MLB Predicts Historic
Bonds, who has been crucified in the media for steroid use, is currently being investigated by a federal grand jury for possible perjury when he appeared before the BALCO grand jury in 2003, denying that he ever used steroids.
“I don’t know whether he used steroids or not,” stated former Giants manager Roger Craig, “but even if he did, to hit those homers is incredible. He gets one pitch a night and he hits a homer. This guy has some skills and athletic ability you only see once in a lifetime. You’re watching something you may never see again in sports.”
It may not be a completely celebratory atmosphere Tuesday night if Dodgers fans vent their hostility towards Bonds.
“It would be very disheartening and disappointing,” Giants center fielder Dave Roberts said. “It’s something that’s going to be showed over and over again. With Hank (Aaron), you saw guys run on the field, and everyone’s going crazy. That’s the way it should be.
It’s the greatest record of all time. For it to be charred with that kind of acceptance would be disappointing at any ballpark. I would hope it wouldn’t be like that.”
For New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox could garner a major career victory. With 499 runs under his belt, Rodriguez, 32, could easily become the youngest player ever to hit 500.
Bonds, who needs two home runs for his career highlight, showed angst for Rodriguez during Sunday’s game against Baltimore.
“Come on, hit one,” Bonds said. “Get this thing over with.”
But it wasn’t meant to happen. Rodriguez walked three times Sunday, and remains without a hit in 11 at-bats since hitting his 499th career homer.
“I hope he does it,” Bonds said. “Nobody will ever beat” Rodriguez’s record.
Last, but certainly not least, New York Mets starter Tom Glavine, 41, is on tap to win his 300th career game in tonight’s battle against the Milwaukee Brewers. When he hits his 300 game, Glavine will join 22 other baseball greats who have achieved such status and will also tie Hall of Famer Lefty Grove for the fourth-most victories by a left-hander.
Glavine was still in high school when famed pitchers Gaylord Perry and Steve Carlton racked up their 300th career victories in 1982 and 1983. Two years later, Tom Seaver and Phil Niekro followed suit. Don Sutton joined the ranks the following year, totaling a whopping five 300th victories in a mere five years.
Since that astounding run in the 1980s, only three other players have joined the ranks – Nolan Ryan in 1990, Roger Clemens in 2003, and Greg Maddux in 2004. Since then, there has been a noticeably long dry spell. Some say that after Glavine’s record breaking game, that dry spell may return for a very long time to come. Few players can even see the milestone on a far horizon.
“I guess it would be kind of cool to be the last one to do something,” Glavine says. “But somebody else will probably do it.”
Get more information here.
