Bacsik playing, Bonds not

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The last time the Nationals were in San Francisco, they split a four game series against the Giants. They also ended up on the front page of every newspaper in North America.

You might recall that evening last Aug. 7 when Giants’ left fielder Barry Bonds hit a fifth inning home run against Washington lefty Mike Bacsik that broke Henry Aaron’s all-time record. The game stopped for a few minutes for the appropriate ceremonies to take place, and Bonds left the game with his club ahead, 5-4. When it resumed, Bacsik retired the next two hitters to retire the side, and he was then batted for in the sixth. Oh, and the Nationals won the ballgame 8-6.

Not quite a year later, Barry Bonds seems to have actually “left the game.” The Giants wouldn’t re-sign him — they weren’t about to pay an 8-figure salary to a part-time, 44-year-old outfielder — even if he did post an OPS over 1.000. No one else stepped forward to sign him either, even after his agent indicated he’d consider playing for the minimum. Apparently there’s a “baggage” issue, and I don’t mean American Tourister.

Mike Bacsik, on the other hand, is still playing, though not where he’d hoped to be pitching in 2008. He was taken off the Nationals’ major league roster last fall, and signed another minor league contract with the club, the same as he’d done last year. In 2007, however, he got the call to the major leagues after 5 starts and 9 appearances with the Columbus Clippers, and a rather mundane 1-3 record with a 4.00 ERA. He’d go on to make 8 quality starts for Washington, not including the Aug. 7 game.

This year Mike’s resumed the middle relief role for Columbus; he’s not started a game all season. In 29 relief appearances he leads the club in wins with 7, with a 4.58 ERA. He’s not the closer, but he’s tied for the club lead in appearances, and has struck out 45 in 55 innings of work. It doesn’t knock your eye out, but he’s shown durability, and some degree of consistency.

Mike was all over the media after allowing the Bonds’ home run. He’s a solid interview, and a few nattering nabobs thought he was enjoying the moment a little too much. Some even suggested he’d grooved the pitch the Bonds. Hey, it was 3-2 pitch and a long at-bat, and anyone who knows Mike knows he respects the game far too much to do anything like that. He didn’t pursue the media last August — they went after him once it became apparent he’d give them the time without a sigh and a snarl. His engaging demeanor earned him some face time doing postseason analysis on ESPN, a gig he likely would’ve paid them to do. He’s a sports talk radio junkie, and can hold his own talking about any sport, not just the one he plays. OK, he’s also a Cowboys fan, but nobody’s perfect.

I admit I’m a little biased about Bacsik. He co-hosted the radio show with me a couple of times last year, and seems to have his head screwed on correctly. I know how much he wanted to take the mound in the new ballpark, and I hope he gets the opportunity, at least when rosters expand in September. He’s not a major leaguer at the moment, but at least someone wanted him this year.

Which is more than you can say about Barry Bonds.

Phil Wood is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at philwood@dcexaminer.com.

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