Van Slyke vs. Bonds

[Gooch]

Andy Van Slyke seems to really hate Barry Bonds! Everytime I see Van Slyke on TV or read an interview of his, he seems to really have it in for Bonds (and I think his hostility precedes the steroid rumors engulfing Barry). I don't live in the Pittsburgh area and have never even visited the area, so I don't follow your local sports/news scene. So, what's the story? Did Andy and Barry dislike each other back in the day? Thanks

[jfine]

Bonds and Van Slyke never liked each other back in the day but Bonds was more vocal about it. During the 1991 and 1992 seasons, it was not unusual for Bonds to publically bash Andy in the Pittsburgh papers and allege that Andy's popularity was due to racism by the fans and organization. He used to call Andy things like "The Great White Hope" and "Jerry Cooney". I don't recall that Andy would ever really fight back - he usually took the high road. It seems that he usually shrugged it off as "Barry being Barry". I think Barry's bashing of Van Slyke had to do with the fact that Andy was just a more popular player even though he was not as talented as Barry. I think that killed Barry's ego. But Barry's ego wouldn't allow him to see the fact that his public bashing of his teammates just made him more unpopular, regardless of how talented he was on the field and it had nothing to do with race.

I'll never forget the comment he made after Bonilla came back to play in Three Rivers Stadium after leaving to go to the Mets in 1992. The Pirates offered him over $5 mil a year, but Andy was getting $4 mil and Bonilla felt he deserved much more money than Andy so he went to the Mets. (Of course, the Pirates were a small market team that couldn't give him the tons of money he wanted.) When he came back to play against the Pirates, the fans booed him and mocked him by waving money in the air. After the game, Bonds said this: "It's a black thing, of course. Are you telling me that the fans would have done the same thing to Andy Van Slyke, Mr. Pittsburgh? Bobby and Andy don't get along. And I bet that Van Slyke won't have anything to say about Bobby this weekend because he knows that Bobby can walk in here and beat the s--- out of him. He couldn't have done it last year. No one on this team can touch Andy. If you do, they'll release. I guarantee it."

I have to think that comments like that bothered Andy, even if he didn't say anything. However, all these years later, maybe Andy doesn't care anymore and doesn't mind bashing Barry. Barry certainly deserves it.

[KCGHOST]

A lot of the Barry apologists try to twist the truth about him. They claimhe is picked and that the media takes things out of context. The guy earned his reputation as a boorish lout.

[moebarguy]

Barry Bonds is a classless person. Period.

[KCGHOST]

In the interest of fairness I must admit that while Bond is a boorish lout that doesn't mean he is always wrong.

[jfine]

I'll give you that - there may have been times when he was right, but I think most of his comments back in Pittsburgh were unfair or made to ruffle feathers. I'm not sure he even believed half the s--- he said. I've even seen him in interviews back then express that he wished he could learn to keep his mouth shut sometimes, but I just think Barry loves attention whether it be positive or negative - it feeds his ego. It's too bad too because he was such a great player. Now he's over-the-hill and pathetic. Can't even play a position anymore because of his knees, but he won't retire - more ego. I bet he won't even make it to the end of this season though. What good is a DH in the National League?

[Old Hoss Radbourn]

One of my friends came up through the Pirates system with Bonds and always hated him. So did most of his teammates. And this was when the only reason he had to be arrogant was being the son of Bobby Bonds and a high draft pick. And just the opposite of fine wine, he's gotten worse with age. :grouchy

[Bob Sacamento]

Barry Bonds is a classless person. Period.

Yet someone gave him his own reality TV show that's going to be on ESPN2.

[TonyStarks]

Yet someone gave him his own reality TV show that's going to be on ESPN2.

I hope it goes ala Heather Graham's show....1 Episode and Cancelled.
Or Kristin Cavaleri (Laguna Beach) 2 Episodes and cancelled.


I really hate the way ESPN has turned into MTv Sports.

[johnny]

Andy Van Slyke seems to really hate Barry Bonds! Everytime I see Van Slyke on TV or read an interview of his, he seems to really have it in for Bonds (and I think his hostility precedes the steroid rumors engulfing Barry). I don't live in the Pittsburgh area and have never even visited the area, so I don't follow your local sports/news scene. So, what's the story? Did Andy and Barry dislike each other back in the day? Thanks

andy is to barry what will clark is to rafi.
i'm guessing that both andy and will know the deal and are more than a little happy to watch the wheels come off.

[Blackout]

Bonds and Van Slyke never liked each other back in the day but Bonds was more vocal about it. During the 1991 and 1992 seasons, it was not unusual for Bonds to publically bash Andy in the Pittsburgh papers and allege that Andy's popularity was due to racism by the fans and organization. He used to call Andy things like "The Great White Hope" and "Jerry Cooney". I don't recall that Andy would ever really fight back - he usually took the high road. It seems that he usually shrugged it off as "Barry being Barry". I think Barry's bashing of Van Slyke had to do with the fact that Andy was just a more popular player even though he was not as talented as Barry. I think that killed Barry's ego. But Barry's ego wouldn't allow him to see the fact that his public bashing of his teammates just made him more unpopular, regardless of how talented he was on the field and it had nothing to do with race.

