PHOENIX — The day is August 7, 2007. Barry Bonds steps to the plate against Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik. Bonds connects and sends his record-breaking home run number 756 over the right-center field wall in AT&T Park, cementing his legacy in baseball lore, no matter one’s opinion on his alleged steroid use.
These stats didn’t come out of the blue. Bonds played his college baseball at Packard Stadium in Tempe as a member of Arizona State University’s 1983-85 baseball squad. Bonds put up elite numbers, batting .315, .360 and .368 in his three years as a Sun Devil. His home run numbers were very consistent until he exploded in 1985 with 23 in his junior campaign, the only year ASU missed the College World Series during Bonds’ time in Tempe.
Even before suspected steroid use, Barry Bonds was one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball. In his final MVP season as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bonds led the league in seven different offensive categories. Bonds finished his career as, and still currently is, the all-time leader in three offensive categories.
After a tremendous Sun Devil career, Bonds entered the 1995 MLB Draft, going sixth overall to the Pirates. He quickly made his way through the Minor League ranks and made his debut during the 1986 season at the young age of 21. In his rookie season, Bonds hit a lowly .223, a number that we would never come close to for the rest of his career. Bonds never hit below .248 in the rest of his 22-year career.
Every baseball fan of minimal knowledge is aware of Bonds leading Major League history in home runs, but a lesser-known skill of Bonds’ was his knack for drawing walks. Bonds led the league in total walks 12 times, intentional walks 12 times, and is the career leader in each statistic.
Another aspect of Bonds’ game that gets lost in the obsession with home runs is his skill on the defensive side of the baseball. As a full-time outfielder for the first 13 years of his career, Bonds won an impressive 8 gold gloves in 9 seasons. His speed was much to credit for his defensive success in his early years, and that speed severely decreased around the time it is suspected he began using steroids. Bonds finished with less than 28 steals only once before 1999, recording 52 in ’90 and nine seasons of more than 30. Starting with the 1999 season, Bonds never stole more than 15 bags and only reached double digits in steals three times over the final nine years of his career.
It is no secret that steroids hang over every accomplishment Bonds has on his resume, but it is also no secret that he was a great player before his decision. Bonds is considered one of the best hitters of all time and is definitely one of the most famous Sun Devils in the Pros.
Sun Devils in the Pros 