Nobody thought Barry Bonds would show up to tonight’s celebration of San Francisco Giants outfielders over the last 50 years at Mays Field, held before the Giants took on the Dodgers. Everybody else who got invited, sure, but the guy who wouldn’t even show up for the team pitcher while he was playing? Right.
Notable Attendees
Willie Mays: Given (he’s still on the payroll)
Kevin Mitchell: Bonus
Candy Maldonado: Double Bonus
Mike Felder: Why?
Then they flashed the giant dome of Bonds on my TV screen, complete with his old No. 25 jersey on. Baseball players always look awkward when wearing their old uniforms over a dress shirt, but that didn’t stop old Barry from doing what he does best: sound extremely arrogant.
Bonds spent most of the ceremony either finding humor in everything said by Randy Winn and Felipe Alou, or he was fake-laughing like a hack morning-radio host. Then Mays nudged Bonds to the microphone, where he said this:
“It feels odd not wearing a uniform…(points to the visiting dugout)…and the Dodgers are right there. You heard me Torre, I beat you before, and I’ll beat you again…I haven’t retired.”
Then he threw his arms up like he just hit a homer off Eric Gagne, soaked in the rabid applause, and walked away from the mic.
I know it goes against anything that could possibly be considered rational, but if Bonds were hitting fourth against the Dodgers tomorrow afternoon, I wouldn’t be surprised.
