SAN FRANCISCO -- To your surprise, this story about Barry Bonds won't be negative.
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| It seems Barry Bonds is perfectly capable of exhibiting a sunny side. (AP) |
To my surprise, I found them.
I like that Bonds felt bad for teammate Rich Aurilia after the Giants' 2-1 victory Wednesday night against the Braves. Bonds was given the night off, yet more than 50 media members wanted to talk to him anyway. Aurilia was virtually ignored, prompting Bonds to tell him, "This is crazy -- you won the game. I didn't even play."
I like that Bonds went after Bob Costas, calling him "that little midget man who absolutely knows jack s--- about baseball." That's a brave stand considering Costas wields a large microphone and is almost as important as he thinks he is.
I like that Bonds spent 15 minutes with a U.S. soldier recently, and I like it even more that until you read this sentence you had no idea. Before being deployed to Iraq, the soldier wanted to see Bonds play in person. Bonds heard the guy was in town, and soon he was meeting with the solider and his wife in the dugout before a game. The media never knew about it.
I like that Bonds is the pitcher in the Giants' annual family Wiffle Ball game, including this year's on Thursday. It's a small gesture, but imagine being, say, the daughter of right-hander Russ Ortiz. Her father is a ballplayer, which is cool, but for the rest of Grace Ortiz's life she can tell people she once lined a single off Barry Bonds. This aging, aching 43-year-old man, trying to perform under more stress and scrutiny than any of us imagine, even offered play-by-play and encouragement to every kid he faced.
I like that Bonds speaks to the media, even if he doesn't do it every day. He doesn't have to speak to us at all, and a smaller person -- Albert Belle comes to mind -- wouldn't. The media, me included, have gone after Bonds with fury. Yet several times a week he talks to us, and sometimes he almost seems to enjoy it.
I like that Bonds grabbed teammate Ryan Klesko's hunting bow Friday night, squinted an eye and scanned the room for a target. "Where's Pedro Gomez?" he said quietly, referring to the ESPN reporter who has been tracking Bonds for more than a year.
I like that Bonds knows most of his teammates' kids by name. "He loves kids," Aurilia says. "He's great with kids." When the Giants' families were introduced to the crowd Thursday, Bonds led the applause.
I like Bonds' response to the surprisingly petty words of shortstop Omar Vizquel, who told USA Today: "We might have someone throw a no-hitter one night and nobody will care. ... Everyone will just walk over and stand by Barry Bonds' locker." That was Thursday night. On Friday, Bonds spent part of batting practice at short, chatting amiably with Vizquel.
I like that Bonds' son, Nikolai, hangs out with his father in the clubhouse before games. I like that his son isn't named Barry Jr. or Barry II.
I like that Bonds visited quietly with Rod Beck's widow Friday in the dugout. Bonds gave her a long hug, said some soft words for only her to hear, then kissed her on the forehead.
I like that teammate Matt Cain was grateful for something Bonds told MLB.com before the 2007 All-Star break. Asked about being the only San Francisco player chosen for the game, Bonds said catcher Bengie Molina also deserved a spot and went on to say, "If we had played better for Matt Cain, he'd be an All-Star, too." Cain was 2-9 at the time, but his ERA was a solid 3.38.
I like that Bonds met the media Friday after hitting No. 754 with his little girl, Aisha, beaming as she sat next to him.
And I like that Bonds was on deck in the ninth inning Saturday when Ray Durham won the game with a walk-off single -- and that instead of sulking about being denied a chance to hit No. 755, Bonds ran onto the field to celebrate the win with his teammates.
So, after all that I've seen this week in San Francisco, do I now like Barry Bonds?
Don't ask that question. I vowed not to make this story negative.
