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Despite his problems with the doping controversy, Barry Bonds is undoubtedly one of baseball’s greatest players. As baseball’s only seven-time MVP, Bonds is more than assured of a place in baseball history. But will he someday be known as the sport’s greatest player, or will his memory be forever stained with doubts about his drug use?
Barry Bonds definitely makes a strong case for being called the best baseball player of recent memory. In the last fifteen years, he has broken many records, including the single-season record for home runs (73), most walks in a single season (199), highest batting percentage for a single season (.863), highest on base percentage for a single season (.609). He also became the only member of the 400 home-run, 400 stolen base club, accomplishing this task by August 1998. Five years later, he became the only player in baseball history to garner 500 home runs and 500 stolen bases. Bonds has won eight Gold gloves awards as an outfielder, and has also been named to thirteen National League All-Star teams over the course of his career. Recently, he passed Babe Ruth’s career total of 714 home runs, which places him in outright second in the all-time home run list, next only to Hank Aaron’s 755.
Despite all of Bonds’ accomplishments, he remains baseball’s most underappreciated player. Although he is in the process of making history, Bonds is booed just about every time he comes to bat, especially when he’s on the road. The doping controversy, which stemmed from the BALCO scandal of a few years back, has obviously had a detrimental effect on Bonds’ popularity. The fact that he has a reputation for being surly with the press doesn’t help either. So will Bonds be someday recognized for the player that he is? No one really knows.
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