/Portals/2/logos/cropped-19ba620e-1a32-4977-81d6-1b6fff4edd0f-logo.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 19 May 2013 15:19:54 GMT 15 By Tyler Dunn
posted 3/2/07 Bonds started his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates who selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 1985 MLB draft. His first five years in Pittsburgh were hard. He was criticized for not living up to his potential. In 1990 though, that all changed. Bonds won MVP of the league for hitting .301 with 33 homeruns and 114 RBI. In 1991, he did not win MVP, National League batting champion Terry Pendleton did despite Bonds’ dominant numbers. The next year, in 1992, Bonds won his second MVP award. Bonds lead the Pirates to the National League east division championship, where they lost to the Atlanta Braves. In 1993 Bonds’ career with the Pirates was over, he was a free agent looking for another team. He signed a six year deal with the San Francisco Giants. That season Bonds hit .336 with 46 homeruns and 123 RBI. In 1994 and 1995, Bonds continued to dominate the league even though the league was on strike often. In 1996, Bonds hit 40 homeruns and stole 40 bases in the same season. Over the next few years, Bonds did well with the Giants, earning personal accolades and awards each of his years there. In 1998, Bonds was overshadowed by the homerun race of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, even though he hit 303. with 37 homeruns and had 122 RBI. Throughout the 1990’s, Bonds had been considered one of the best MLB baseball players to be playing. Although he had already been in the league a long time, he was proving he was great again in 1999. By the year 2000, Bonds was hitting upwards of 40 homeruns a year. He was reaching a new level of offensive production for Major League baseball hitters. His 2001, season would dwarf his 2000 season in comparison. He hit 73 homeruns in 2001 (a record which still stands today) and had a .515 on base percentage. In 2002, Bonds hit 46 more home runs and struck out near the bottom of the league at only 47 times. In 2003 and 2004, Bonds continued his dominance winning his third straight MVP in ‘03 and walking 232 times and getting his 700th homer in 2004. Bonds’ 2005 season was filled with injuries. He was constantly being asked about his accused steroid use and with his third knee surgery didn’t know if he would be back for ‘06. Before the start of the 2006 season, Bonds announced that he planned to retire after 2006 with or without the all time homerun record. Bonds broke Babe Ruth’s record and despite his prior statement, hadn’t retired. In 2006, ESPN launched a ten part series called ‘Bonds on Bonds;’ a reality show starring Barry and showing what he has to deal with. The national conception is that Bonds took steroids and cheated… But no one knows for sure. The only thing we do know for sure is that statistically, Barry Bonds has been one of the greatest baseball players of all time. ]]> Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:17:00 GMT