March 23 - Bonds Breaks Down

Has any public figure in recent memory had a worse couple of weeks than Barry Bonds? I have searched my memory banks but nothing is coming up. And it is not for lack of candidates. It is just that Barry has set the bar so high that no one else can compare. This is a guy who in just a few short weeks has been formally and informally charged with narcotics violations, perjury, obstruction of justice, adultery, tax evasion, and surliness. His former trainer appears poised to testify against him and his former girlfriend is telling all who will listen that Bonds is an adulteress snake. On top of that, he underwent knee surgery and had to watch on television as some of his steroid-abusing peers were brutally embarrassed by a panel of inquisitive legislators. All in all, it has not been the best of times for number 25.

After taking a flurry of body blows, Bonds finally cracked yesterday when he revealed to the world that he is “tired” of being picked apart and harassed. It was a touching moment that was hard to hear with the violins playing in the background. Bonds didn’t mention any recent events in specificity, but it was clear that the deluge of negative news in recent days had taken its toll, Looking frustrated and despondent, Bonds tried yesterday to recast himself as a sympathetic victim and the press as the vicious blood-thirsty villain. The irony here is almost too much to consider since Bonds has bullied the media for years. But to hear him say it yesterday, the media now has him up against the fence and is demanding he fork over his milk money. Make no mistake about it - yesterday’s scorn was directed at the San Francisco Chronicle and the media in general who Bonds claims “wanted me to jump off the bridge. I finally jumped. You wanted to bring me down. You finally have brought me and my family down. You’ve finally done it, everybody, all of you. So now go pick a different person. I’m done.” Sorry Barry, you haven’t jumped, the media didn’t bring you down, and you are not done by a long shot.

Barry has created problems that cannot be summarily waived by his own decree. Instead, he has problems that will fester for months on end. Bonds may think he can wave his magic 34 ounce wand and be done, but that is not his call. He can’t call off the media hounds. He can’t prevent his old friend and trainer from becoming a government witness. And he cannot block an old girlfriend from turning over damaging testimony and documentation to federal authorities. Basically, he is at the proverbial plate with no stick. He has got to understand he is playing a game that is much bigger than baseball. He may want all this to end but only the Justice Department can make that call. Welcome to the real world Barry.

There is no doubt that Barry has backed himself into a corner and he has reached his boiling point. He is injured, embarrassed, scared and fed up with the world. And that begs the question - will he retire? I think that if he can play, he will return. That is a big if considering his age and health, but I am fairly certain he will make an effort to at least pass Babe Ruth on the home run chart. He has big race-related issues with Ruth and I feel he will do what is necessary to hit a 715th home run. But who knows after that. If I had to bet, I would say number 44 is safe at 755. Nonetheless, it is pretty clear from yesterday’s performance that Bonds is no longer having any fun as a baseball player or a public figure. And at some point fairly soon, perhaps by the end of this year, I think he may call it quits. A prosecutor and a jury of his peers may make the choice for him.