Love him or hate him, Bonds is the best

Later this summer, he will become the all-time home run leader in major league history. However, Commissioner Bud Selig has not committed to attend that historic game. Hank Aaron says he won’t be there. Should they be there? They have to do what they feel in their heart is right.

Visiting cities are not planning any promotions or special events for this future Hall of Fame legend when the Giants play on the road. No Barry Bonds Day, no bobbleheads, and no posters.

Most cities welcome him with boo’s. Most former teammates and associates talk poorly about him and in a world of innocent until proven guilty, we’ve decided to reverse it in his case and assume guilt.

As in the O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson cases, there is such overwhelming insinuating information — including the BALCO investigation, his former personal trainer and many off-the-record quotes to media members — that it’s hard to have an unbiased opinion.

However, there are two important facts I do know. As of today, no one has proven anything beyond a reasonable doubt — he hasn’t been arrested or anything — and he’ll soon become the greatest home run hitter of all time.

He has his allies and close friends. He can be as charming as he can be a jerk. He’s also spent a lifetime in a spotlight of controversy that not many people could handle, let alone keep playing — and playing at Hall of Fame levels. He’s played hurt. He’s played with death threats. He’s played through a divorce; he’s played through the death of close family and friends. He’s kept on playing and he’s kept on going yard.

How many players used performance enhancing drugs over the last century? I don’t know, you don’t know and realistically we’ll never know for sure.

Our game has been cleaned up. We drug test all of them now. We now know who cheats and who doesn’t and we make it public. Going forward the stats will be not be tarnished because of performance enhancing drugs.

I was with the Pirates when we drafted Bonds. I was with the Reds when we traded for Ken Griffey Jr. I watched the close and special friendship the two have. I also consider it an honor and a privilege to get to watch the two take batting practice, a thrill I got to share with my children.

Bonds’ bat speed, path to the ball, directness to the ball, sweet spot contact, plate discipline, explosion at contact, plate coverage, hand-eye coordination, hitting ability and power is the best I’ve ever seen. Like him or hate him, innocent or guilty, we still need to celebrate the best hitter of our time and the best home run hitter of all time.

If Griffey had not gone on the DL 11 times, we would have been watching a battle between the two to break Aaron’s record. Instead we’ll watch Bonds break it and innocent or guilty, love him or hate him, we should celebrate it ... and then start rooting for Alex Rodriguez over the next decade so we won’t have to worry about future asterisks! And then we can stop wondering if we should or shouldn’t be celebrating.

As told to The Examiner’s John Keim.

Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden provides an exclusive column to The Examiner each week, ranging on topics from the Nats to the state of Major League Baseball.