It should be a celebratory New York moment worthy of a sincere standing ovation with sincere appreciative applause: the arrival at Shea Stadium today of a baseball player who has hit more home runs than Babe Ruth, and who is now chasing Hank Aaron's gold-record 755.
But it won't be.
Barry Bonds' presence in a ballpark in the city where the Babe hit 344 of his 714 homers is expected to incite more boos than cheers, as well as inspire the Shea loyalists' answers to the creative-writing challenge from the Philadelphia philosophers who greeted Bonds last month with a banner:
"Ruth Did It on Hot Dogs and Beer. Aaron Did It with Class. How Did YOU Do It?"
According to Bonds, he did it on what he innocently assumed were flaxseed oil and an arthritic balm rather than -- perish the thought -- the steroids known as the clear and the cream, according to his 2003 grand jury testimony, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. If that was believable, why is a federal grand jury investigating whether Bonds committed perjury?
And why is it that to many, if not most, baseball fans, Bonds is more of a villain than a hero?
Over the years, New York baseball fans have always adored the best of the best in every sport. Hank Aaron, then with the Atlanta Braves, was applauded at Shea in 1974 after surpassing the Babe's total. If Willie Mays had done it after spending most of his career as a Giant, New Yorkers would have welcomed him as one of their own for having spent several seasons at the Polo Grounds before the Giants franchise moved to San Francisco.
If such out-of-town sluggers as Ted Williams or Frank Robinson or Stan Musial had hit more home runs than the Babe, they would have been properly saluted here. But wherever Bonds has appeared outside San Francisco this season, he has mostly provoked resentment.
In San Diego, a syringe was thrown onto the left-field grass near him. In Los Angeles, more syringes appeared. In addition to the banner in Philadelphia, fans there chanted, "Just retire!" In Houston two weeks ago, the right-hander Russ Springer apparently tried to hit him with four inside pitches, then bounced the fifth pitch off his shoulder. When ejected, Springer received a standing ovation; he also received a four-game suspension.
During the Giants' only Shea Stadium visit this season -- Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon -- be assured that some, if not several, fans will be trying to play "Can you top this?"
The Mets were not about to announce that their security detail will be larger than usual, but it will be, especially in the left-field precinct. If Bonds plays. After hitting his 715th home run Sunday in San Francisco, he was not in the lineup - and didn't even pinch-hit -- Tuesday night or Wednesday night in Florida because of what was described as a bad back that suddenly accompanied his usual knee and elbow ailments.
Tendon by tendon, Bonds, who will be 42 on July 24, keeps breaking down physically. But unless he hits 48 homers this season (he has only seven so far), he will need to play next season if he is to break Aaron's record.
With all his ailments, it's unlikely that Bonds, who is making US$19.3 million this season, would want -- or be able -- to stay in the Giants' lineup as their everyday left fielder. Peter Magowan, the Giants' owner, has already allowed that it would be somewhat easier for Bonds next season if he were a designated hitter with an American League team.
That wouldn't tarnish Bonds' eventual total. Of Aaron's 755 homers, his last 22 were hit as a designated hitter in 1975 and 1976 with the Milwaukee Brewers, then in the American League.
When Bonds talks to reporters before tonight's game, look for him to be asked if he would be interested in such career-ending AL destinations, such as with the Yankees.
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