Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > April > 27 > Entry
Baker and Bonds converse
Dusty Baker told a gaggle of Bay Area writers Sunday morning, “Don’t worry about Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds is fine. The man can disappear in plain sight. You wonder how a guy like that can do it, but he does. You never know where he might be.”
Baker smiled sheepishly, as if he knew that moment where Bonds was. And maybe he did.
Baker, who managed Bonds in San Francisco, said he talked to Bonds on the phone a couple of weeks ago.
Later, a writer asked Baker point blank, “Did Bonds ask about coming back and playing for you?” Said Baker, “No, not at all. That did not come up from him or me.”
And will Bonds play baseball again?
“We talked about a lot of things, not much about baseball,” Baker said. “Hey, the longer he is out, the less likely he will come back. And the longer he is out, who knows, the less likely he may want to come back. I’m sure he has enough money and if you have enough money and your time is being occupied by what you like to do, maybe you enjoy that.”
Asked about Ken Griffey Jr. approaching 600 home runs and the connection with Bonds and his chase of legends, Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, Baker said, “Bonds called Griffey not too long ago. He asked Griffey how I was doing, but we’d just talked two weeks ago.”
Baker said he knows Bonds can still hit, but he also knows the longer he is away from the game the longer it will take for him to find his timing.
“Barry didn’t sound like he was missing the game to me, not at all,” said Baker. “Everybody misses the game, but there is some of the crap you don’t miss. In Barry’s case, he should have been the happiest man in the world. But he wasn’t. He had to read all that bad stuff about himself. You have to stop reading and don’t pay attention.”
That’s tough, though, when the whole world associates you with steroids and human growth hormone and lying to the grand juries.
“Barry is doing fine,” said Baker. “Don’t worry about him.”
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Dusty Baker
Comments
By C-Bus
April 28, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this
Bonds cheated for years and then lied about cheating under oath, he will be going to jail for these actions. He made millions off the Giants while doing this. Comparing him to wrongfully accused actors/directors due to political affiliations is a horrible analogy.By donb51
April 28, 2008 6:59 AM | Link to this
I would argue with your “greatest hitter in baseball” and give that to Pete Rose. Bonds is the greatest home run hitter, however. I do feel your pain, though. When Pete Rose is removed from the “blacklist”, then I will support Bonds being removed.By wrveres
April 28, 2008 2:40 AM | Link to this
Barry Bonds has not been convicted of anything. He has not been accused of betting on games or throwing games. Barry Bonds has not been accused of assaulting anyone. Barry Bonds has been accused of not being a nice guy by the media, but is that a crime? Barry Bonds has been accused of not telling the truth to a grand jury investigating BALCO. Barry Bonds does not own BALCO and does not distribute steroids on behalf of BALCO. Why was the grand jury investigating Barry Bonds? Weren’t they supposed to be investigating BALCO? How did that “investigation” of BALCO turn into a witch hunt directed against MLB players? Clearly, BALCO wasn’t the real target in the campaign against Barry Bonds. What “immediate danger” to Major League Baseball does Barry Bonds pose, that requires Barry Bonds’ suspension prior to a decision in Bonds’ upcoming trial? In fact, wouldn’t the presence of Barry Bonds on a Major League Baseball team roster - the Baltimore Orioles, for instance - be an immediate big boost to that team’s attendance as well as a big boost to their chances of winning? In effect, MLB teams are willing to lose money rather than hire Barry Bonds. Isn’t that the definition of a “blacklist”? The actors, singers, directors etc. who were “blacklisted” during the McCarthy era witch hunt were money makers for the entertainment industry, yet no owner would hire them! Isn’t that exactly what is happening with Barry Bonds? Weren’t many of these talented performers indicted and some convicted for refusing to cooperate with grand juries and dragged before government staged hearings in front of hundreds of cameras and reporters? Years later many of those “blacklisted” were apologized to, but did that apology make up for the destruction of their livelihoods and their personal lives during the McCarthy “blacklisting”? Of course not! I have a special disgust for the owners of the San Francisco Giants. They made millions off of Barry Bonds. They were able to build a money making stadium based, to a great extent, on Barry Bonds. Where is their gratitude? Nowhere! He was their star player who was loved by the fans in the Bay area, yet the SF Giants team owners shamefully released Barry Bonds after the 2007 season so as to do their part in the “blacklisting”! They deserve a Hall of Shame of their own! Years from now, when Major League Baseball is forced to apologize to Barry Bonds for their actions, that apology will never make up for the crime that Major League Baseball is inflicting today on Barry Bonds and on the many fans who admire the athletic greatness that Barry Bonds has been as a player. I also admire him for his unbending, “in your face” attitude during constant attacks from the big business media, especially the sports talk radio and cable channels that have to fill 24-hour-a-day air time by creating controversy and scandal where there would have been little or none before those media outlets were created. I appeal to the fans of Major League Baseball to bombard their team owners with letters and emails and petitions demanding that their team hire Barry Bonds. Imagine, for instance, Barry Bonds added to the roster of the woeful offense of the Baltimore Orioles. Imagine the magical confrontations in the American League East with David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez at Fenway Park and Camden Yards and with Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter at Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards. Wouldn’t that do wonders for attendance for a Baltimore Orioles franchise that has been down in the dumps for so long? An historic wrong is being committed by the owners. Do we want to have a posthumous apology to Barry Bonds, as was done for Jim Thorpe, or do we correct this wrong NOW? Barry Bonds is this era’s Babe Ruth. He’s the biggest star in our national pastime. I appeal to the fans to help us right this wrong. I want to see Barry Bonds playing baseball in 2008! To all concerned fans: Perhaps you could use the above as a petition circulated at stadiums or handed out at stadium gates. I know that millions of you will still be in attendance at MLB games. While there, couldn’t you also do your part in fighting against the shameful “blacklisting” of Barry Bonds, the greatest hitter in Major League Baseball history?By Florida Buckeye
April 27, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
Let’s not even mention bringing Bonds to Cinci…that would be a kick in the teeth of Red’s Fans everywhere!By Mike
April 27, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
I wish we would never hear another word about Bonds. It is boring.By Kyle
April 27, 2008 8:38 PM | Link to this
If we never had to see his name in print again it would be too soon, unless it was a story about taking away his record.