Barry Bonds Was a Hall of Famer Until Jealousy Destroyed His Greatest Goal

Barry Bonds was the 1990 National League MVP. It was the first of the MVP awards Bonds won that cannot ever be questioned. He received 23 of the 24 first place votes.

In 1990, Bonds became the first player to hit .300, drive in 100 runs, score 100 runs, hit 30 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season.

Bonds batted .301 with 114 RBI, 114 runs, 33 home runs and 52 stolen bases.

When informed about his great accomplishment, Bonds' response sounds insincere now that we know the real Barry Bonds.

"I'm very proud of that, doing something that no one else has done in the history of baseball."

It was even better when Bonds spoke to the media with respect to winning the MVP award.

"It's a relief, after all my hard work in the offseason. It's just a great feeling, but I was only as good as the guys around me. The ones getting on base deserve the award too."

Teammate Bobby Bonilla wasn't forgotten.

"I wish I could split it and give half to Bobby. To me, he's just as much the MVP as I am."

That year was a significant season for Barry Bonds for another reason. He was no longer "Bobby Bonds' son." Bobby was now known as "Barry's father."

Following his rookie 1986 season through and including 1998, Bonds batted .294/.416/.565 (BA/OBP/SLG). He averaged 36 home runs, 107 RBIs and 38 stolen bases over a 162-game season.

Willie Mays finished his career batting .302/.384/.557. Mickey Mantle finished with .298/.421/.557. Both are Hall of Famers.

There is little doubt that if Bonds merely continued to play at his 1987-1998 level, he would have been a sure Hall of Famer.

At the age of 33, he was coming off a 1998 season in which hit hit 37 home runs, drove in 122 and hit .303.

Those numbers lose their significance when compared to Mark McGwire's 70 home runs and 147 RBIs and Sammy Sosa's 66 home runs and 158 RBIs. Interestingly, McGwire failed to hit .300 that season (.299).

It has been alleged that following the 1998 season, in which McGwire and Sosa each hit more home runs than Roger Maris had hit in 1961, Bonds felt that he needed help to gain the recognition he deserved.

In Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports, authors Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams claimed that Bonds decided to use performance-enhancing substances after McGwire received such national and international fame for breaking Maris' home run record.

There is an old saying that certainly applies to Barry Bonds: "No one can hurt you as much as you can hurt yourself."

References:

Smith, C. (1990, Nov 20). "Bonds is voted M.V.P. in a landslide." New York Times (1923-Current File). p. B13. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/108419460?accountid=46260

Anderson, D. (1990, Oct 05). "The .300-100-100-30-50 man." New York Times (1923-Current File). p. A29. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/108476040?accountid=46260