I'll never forget the comment he made after Bonilla came back to play in Three Rivers Stadium after leaving to go to the Mets in 1992. The Pirates offered him over $5 mil a year, but Andy was getting $4 mil and Bonilla felt he deserved much more money than Andy so he went to the Mets. (Of course, the Pirates were a small market team that couldn't give him the tons of money he wanted.) When he came back to play against the Pirates, the fans booed him and mocked him by waving money in the air. After the game, Bonds said this: "It's a black thing, of course. Are you telling me that the fans would have done the same thing to Andy Van Slyke, Mr. Pittsburgh? Bobby and Andy don't get along. And I bet that Van Slyke won't have anything to say about Bobby this weekend because he knows that Bobby can walk in here and beat the s--- out of him. He couldn't have done it last year. No one on this team can touch Andy. If you do, they'll release. I guarantee it."

I have to think that comments like that bothered Andy, even if he didn't say anything. However, all these years later, maybe Andy doesn't care anymore and doesn't mind bashing Barry. Barry certainly deserves it.

good read, i never knew about that story

[Gooch]

Thanks for all your responses. It seems that now in light of the recent ugly revelations, Van Slyke has won his war with Bonds.

[scootermojo]

Bonds and Van Slyke never liked each other back in the day but Bonds was more vocal about it. During the 1991 and 1992 seasons, it was not unusual for Bonds to publically bash Andy in the Pittsburgh papers and allege that Andy's popularity was due to racism by the fans and organization. He used to call Andy things like "The Great White Hope" and "Jerry Cooney". I don't recall that Andy would ever really fight back - he usually took the high road. It seems that he usually shrugged it off as "Barry being Barry". I think Barry's bashing of Van Slyke had to do with the fact that Andy was just a more popular player even though he was not as talented as Barry. I think that killed Barry's ego. But Barry's ego wouldn't allow him to see the fact that his public bashing of his teammates just made him more unpopular, regardless of how talented he was on the field and it had nothing to do with race.

I'll never forget the comment he made after Bonilla came back to play in Three Rivers Stadium after leaving to go to the Mets in 1992. The Pirates offered him over $5 mil a year, but Andy was getting $4 mil and Bonilla felt he deserved much more money than Andy so he went to the Mets. (Of course, the Pirates were a small market team that couldn't give him the tons of money he wanted.) When he came back to play against the Pirates, the fans booed him and mocked him by waving money in the air. After the game, Bonds said this: "It's a black thing, of course. Are you telling me that the fans would have done the same thing to Andy Van Slyke, Mr. Pittsburgh? Bobby and Andy don't get along. And I bet that Van Slyke won't have anything to say about Bobby this weekend because he knows that Bobby can walk in here and beat the s--- out of him. He couldn't have done it last year. No one on this team can touch Andy. If you do, they'll release. I guarantee it."

I have to think that comments like that bothered Andy, even if he didn't say anything. However, all these years later, maybe Andy doesn't care anymore and doesn't mind bashing Barry. Barry certainly deserves it.

100% true! i grew up reading in the local papers everyday what barry would say and andy, being the classy person he is, wouldn't say anything yet barry would just yap and yap and yap. funny how barry thought he wasn't respected around here because he was and greatly appreciated. remember when he hit that homer off of lee smith in the bottom of the ninth to win that game in pittsburgh in '92...the one where as soon as he hit it he raised his arms in the air? i was at the next game they played and got there early to watch BP. as soon as he walked onto the field he got a standing ovation from the 5 or 6 thousand that was there. when they were announcing the lineups during pre-game he got another ovation and when he first came to bat he got the same thing again! yeah, he wasn't respected and it was a racial issue...please...he's just a sorry, dellusional and insecure person.

one last thing...do you remember what andy had to say about barry's commments when he called him "mr. pittsburgh"? typical andy...all he said was, "i'm not mr. pittsburgh. mario lemieux is!" i still get a kick out of that today and barry had nothing to say about that! LOL

[jfine]

100% true! i grew up reading in the local papers everyday what barry would say and andy, being the classy person he is, wouldn't say anything yet barry would just yap and yap and yap. funny how barry thought he wasn't respected around here because he was and greatly appreciated. remember when he hit that homer off of lee smith in the bottom of the ninth to win that game in pittsburgh in '92...the one where as soon as he hit it he raised his arms in the air? i was at the next game they played and got there early to watch BP. as soon as he walked onto the field he got a standing ovation from the 5 or 6 thousand that was there. when they were announcing the lineups during pre-game he got another ovation and when he first came to bat he got the same thing again! yeah, he wasn't respected and it was a racial issue...please...he's just a sorry, dellusional and insecure person.

one last thing...do you remember what andy had to say about barry's commments when he called him "mr. pittsburgh"? typical andy...all he said was, "i'm not mr. pittsburgh. mario lemieux is!" i still get a kick out of that today and barry had nothing to say about that! LOL

I do remember that home run off Lee Smith - it was beautiful! I agree with you that the fans in Pittsburgh truly appreciated everything Barry did for them and know that there could not have been 3 straight division titles without Barry. Most of this crap was all in Barry's head.

Also - I forgot about Andy's comeback on the Mr. Pittsburgh comment. That was classic Andy. I hope we get more great quotes from him now that he's back in the game as a coach for my Tigers. I wish there were more players like him who liked to kid around and have fun off the field while playing hard on the field. I still fondly remember all of his dugout antics - he always seemed to know when the camera was on him, and he usually used it to his advantage...

[Goooooo]

It was a rivalry. Andy was just jealous of bonds incredible baseball skills. Bonds is just an idiot who has beef with everyone. He had the same problems with kent.