Controversy has been surrounding New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for the past two years as many baseball fans and purists think that he is a disgrace to the game. On Thursday, A-Rod hit his 655th career home run against the Toronto Blue Jays, which only puts him five home runs away from tying San Francisco Giants great Willie Mays.
When A-Rod does tie Mays, there will be a lot of disgust around the world of baseball as people are already mad at him since he admitted to using performance enhancing drugs and his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
But, there is one person, who is in A-Rod’s corner, none other than Mays’ godson, Barry Bonds, who has his own controversy to deal with.
Bonds spoke to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY about A-Rod’s upcoming accomplishment and how not only he will celebrate but everyone else should as well.
“My godfather means the world to me. I love him to a T,” Bonds told USA TODAY Sports in an hour-long telephone interview, “but when Alex hits No. 660, I’ll be happy for him. Willie will be happy for him. Everybody should be happy for him.
“Any time anybody in the game does something that’s a great accomplishment, the game of baseball should celebrate that.
“No matter what. Baseball is benefiting from that person’s hard work, so baseball should at least celebrate.”
This guy is not running for president of the United States,” Bonds said. “He’s not running for commissioner. We’re not running for political office. We’re just ballplayers.
“We’re not God. We’re imperfect people. We’re human beings.”
Bonds added towards the end of Nightengale’s piece saying “I can’t wait to until he hits 660. I know I’ll celebrate.”
We already know Major League Baseball and the Yankees will not recognize this feat when Rodriguez does tie Mays but at least he knows his buddy Barry has his back.