Best Reason to Hate Barry Bonds

Last year, the country finally settled on what to think of Bonds: He's an asshole, sure, but who cares when he hits .370? "Just baseball," wrote the New York Times Magazine, a bit sententiously. "Isn't that enough?" But something was left out of the whole argument, and we saw what it was in Game 6 of the World Series, Giants up 5-4, six outs away from a title, Angels runner on first. There's a bloop to left. Bonds bobbles the ball, then kicks it; the go-ahead run moves to second, eventually scores, and the Angels win 6-5. This isn't a petty complaint, either. Bonds' defense was atrocious throughout the Series. The former Gold Glover fumbled one-hoppers. He dogged it on soft liners (including one in the Angels' three-run third inning in Game 7). He moved like a guy posing for his Hall of Fame bust. Of course, Bonds' defenders point to his four home runs in the Series. What more could you want? they ask. To which we reply: Just baseball.