In division race, booing Bonds makes sense

Sports

Email | Print | Subscribe

Click-2-Listen

By Kevin Brewer
August 6, 2007

San Diego Padres fans should have booed Barry Bonds on Saturday night when he hit his 755th home run.

But they shouldn't have booed him because he tied Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.

They shouldn't have booed him because he might be a bad guy.

And they shouldn't have necessarily booed him because of the steroid suspicions around him.

Padres fans should have booed him because he plays for the opposing team, a division rival.

They should have booed him because the Padres are in a pennant race, and any home run, especially in a one-run game, is a direct threat to their team's playoff chances.

They should have booed him because Bonds slugs .683 with 87 homers in 861 career at-bats against the Padres. That's 23 more homers than against any other team.

Booing, in this instance, is just good baseball.

Click-2-Listen