtables

DateRoundtable NameComment
2008-10-22 16:30:00World Series Game OneBarry Bonds highlight! I had almost forgotten how dominant he was in 2002. Wow. (Ben Murphy)
 

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