March 27, 2008

The San Francisco Giants have now removed prominent tributes in the stadium to Barry Bonds : The left-field wall no longer bears an image of Bonds chasing Hank Aaron for the home run crown, nor elsewhere is the number of Bonds' home runs in relation to Aaron posted. There are no "756" signs -- signifying the home run he hit to break Aaron's record -- anywhere in the park, in fact. A team spokeswoman said the Giants would put up a plaque to note where he had hit his last homer with the team.

read story | posted by smithnyiu to Baseball at 6:10 PM CDT (32 comments total)

I think it's pretty messed up. i mean they milk him and the home run chase for all it's worth and then they act like he was never there.

posted by rockstar2001 at 7:03 PM CDT on March 27

I think it's pretty messed up. i mean they milk him and the home run chase for all it's worth and then they act like he was never there.

Other than the marker out in Monument Park, are there any tributes to Lou Gehrig in Yankee Stadium?

posted by grum@work at 8:09 PM CDT on March 27

Other than the marker out in Monument Park, are there any tributes to Lou Gehrig in Yankee Stadium?

They named a disease after him, it was the luckiest day of his life. duh.

posted by tselson at 10:51 PM CDT on March 27

I think it's pretty messed up. i mean they milk him

I should say that's messed up. I had no idea steroids had that affect!

posted by THX-1138 at 10:57 PM CDT on March 27

Anything with nipples, THX; anything with nipples.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 5:33 AM CDT on March 28

Why would they? I mean, I just don't get what the whole uproar is all about? Bonds was a member of the San Francisco Giants, broke a few records while playing there and is considering playing again for another team (if a another team decides to picks him up that is) but he's no longer a part of the Giants so why would they still have anything up on the field that has to do with Barry Bonds? I can understand putting up a plaque that shows where his last homer (the on that signifies him being the home run king) but what more should they do? Isn't that enough for a former player?

posted by BornIcon at 5:42 AM CDT on March 28

The Giants are guilty just like Major League Baseball as a whole. Use a guy to make huge amounts of money, look the other way to any potential problems because you're making money, then deny all involvement you had with any of the same individuals when the heat comes down. We're not talking about any journeyman player that played several years with the Giants, then left. The guy hit 586 home runs in the San Francisco uniform. I think he deserves to be remembered for those accomplishments.

In the long run, it won't matter anyways. They won't be dealing with many raucus, sellout crowds in San Fran this season. Outside of a couple of promising young starting pitchers, the team sucks. They used Bonds for all they could get out of him, and now they can move ahead with the business of losing games in the presence of many empty seats.

posted by dyams at 7:28 AM CDT on March 28

In St. Louis, after Big Mac hit 62, the only indication that he hit it, was a small circular marker at the location where the ball went over the left field wall. And now, with the new stadium, there is no marker at all.

The story doesn't seem like an oddity.

posted by BoKnows at 8:28 AM CDT on March 28

What's 62? That's not even a record anymore. McGwire, even though I've always been of the opinion he was a one-trick pony, isn't even close to Bonds in career accomplishments. Regardless of what some think about Bonds, he was an attraction that new park in San Francisco was built for. He deserves some credit.

posted by dyams at 8:45 AM CDT on March 28

Use a guy to make huge amounts of money, look the other way to any potential problems because you're making money, then deny all involvement you had with any of the same individuals when the heat comes down.

Barry's bank account shows that it wasn't a one way exploitation for profit.

posted by dfleming at 8:57 AM CDT on March 28

Barry's bank account shows that it wasn't a one way exploitation for profit.

He should profit. I doubt those packed-houses the past few years were showing up to watch Omar Vizquel hit ground balls, or Rich Aurilia do whatever the hell Rich Aurilia does.

posted by dyams at 9:05 AM CDT on March 28

I doubt those packed-houses the past few years were showing up to watch Omar Vizquel hit ground balls, or Rich Aurilia do whatever the hell Rich Aurilia does.

What in the hell does Rich Aurilia do since you brought it up? I haven't the faintest idea.

posted by BornIcon at 9:08 AM CDT on March 28

What's 62?

In '98 dyams, 62 was the number. I know it's not anymore, and Big Mac hit 70 that year. But it was a major accomplishment then.

I certainly don't remember any Maris 61 markers anywhere. And before '98, that # was touted as unreachable, so why didn't Maris get the recognition?

I absolutely don't agree with San Fran's "washing of the hands" of Bonds, and he deserves some sort of commemorative something, but it doesn't have to be pasted all over the place.

posted by BoKnows at 9:09 AM CDT on March 28

What in the hell does Rich Aurilia do since you brought it up? I haven't the faintest idea.

He doesn't do anything, which was my point. He, along with practically everyone else who filled/fills the Giants roster for a few years now, and currently, are not good. Aurilia has been with the Giants, and is scheduled to be their third baseman again this season. I was only commenting on the fact Bonds was the only reason San Fran's stadium was full, the bay was full of canoes, kayaks, and boats, and that all will be nothing but a memory this season.

posted by dyams at 9:26 AM CDT on March 28

He doesn't do anything, which was my point.

