Barry Bonds – 2002
When looking back at the MLB in 2002, the league belonged to Barry Bonds. Ahead of the 2002 season, Bonds resigned a five-year, $90 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. This was one year after Bonds broke the single-season home run record, hitting 73 in 2001.
Bonds took home the 2002 NL MVP award after hitting a career-high .370 and added 46 home runs. The league’s pitchers quivered in fear when the slugger came to the plate. He drew an MLB-record 198 walks that season with 68 of them coming intentionally.
Throw out the logic of throwing strikes. When Bonds was at the plate, especially with runners on, it was better to give him the free pass then watch him clobber home runs.
And this trend continued into the postseason. Throughout the postseason, Bonds walked 27 times in 74 plate appearances, 13 intentionally. Yet, the slugger did everything in his power to win his only championship that season.
Bonds hit eight home runs throughout the 2002 postseason, including four times in the seven-game World Series against the Los Angeles Angels.
2002 World Series. Game 2. Barry Bonds’ monster home run into right field.
— Randy Cruz (@randyjcruz) July 1, 2020
“That’s the furthest ball I’ve ever seen hit” - Tim Salmon pic.twitter.com/WRPq01tMcl
His game two moon-shot off closer Troy Percival was perhaps the most memorable. Of course, Bonds never won a championship in his illustrious career. Ultimately, the Angels prevailed in seven games. John Lackey was phenomenal in game seven, leading to a 4-1 victory and World Series title for the Angels.