700 club

[smazza]

what an exciting moment

[smazza]

Career Leaders

HRs

Hank Aaron

755

Babe Ruth

714

Barry Bonds

700

[smazza]

Slugger Barry Bonds, greeted at home by J.T. Snow, hit the home run everyone had been waiting for. He lofted a third-inning pitch into the left-field stands Friday to join Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth as the only major-leaguers to hit 700 homers

[smazza]

Barry Bonds has great timing.

After hitting one home run in his previous seven games, all on the road, Bonds returned to San Francisco on Friday night and went deep in his second at-bat. It was the 700th homer of his career, and it came as Nos. 500 and 600 did. At home.

Before the Giants' 4-1 victory over the Padres, ex-Giant Rich Aurilia said he figured Bonds would wait until San Francisco to hit the milestone homer.

"I pretty much told the guys he wasn't going to hit it in Milwaukee," said Aurilia, referring to the Giants' final series of a three-city tour.

Over in the Giants' clubhouse, the great Willie Mays was predicting that Bonds would wait even longer to hit his 700th.

"You know when he's going to hit it?" Mays asked. "He's going to hit it next weekend because you know who's coming to town next weekend."

That would be the Dodgers, against whom Bonds hit his 500th homer and also broke Mark McGwire's single-season record in 2001 with his 71st, 72nd and 73rd homers.

But Bonds didn't wait for the Dodgers this time. After getting plunked by a Jake Peavy fastball in his first trip to the plate, during a three-run first inning, Bonds came up in the third and hit Peavy's 0-1 breaking pitch to left-center, swinging amid a sea of flash bulbs, narrowly clearing the wall and igniting a brief fireworks show beyond center field and above the scoreboard.

It was estimated at 392 feet, and it was such a non no-doubter that Bonds actually started running out of the box on contact. As he rounded first base, the scoreboard flashed "700," and fireworks blasted in the distance. On-deck hitter J.T. Snow clapped and patted Bonds on the back after he crossed the plate.

Orange and black streamers fell from the upper deck, and two banners on each side of the scoreboard were unfurled -- one showing a Bonds follow-through and the others showing Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth, the only other players to hit at least 700 homers.

The crowd of 42,526 chanted "BARRY, BARRY, BARRY" and demanded a curtain call, and Bonds obliged. Then he returned to the dugout with a big smile, knowing he had provided the Giants a 4-0 lead and the focus would be slightly off him for awhile. National media members who had followed Bonds were preparing to leave the Bonds beat, at least until he started approaching Ruth's total of 714, which should happen early next season.

"The way they weren't pitching to him this year, I was afraid he was not going to hit 40," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "He's so good, the guy managed to hit 40 (actually, 42). I thought 700 was going to be next year, May of next year."

When Bonds walked out to left field in the top of the fourth, he was greeted to a tribute -- a sign on the left-field wall was uncovered with the message, "A GIANT AMONG LEGENDS."

Peavy also surrendered Bonds' 616th and 638th homers. Friday's came with the bases empty.

"When you're playing with him, you're thinking, 'God, why don't they pitch to him?' ' Aurilia said. "Now that you're on the other side, if the game dictates it with him, you're going to walk him. If there's a chance to pitch to him, then you pitch to him. I think Jake has pitched to him all year."

It was Bonds' 79th career homer against the Padres.

"He's hit more home runs off us than anybody," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "In certain situations, you should pitch to him. That's part of being respectful with your pitcher, the fans and the game. That's part of playing the game. Where would this game be if we walked Babe Ruth all the time? Barry has the right to swing the bat unless it's going to cost you a ballgame."

Steven Williams, 25, of Pacifica retrieved the ball. The smoke cleared, and the game resumed. Then some of the kayaks and rafts in McCovey Cove began to float away.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonds' round numbers

100 -- July 12, 1990 at Pittsburgh off San Diego's Andy Benes

200 -- July 8, 1993 at Philadelphia off Jose DeLeon

300 -- April 27, 1996 in San Francisco off Florida's John Burkett

400 -- Aug. 23, 1998 at Florida off Kirt Ojala

500 -- April 17, 2001 in San Francisco off Los Angeles' Terry Adams

600 -- August 9, 2002 in San Francisco off Pittsburgh's Kip Wells

700 -- Sept. 17, 2004 in San Francisco off San Diego's Jake Peavy

[smazza]

history

[smazza]

the countdown to the babe

and than hamerin hank

the next year in baseball will be the most exciting ever

[Bullshiznitz]

He wont get to Aaron next year, doesnt get enough chances.  Unless he goes crazy these last few weeks and gets over 710 before the end of the year.  Doubt that though.  Was great to watch number 700 last night though. Tuned in just in time to catch ESPN switch over to that at bat.  

[Velcro]

Its certainly a big accomplishment*... just wish it were by someone likeable, but congrats to bonds.

[sdgukhsdgl]

who cares, home run records mean nothing now

someone reaching 4000 hits or .350 career average would be much more impressive than 700hr

[Velcro]

I'd love to see someone knock rose's record down... that would be an incredible accomplishment!