Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Flashback: Barry Bonds in Pittsburgh 1992

Barry Bonds, the Pirates and 1992

He had a career year, the year of 1992 with the Pirates: 34 home runs, .311 batting average with a slugging percentage of .677.

It was his last year with the Pirates (signing a then-record contract with the Giants) and the following year with San Francisco, he would post even greater numbers.


Why are people talking about Barry Bonds, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the 1992 MLB baseball season this week?

Because people cannot stop talking about Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates (at this year's MLB All-Star Game) and what he has done this year with his monster season in Pittsburgh. Andrew is making Pirates fans forget about the past 20 years and forget about Barry Bonds.

Andrew McCutchen is the multiskilled, 25-year-old center fielder for the Pirates who was just named National League Player of the Month for June. He is in his fourth season with Pittsburgh. MVP talk is growing. Why shouldn't it? Andrew is currently hitting .362 with 18 home runs so far in the 2012 campaign.


As delirious as Pirates fans are over their team being in first place, they are just as or more so over Andrew McCutchen. Why should they? Everybody likes Andrew McCutchen and he is great in the Pittsburgh community. 


Good luck to Andrew McCutchen the rest of the 2012 baseball season.





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A selection of Barry Bonds' comments regarding PED use:

  • "Doctors ought to quit worrying about what ballplayers are taking. What players take doesn't matter. It's nobody else's business. The doctors should spend their time looking for cures for cancer. It takes more than muscles to hit homers. If all those guys were using stuff, how come they're not all hitting homers?" -- May 21, 2002, Associated Press
  • "No. I don't have to [use steroids]. I mean, I'm a good enough ballplayer as it is. I don't need to be any better. I can't get any better at this age." -- June 2002, On the Record with Bob Costas
  • "I never asked. When he said it was flaxseed oil, I just said, 'Whatever.' It was in the ballpark.. in front of everybody. I mean, all the reporters, my teammates, I mean they all saw it. I didn't hide it." -- Dec. 4, 2003, during grand jury testimony, according to the San Francisco Chronicle
  • "I don't know Tim Montgomery. I've never met him. When accusations come from someone you don't even know, what can you do?" They'll be talking to my lawyer." -- June 25, 2004 to USA TODAY in response to allegations from a former world-class sprinter that he received steroids from BALCO
  • "All you guys lied! All of y'all and the story have lied. Should you have asterisks behind your name? All of you lied. All of you have said something wrong. All of you have dirt. When your closet's clean, then come clean somebody else's." -- Feb. 22, 2005, first public comments after testimony was leaked
  • "I don't know if steroids are going to help you in baseball. I just don't believe it. I don't believe steroids can help eye-hand coordination [and] technically hit a baseball." -- Feb. 22, 2005, first public comments after testimony was leaked
  • "You wanted me to jump off the bridge; I finally have jumped. You wanted to bring me down, you've finally brought me and my family down. You've finally done it. So now go kick a different person. I'm done. I'll do the best I can and that's about it. [I'm talking about] inner hurt. I'm physically, mentally done. I'm mentally drained. Tired of my kids crying." -- March 23, 2005 on MLB
  • "I went through the system. And that's what it is. And that's what I got. I went through the system. I'm in an appeal process right now. I was never convicted of steroids. Do I have any regrets? What happened happened. It's there. It is what it is. I live with it. I'm a convicted felon for obstruction of justice, and that's who I am. I live with it." -- May 29, 2012
  • "I gave my life and soul to that game. That's what's heartbreaking. That's the hard part of it." -- May 30, 2012 on MLB
  • "Not winning? [the 2002 World Series] It doesn't stick with me anymore. Right now, it's just good to see everyone and have a good time. Win or lost, it's nice just to come home and reminisce with each other." -- July 1, 2012
  • "Oh, without a doubt. There's not a doubt in my mind." -- August 6, 2012