The son of a superstar and the godson of a legend, Barry Bonds was born to play baseball. Talented with the glove as well as the bat -- much like his dad Bobby and godfather Hall of Famer Willie Mays -- Barry soon established himself as one of the best players of the 90s. He has won the MVP award three times in his career, earned eight Gold Gloves for his outstanding outfield play, and in 1998 became the first man ever to swipe 400 career bases while hitting 400 home runs.
Combining both power and speed, Bobby Bonds was a hot commodity. So much so that he donned seven big league uniforms during his final seven seasons. No matter where he was shipped, Bobby produced. He smashed at least 25 homers and stole 30-plus bases for five different clubs, and is one of only four players to have stolen 300 bases and hit 300 homers during his career. Bonds is also the only player this century to hit a grand slam in his first big league game.
HITTING
HITTING
Possessing one of the best pair of batting-eyes in baseball, Barry Bonds is an extremely tough out. Current Giants skipper Dusty Baker has observed that Bonds, because of his ability to wait for a pitch he can hit, can be as lethal as a dose of poison to the opposition. During the final two weeks of the 1997 campaign, Bonds led his teammates into the post-season, hitting seven homers in the Giants' final eleven games. The playoffs, however, seem to bring out the worst in Bonds. In 1997, he hit only .250 and saw his Giants fall to the Marlins in three games. From 1990-92 Bonds hit .191 in the playoffs for the Pirates and saw his club eliminated in the NLCS all three years.
Bonds managed to put up some impressive offensive numbers despite never quite fulfilling the 'second coming of Willie Mays' predictions heaped upon him as a Giant rookie in 1968. In 1969, his first full season, Bobby hit 32 homers and led the league with 120 runs scored. His 35 career leadoff dingers, including an NL single-season record 11 in 1973, are eclipsed only by Rickey Henderson's 72. Bonds, however, did have a major weakness at the plate -- he struck out to much. His 187 whiffs in 1969 were the most ever by a big leaguer until he broke his own record by fanning 189 times two years later.
DEFENSE
DEFENSE
Talented at reading the flight of the ball as it jumps off opposing hitters' bats, Bonds uses his speed to blanket left field. Although his arm isn't as strong as his father's was, it is nearly as accurate, as evidenced by Barry's 123 career assists.
Bonds knew how to harness his speed in the field almost as well as he used it on the base-paths. Covering a tremendous amount of ground in right field during his seven seasons with the Giants, Bonds captured the Gold Glove award three times. Thanks to a strong, accurate throwing arm, Bobby recorded ten plus single-season assists six times.
BASERUNNING
BASERUNNING
A five-time 30-30 man, Bonds knows how to pick opportune times to swipe bases. In 1996, he became only the second man to reach the 40-40 mark in a single season.
A four-time 30-30 man and one of the better leadoff hitters of his generation, Bobby Bonds flew around the basepaths. Former Giants skipper Charlie Fox once summed up Bonds' game by remarking that Bonds had both 'the power to drive in runs and the speed with which to score them himself.'
LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER
LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER
It's not surprising that the man who once remarked, 'where is it written that we're supposed to pretend we don't realize we're good?' is widely considered a me-first player. He has feuded with what he labeled a 'white media.' Bonds, however, does have a softer side. In late November 1996, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown declared a 'Barry Bonds Day' to thank the slugger for his work raising money for underprivileged kids.
Shy and reserved both on and off the field, Bobby was one of the more unheralded athletes of his era. He once noted, 'People wouldn't believe the Messiah when he said he was God. They sure aren't going to believe me.' A devout father, Bonds often watched his sons' little league games from behind a tree so as not to be noticed by fans. Following his extremely successful playing career, Bonds served as the hitting instructor for the Cleveland Indians and the San Francisco Giants; with the Giants, he coached his son, Barry.
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