Bonds passing Aaron appears unlikely
San Francisco ? By now Babe Ruth figured to be dead in his sights, at the very least. And the squirming would begin in earnest for Bud Selig.
In recent years, after all, nothing could stop Barry Bonds from hitting home runs. After missing most of last season due to three knee surgeries, he came back in September to hit five home runs in 14 games.
So even with the knee hurting, the threat of perjury charges hanging over Bonds’ head, and fans in other ballparks booing his every move, why would this year be any different?
For the moment, until the federal government makes another move, that’s a more pressing question for Bonds than anything on the steroids front. After homering Wednesday, Bonds is three away from Ruth’s total of 714, but seemingly miles from Hank Aaron’s all-time record of 755 that once seemed only a matter of time for him.
“I was never chasing Hank to begin with,” Bonds said at his locker Monday, when asked about his recent comment that he’d given up on the idea of catching Aaron.
He wouldn’t elaborate, answering follow-up questions about playing beyond this year by saying: “It’s all if.”
It’s always iffy whether Bonds will talk at all anywhere besides “Bonds On Bonds,” his own reality TV show, but Monday he took questions from a few New York reporters. That is, after his two trainers, his personal photographer, and the producer of his TV show had kept close company with him for an hour or so. Bonds deflected questions about Ruth or Aaron, insisting he’s only pushing himself through injuries at this point because he remains in search of the championship he has never won.
“That’s all I’m playing for,” Bonds said. “That’s the only thing that’s keeping me going. To win a championship . . . with a team.”
Bonds also deflected questions about his lack of home runs, making it clear that he believes the injuries to his knee and elbow are obvious reasons.
“They both hurt,” he said. “But I’m going to go down with them both.”
Bonds laughed as he said it. He wasn’t looking for a fight, as so often seems to be the case when he deals with the press. He did chastise a local reporter for a question he didn’t like, but otherwise Bonds seemed to be looking for sympathy.
Perhaps one home run in three weeks has a way of mellowing even baseball’s most arrogant man.
It would be a stretch to say Bonds has been humbled by his slow start, to be sure. And who knows, there are people around the Giants who believe he doesn’t want any part of dealing with the steroids-related ramifications of breaking Aaron’s record.
Bonds wants everyone to know he’s hurting, all right, and the more he talked the older he sounded, as though he’d be fortunate to get through this year, never mind anything beyond that.
“When you become an older player,” he said, “you’re just day to day.”
So Ruth’s place in home-run history lives longer than expected. And to listen to Bonds on Monday was to believe that, whether it’s the bad knee or the national scorn that awaits him, he’ll never overtake Aaron. Baseball can only hope.