Barry Bonds: Shohei Ohtani 'complete player' but 'game is way different'

Shohei Ohtani’s greatness can’t beryllium overstated enough, but different all-time large hitter successful shot thinks the crippled is simply a spot easier for the Los Angeles Dodgers prima compared to his clip successful MLB. 

Barry Bonds, arguably the top hitter of each time, appeared connected the "All The Smoke" podcast wherever helium shared his content that ballplayers person it easier successful the batter’s container compared to his clip successful the league from 1986-2007. 

"The crippled has conscionable changed," Bonds said. "The crippled is mode antithetic than it was erstwhile I played. The aforesaid mode Michael (Jordan) talks astir it oregon anybody does. Ohtani is not gonna deed 2 location runs without seeing 1 spell (by his ear) successful my generation. I don't attraction what helium does. He's not gonna bargain 2 bases without idiosyncratic decapitating his kneecap to dilatory him down. It's a antithetic crippled backmost then."

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Former MLB subordinate Barry Bonds looks connected successful the skills situation during All-Star Saturday Night up of the 2025 NBA All Star Game astatine Chase Center. (Kyle Terada-Imagn Images)

Bonds has a point regarding intentional pitches thrown up and successful connected batters to springiness them a scare – the crippled has regressed successful that facet connected the pitcher’s mound. 

However, Bonds isn’t trying to instrumentality distant what Ohtani has been capable to execute since Ohtani came implicit to the States from Japan.

"The pitching and hitting person been outstanding for what he's done," Bonds said of Ohtani. "Baserunning. He's a implicit player. There's nary uncertainty astir the benignant of subordinate helium is and what he's accomplished successful his career."

BARRY BONDS, DESPITE COMPLICATED LEGACY, TO BE INDUCTED INTO PIRATES HALL OF FAME

But the constituent inactive stands successful Bonds’ eyes: In a crippled wherever celebrating location runs is encouraged present alternatively of frowned upon, Ohtani doesn’t person to interest astir retaliation – astatine slightest not similar helium would person successful the past. 

"They should beryllium amended than america hitting-wise, due to the fact that they tin deed a location run, propulsion their bat up successful the air, tally around, get a taco, travel backmost down and person a limo thrust them around," Bonds said, jokingly. "All these antics that we weren't allowed to do. 

"If I did thing similar that, I'm gonna spot a star. I'm gonna spot a hospital, but I ain't gonna spot shot that day."

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates arsenic helium runs the bases for his solo location tally during the ninth inning of a shot crippled against the Washington Nationals astatine Nationals Park, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, successful Washington. The Dodgers won 4-1. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Bonds, of course, is simply a polarizing erstwhile prima wrong the crippled of baseball, owning the astir location runs ever, breaking Hank Aaron’s grounds with his ain 762 implicit his illustrious career. 

Despite being considered arguably the top hitter of each time, Bonds remains retired of the Baseball Hall of Fame successful Cooperstown, New York owed to being a cardinal fig successful MLB’s steroids scandal. 

Bonds was indicted successful 2007 connected perjury charges arsenic good arsenic obstruction of justness for allegedly lying successful beforehand of a expansive assemblage during the government’s probe into BALCO, a main shaper of an undetectable steroid that was moving rampant successful the league. 

The perjury charges were yet dropped, but Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justness successful 2011. He had to combat until helium was exonerated connected entreaty successful 2015. 

During that time, Bonds’ 10 years of eligibility connected the Hall of Fame ballot didn’t spot voters giving him the 75% acceptance complaint to beryllium an inductee, immoderate of which stating they wouldn’t ballot for him owed to the content helium utilized PEDs.

San Francisco Giants fable Barry Bonds smiles earlier the MLB crippled betwixt the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants astatine Oracle Park. (Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images)

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Ohtani was caught up successful his ain ungraded this past offseason, though helium was the unfortunate alternatively than the culprit. 

Ohtani’s erstwhile interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was recovered to beryllium stealing millions from the Dodgers star’s slope relationship to screen gambling losses. Federal prosecutors asked for a 57-month situation condemnation portion besides asking Mizuhara to wage $16.9 cardinal of restitution to Ohtani and different $1.1 cardinal to the IRS.

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