I know, I was just playing along.

posted by BornIcon at 10:23 AM CDT on March 28

I'm surprised that the Giants didn't carry the Bonds hype out a little longer, considering how he's been supported by fans there. They'll need some of that residual good feeling during rebuilding.

Maybe the league nudged them into pushing Bonds out of the spotlight a little faster, given how he's got significant embarrassment potential for many months ahead.

posted by rcade at 11:13 AM CDT on March 28

There are a couple other factors to consider here:

1) Barry Bonds is not retired. Granted he hasn't signed with another club either, but it's not customary to pay tribute to a former team member unless he's retired.

2) Even when he does retire, Bonds will go down as one of the least likeable guys in the majors. Only the Giants die hard fans are going to remember him fondly. You don't see monuments to Ty Cobb anywhere but Cooperstown do you?

3) Despite the perceived slight now, the Giants will do the right thing when he retires. It may not be the bling shrine he THINKS he deserves, but it will be appropriate.

The questions now are: how long will it take hime to retire, and how much whining will there be in the mean time?

posted by Tinman at 11:16 AM CDT on March 28

Another point to consider, Tinman, is what ballclub wants to have to milk Barry Bonds? And just whose responsibility is it? And is it safe to drink? I mean, would it be sort of like the radioactive spider that bit Peter Parker?

I guess that's more than one point.

posted by THX-1138 at 11:25 AM CDT on March 28

what is it with they milked him. they paid him $20,000,000 a year.who milked who?

posted by chip chop at 12:22 PM CDT on March 28

what is it with they milked him.

Ah say, it's a joke, son. Did ya', ah say, did ya' read all the comments? The axe is a choppin' but there 'aint no chips a flyin'. Camptown races sing their song~Do Dah~Do-Dah!

posted by THX-1138 at 12:34 PM CDT on March 28

hey thx-1138 i am refering to grumwork@8.09 so just cool your heels.

posted by chip chop at 2:00 PM CDT on March 28

I thought that they just took down all the signage involved with the home run record race. Since bonds is no longer a Giant, it seems entirely appropriate.

However, given the underlying feelings about bonds in the Giants boardroom, I would also guess that there might have been a teeny weeny little bit of f*ck bonds when it all came down.

posted by irunfromclones at 2:10 PM CDT on March 28

He should profit. I doubt those packed-houses the past few years were showing up to watch Omar Vizquel hit ground balls, or Rich Aurilia do whatever the hell Rich Aurilia does.

Right. So they both profited off of it. Excellent.

They'll put up a plaque to honor his accomplishment. Perhaps people would be a lot more inclined to honor him publicly if he was a nicer guy. It's an argument for why not to be an asshole when you accomplish something.

posted by dfleming at 2:24 PM CDT on March 28

Hey chip chop, grum didn't say anything about Bonds or the Giants milking anybody. And it's kind of customary to direct your comments to whom you are addressing. That will avoid further confusion.

Boy is about as sharp as a bag a wet mice.
Put mah money on tha' bobtailed nag~Oh the Do Dah Day!

posted by THX-1138 at 2:24 PM CDT on March 28

excuse me o brilliant one. i meant rock star 2001. you can still cool your heels

posted by chip chop at 2:38 PM CDT on March 28

Dude, lighten up. And try the shift key.

Also would like to point out, as others have, that the Giants probably made more money off Bonds than Bonds made off the Giants.

And the Giants don't have the steroidically enhanced teets the Barry apparently has. The milking part was a one sided affair.

posted by THX-1138 at 2:57 PM CDT on March 28

It's an argument for why not to be an asshole when you accomplish something.

By far the smartest quote in this thread, dfleming. If it were Tiger or MJ, even with the same allegations hanging over their heads, would it be handled the same way?

posted by smithnyiu at 3:23 PM CDT on March 28

I wonder what the cream content of Barry's milk is? THX...yer killin' me son... I keep my feathers numbered for just such an ocassion.

posted by budman13 at 6:58 PM CDT on March 28

Ah was a wonderin' if any of this was a gettin thru that little blue bonnett of yours. Glad ta' see ya' up and about, budman. I was, ah say I was fixin' ta go over ta ole chip chop's house and bury the hatchet.

No, not in yer fool head, boy.

posted by THX-1138 at 10:24 PM CDT on March 28

I think they should put a lifesize bronze statue of Bonds in the batter's box where he was standing when he hit his last homerun. That would make Giants games more fun to watch.

posted by texoma-slim at 5:25 PM CDT on March 29

I think they should put a lifesize bronze statue of Bonds in the batter's box where he was standing when he hit his last homerun.

He'd still get intentionally walked.

posted by grum@work at 8:52 PM CDT on March 29

I think they should put a lifesize bronze statue of Bonds in the batter's box

The already have a bronze statue of a drug fueled Giants player.

posted by irunfromclones at 2:20 PM CDT on March 31

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