Keep Barry on the field. Five simple words, but a mission on which the well-being of an entire organization hinges.
When digesting Monday’s trading of hit batsmen between the Giants and Padres, San Francisco’s ongoing mantra makes what otherwise seems like a foolish act of retaliation appear downright essential. ‘There will be consequences if you hit Bonds’ is the message the Giants sent the Padres and every other team when Jamey Wright drilled San Diego outfielder Brian Giles shortly after Padres starter Jake Peavy struck Bonds.
Conventional logic would suggest that Wright’s purpose pitch was disastrous. The the pitcher allowed seven runs in the fourth after plunking Giles, the inning in which the caboose came loose in the Giants’ 10-2 loss. San Francisco enjoyed a 2-0 lead before that pitch, but never recovered in dropping a game to the defending NL West champions.
But in the grand scheme of things, the Giants made a statement that is critical to their success.
From the time their star clean-up hitter went down in spring training last season, the team never got its season on track. This year, the Giants have gone to great lengths to ensure Bonds’ healthy return and ongoing presence in the 2006 lineup. The team, its fans and the rest of baseball saw just how vulnerable San Francisco is without the six-time MVP at its disposal.
With the organization so focused on giving the 41-year old the proper rest to avoid seeing his body break down before the season even reaches its quarter point, preserving Bonds’ safety in the batter’s box ranked as an afterthought. Until Monday.
Despite his advanced age, health issues and legal troubles, Bonds remains the most feared slugger in the game. Opposing pitchers have already walked Bonds 27 times this season, including 12 intentional passes, in the 23 games he has played. It’s obvious that many managers prefer to take their chances by ceding Bonds first base. Can you blame them? If you spotted light-hitting catcher Mike Matheny batting in the No. 6 hole, as he did in Tuesday’s matinee, would you pitch to Bonds? Please.
This is not a referendum on the sorry state of the bottom of the Giants’ batting order. Unless someone other than Moises Alou starts producing down the lineup, Bonds will see many more intentional, or non-intentional, but still intentional walks. Or worse. And this is where Monday’s round of “You hit my guy, I’ll hit yours” looms significant.
What’s to stop opposing pitchers from saying, “To heck with the intentional walk. I’ll just drill him,” and following through by plunking Bonds early in an at-bat? After all, a hit batsman and a walk generate the same outcome – a runner at first base. If I were a pitcher whose competitive juices were flowing and my manager ordered a four-finger salute to Bonds, I’d just as soon throw one a bit too far inside. We’re not talking malicious intent, head-hunting or anything of that nature, but a simple hit batsman that gets the ordeal over with.
Bonds’ only possible defense, other than charging the mound and wailing on the pitcher who dared fire one at him, is his teammates. The San Francisco pitching staff. Wright knew this and followed through with the Giles’ retaliation.
True enough, it’s rarely the offending pitcher that suffers the payback for his actions – it’s usually his team’s best hitter, which Giles is to San Diego. But after Wright quickly and efficiently laid down the law, opposing teams will be more cautious in the future when attacking Bonds’ at-bats.
While it’s unknown whether Wright could have avoided the disastrous fourth on Monday if he hadn’t beaned Giles to lead off the inning, it’s still fair to ask if the end result was worth it. Was sending a message to a divisional rival on May 1 that hitting Bonds won’t go unpunished worth suffering a loss? Yes, because without a healthy and productive Bonds in the lineup, one loss will be the least of the Giants’ problems.
