Alright folks, show's over, time to go home. Drive safely, don't forget to tip your waitresses. Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756 at 11:51 pm EST last night off Nationals pitcher Mike Bascik. The Chase is done, the 450 media members have packed up and flown home (well, maybe not yet considering it's only 6:40 am in San Francisco), the videotaped congratulations have been issued, the speeches have been given, and yes, my flight to Phoenix for this weekend has been booked.
In the end, I think all of this turned out exactly how most of us expected. All of the league officials (or their designees) and baseball greats gave their nice sound bites and congratulated Mr. Bonds, who was appropriately appreciative and humble. Everyone cheered and was happy, and the mayor of San Francisco designated today Barry Bonds Day. But let's be honest, did anyone really expect Hank Aaron not to saying anything? Or worse--show up on a JumboTron and say something disparaging?
No, we didn't. Hank Aaron's a classy guy. Of course he was going to say something congratulatory. If he didn't, then he looks like the jerk. And what about Commissioner "Cadillac" Bud Selig? He wormed his way out of this one perfectly! A "scheduling conflict" prevents him from being there in person, so he gets away with sending Frank Robinson to make an appearance and calling Bonds on the phone. Thanks Bud, you've literally "phoned it in" on this one.
Our beloved Nationals get some national media attention (probably the only national media attention for a LONG time) and Mike Bacsik gets to be famous for a little while. He was a good pitcher for this job, since he's not well known and therefore has no "reputation" to taint and no large ego to be destroyed by this moment. He was good-natured about the whole thing and I give him a lot of credit. Brian Schneider gets to be in highlight videos and photos for the next 10 years (or until A-Rod breaks this record).
Regardless of my other feelings, I am thankful this happened exactly the way Mark predicted it would, so that I get to go to Phoenix this weekend.
