The world didn't explode.
(See, there's a picture of the Earth as proof!)
Despite what I heard and read for years, life didn't cease to exist once Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's career home run record. Bonds finally passed Aaron last night in the fifth inning at AT&T Park, where he launched a 3-2 pitch from Nationals lefthander Mike Bacsik -- Bacsik is an incredibly nice guy, he was in Phillies camp a couple springs ago -- into the stands for his 756th career home run. But the earth kept spinning. People weren't storming out of their houses in tears. I didn't hear about any rioting or the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse riding through town.
Of course, I had my door locked so I could have missed it.
But is anybody else glad this is over?
I mean, not that The Controversy has ended. But at least The Chase has.
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Jim Salisbury has an interesting column about the guy from the Hall of Fame who's in San Francisco trying to collect what he can from Bonds. It sounds like Bonds doesn't want to give up much.
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But you're here for the Phillies, aren't you? Yes, you are. The Phillies pasted the Marlins last night, 11-1, thanks to Ryan Howard and Jamie Moyer. Howard had been stuck in a 10-game slump before he homered twice. Maybe this is a sign he's about to heat up like last season, when he caught fire (not literally) last August to win the National League MVP. Howard hit .365 with 23 home runs and 62 RBIs the final two months of the season. I'm sure the Phillies would welcome that production again.
Meanwhile, Moyer just continued to baffle the Marlins.
When he is on, he's fun to watch.
Especially because I just have to think some of those younger hitters in the Marlins lineup are left mutterng to themselves how a guy who can't break glass with his fastball is getting them out.
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Chase Utley talks about his recovery from his broken right hand. He still hopes to be back before the end of the month. Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. remains confident he will be.
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Bob Ford wonders what Kyle Lohse will bring to the ballpark tonight.
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Tim Riley is going to all 189 major- and minor-league parks in 159 days to raise money for cancer research.
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Another reason why the Phanatic is the best mascot in sports: He can drive.
Comments (2)
I'm definitely glad The Chase is over.
I had the game on in the background, so I was able to catch the swing. Watching the "ceremony" afterward, seeing Hank Aaron up on the screen, knowing a bit about what he had to go through, I couldn't help but feel ... sad? At the end of the day, whether or not I believe Bonds cheated (I do), what overshadows everything else is the idea that the biggest record in all of sports has fallen under such cloudy circumstances. It's sad. I tried to explain this to my wife but she just rolled her eyes. And Bonds - as unlikable as he comes across, at least to me and a few others - seems, at the end of the day, merely pathetic. I hate to say it, but I almost feel sorry for the guy. The same way that McGuire came across as small and weak during those congressional hearings. Still waiting on some follow-up, Mark.
We all (I think) know there's responsibility here from just about every angle - players, management, press, fans (some of whom still could not care less about performance-enhancers). Hopefully the finger-pointing will cease and we can all move on. For the record, though, Selig made a fool of himself by showing up in San Diego and pouting. Class move, Bud. If you're gonna be there, be there.
PS: I knew Todd and I would jinx Pat the Bat.
Posted by John in LA | August 8, 2007 1:39 PM
Posted on August 8, 2007 13:39
The world does go on. The difference now that Bonds holds the record is that many fans (including me) are actively rooting for somebody to break this record ASAP. It isn't that I'm rooting for A-Rod specifically... but I am rooting for him because he can get there the fastest. If A-Rod breaks the record, the celebration will dwarf anything Bonds is getting because of the relief and the fact the steroids asterisk will be removed from the record books. I'll even be forced to cheer for a Yankee :-)
I don't think many people ever cheered for Aaron's dethroning the way I'll cheer now.
Posted by Josh | August 8, 2007 3:47 PM
Posted on August 8, 2007 15:47