Regardless of the feeling one has about Barry Bonds, one thing is unmistakable -- he's a lot of fun to watch. The same thing goes for Mets closer Billy Wagner, who spent parts of the past two seasons closing games here in Philadelphia.
So when the two went head to head in the bottom of the ninth inning with one on and two outs in a 7-5 game in San Francisco, it was more than just interesting theater. It was an event.
At least that's how it here in the press box at Citizens Bank Park where the scribes were glued to the TV sets and then broke into their Wagner impersonations when Bonds blasted a fastball over the fence in left-center.
Tie game.
And everyone does a Wagner impression.
Nevertheless, Bonds' homer off Wagner was the 711th of his career, which make it distinctly possible that baseball's Public Enemy No. 1 could head into next weekend's series against the Phillies ready to tie or break Babe Ruth's mark of 714 home runs.
The Giants have seven more games until they arrive in Philadelphia, with five of them at home against Arizona and San Diego, so obviously the team's brass wants Bonds to pass the Babe at home. Plus, after two games in Milwaukee and then the three in Philly, the Giants return home for a week. It would not be too surprising if Bonds has some sort of injury that weekend.
It's also worth noting that Babe Ruth's last game was played at the Baker Bowl, the Phillies old stadium that was located in North Philadelphia at Broad and Lehigh Ave. on May 30, 1935. As a player for the Boston Braves, the 40-year-old Ruth struck out in the first inning and then hurt his knee playing first base in the bottom half of the inning.
He walked off the field and never played again.
These days, the site of Babe Ruth's last game is a partially a gas station and mini-market.