When Will It End?

I apologize for taking so long to post again. Since I last wrote I've graduated from the University of Oregon, moved from Eugene to Salem, and started an internship at the Statesman Journal. For the first time in my life I'm getting paid to write. Hopefully it won't be the last. But that's my excuse for not writing as much (if at all).

Reading over ESPN’s recap of tonight’s 5-3 win over the Rangers, I noticed this little nugget:

Bonds was intentionally walked again in the fourth, and walked leading off the seventh to reach base safely in 11 straight plate appearances -- going 3-for-3 with eight walks during that stretch.

Twice tonight Barry Bonds was intentionally walked. And even though he hit a double and scored a run, it’s not like he’s the Bonds of old out there, or even the Albert Pujols of now. Still, he has 26 intentional walks this year, almost as many as Pujols and Miguel Cabrera - the second and third place finishers, respectively – put together. And that’s with 30 fewer at bats than the injury-struck Pujols.

Bonds has the same number of XBH as Ray Durham, 21 (tied for 132nd in the majors), yet is slugging .525, nearly 100 points higher than Durham. And that little consecutive plate appearances on-base streak of 11? It’s only four away from Bond’s own major league record of 15 set back in 1998.

I haven’t been a fan of Bonds for a long time, but it amazes me how a man with two water balloons for knees can remain a somewhat productive and even feared batter in the MLB. He still has an OPS of 1.010 despite not being able to use his legs and constantly being taken out of the lineup. And it amazes me that a man who is getting fooled much more than he used to and still has a batting average of only .256 is getting so much deference from his opponents

Barry has found a way to use what little strength he has left and what fear he can still conjure up to remain a force on the course of any given game. I just see all of his at bats going like this.

Prince Milwood: I think your bluffing.
Barry: It's possible, Pig, I might be bluffing. It's conceivable, you miserable, vomitous mass, that I'm only lying here because I lack the strength to stand. But, then again... perhaps I have the strength after all.
[slowly rises and points sword directly at the prince]
Barry: DROP... YOUR... SWORD!
[mouth hanging open, throws four balls]

Or maybe not. He’s not the same player, but he’s still useful. No matter what he looks like in the field.