Father’s Disrespect in MLB Fueled Barry Bonds Journey to Becoming “GOAT,” Claims Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Strawberry of the New York Mets throws out Barry Bonds of the Pittsburgh Pirates at home plate—a moment frozen in time. That was not just an out; it was two different eras and abilities coming together against each other. However, now the same RF who sent him back to the dugout is singing praises for him.

Strawberry’s perspective reveals something profound about Barry Bonds’ rise from a young Pirates outfielder to becoming baseball’s most dominant player. What Strawberry saw during those games was more than just the usual rookie potential. He saw a man carrying unseen weight and being driven by reasons that the baseball world didn’t understand.

Recently, on the ALL THE SMOKE podcast, Strawberry talked about the Bonds play and his journey. He began with when he first saw him at the plate. “Barry is the greatest player I ever ever seen. I saw Barry when he first came up with the Pirates. Never seen anybody like that. I was like, Wow, who’s this guy, A little skinny kid they got in Pittsburgh. He turns a ninety-five mile Parol fastball, Doc Gooding around, hitted out of the ballpark. I said, ‘Man, he’s special.’ Then I saw him play. I was like, there’s nobody, nobody like that.”

He continued, “I don’t care how many players have played this game. There’s never been a player like Barry Bonds. Never. Boy could do everything good and he’ll let you know it, which was great.” And then reveals why he was like that.

Strawberry shared, “It was like that because they treated his father bad and his father was a great player, and he never got the credit for, you know, the kind of player he was. See what a lot of times, what people don’t understand this. Black players never get the credit for how good they really are and what they do because, you know, the media always want to make it out of well, well, well you should. You make it look so easy. This is not easy what you’re doing. I mean, this is hard what we’re doing, you know, out there on the ball field and trying to be a complete player. And that’s what Bobby Bonds was, and that’s what Barry Bonds was. Barry took right after his father, being a complete playe,r playing the game of baseball. I have never seen nobody ever that good.”

June 28, 2016: Miami Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds (25) during MLB Baseball Herren USA game action between the Miami Marlins and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Marlins 7-5. MLB 2016: Marlins vs Tigers JUN 28 – ZUMAc04_

Bobby Bonds had a career that was nothing short of amazing. He hit 332 home runs, stole 461 bases, and drove in 1,024 runs over 14 seasons, all while keeping a .268 batting average. He won the Gold Glove three times and was an All-Star three times. The senior Bonds was also the first player to have five 30–30 seasons, becoming the model for the power-speed combination in MLB.

And his son was no less.

Barry Bonds’ career was nothing short of historic. He hit 762 home runs (the most in MLB history), walked 2,558 times, and stole 514 bases. He is the first player in baseball history to have 500 or more home runs and 500+ steals. Barry Bonds was named the National League MVP seven times, made the All-Star team 14 times, and won eight Gold Gloves for his defense. His lifetime hitting average was .298, and his ability to dominate both power and plate discipline made him a legend that few others can match.

Those numbers speak volumes, and Strawberry has witnessed him play. So, when asked who the GOAT in baseball is for him, he said without a second thought, “Barry Bonds.”

AndBarry Bonds being the GOAT is not just limited to the plate.

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