“He’s a Joke”: Despite 1992 MVP Win, Barry Bonds Suffered Brutal Mockery as Postseason Failures Continued to Haunt Him

Barry Bonds and controversial criticism are two sides of a single coin. Although the former San Francisco Giants slugger was fire on the field, off the field boasts a different tale. Primarily because of his aggression and loner attitude, Bonds garnered mockery and criticism from his teammates, fans, and, of course, rivals. In the book Love Me, Hate Me_ Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero, the author, Jeff Pearlman, has dived into one such mocking incident just after Barry won 1992 MVP. 

Although the book accounts for different incidents of Bonds’ life and how others reacted to him, it consists of the mockery that 1992 MVP received from his former rivals, Dodgers’ player, irrespective of his achievements. 

Barry Bonds Get Mocked for His Postseason Failures, Called “A Joke”

Champions suffer from mockeries and criticism the most. While opponent team players fear them, they don’t spare to mock them for failures. Even the 7x MVP couldn’t avoid this tradition. Despite his immense stature on the field, the former slugger was never a friendly character to his teammates and opponents. In Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds, the author added the interviews of Bond’s Colleagues and rivals give an in-depth understanding of this legend’s journey. 

On page 136 of the book contains the records of Bonds’ postseason games and the bad times he was going through. It is natural to have a Postseason out of track, but in Bonds’ case, it was more than one in a row. Even the author mentioned, “One awful playoff series was bad luck. But two in a row?” he keeps adding, “The label stuck to Bonds, so much so that when rivals wanted to take a shot at the Pirates star, they knew where to aim.”

As an example of this instance, the author included a brutal mockery from his contemporary rival and once-fellow, ex-Los Angeles Dodgers’ player Darryl ‘Straw’ Strawberry. This fierce hitter mentioned, “He’s not done anything in the postseason,” With a bit of boasting and mockery, he added, “I’ve got a [World Series] ring. What does he have? He’s a joke.”

This statement clearly shows his rivals don’t count on his achievements to mock him. They are well aware of his weak points to hit. His postseason failures have led to criticism from the media and newspapers that the Pirates may not renew his contract.

Bonds’ Failures in Postseason Affected His Contract and Career?

In the same book, just after Strawberry’s quote, Jeff Pearlman has added another instance where a renowned newspaper published an article with a headline, Bonds play for pay: postseason can affect next contract. The article’s account read, “He also is playing for next year’s salary. And the year after. And the one after that. The impression he makes in this seven-game set will be indelible and could have an impact on his potential earnings.”

Also Read: How Barry Bonds “Resented” His Father but “B**ched” About Never Seeing Him

Nicknamed “Mr. Noctober,” this MLB star soon recovered his performance with “one home run and two RBIs in 23 at-bats.” The 7x MVP’s focus has always been on this game and wasn’t affected by the pressure the media and teammates created on him. 

Players often suffer from impaired performance states; Barry Bonds isn’t an exception. Though he has shined through most games of his life, some failures hit him hard. 

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