Barry Bonds praised in return to San Francisco (Video)

Barry Bonds made his first trip to AT&T Park as the Miami Marlins hitting coach and the San Francisco Giants faithful were ecstatic about his return home.

Normally when the Miami Marlins come to town to play the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park, it’s no big deal. However, until 2016, the Marlins didn’t have Barry Bonds as their hitting coach as a part of Don Mattingly’s coaching staff.

Bonds maybe one of the most reviled superstars to have played in the Major Leagues of the last 25 years, but the guy could absolutely hit and the San Francisco faithful were ecstatic about his return to the Bay Area on Friday night.

Bonds was given the opportunity to deliver the lineup card instead of the Marlins’ skipper Mattingly on Friday night. Giants fans in attendance were beside themselves with joy, as Bonds was the face of the franchise from his arrival in 1993 MLB free agency to his retirement from the game after the 2007 MLB season.

Bonds is baseball’s all-time home run leader with 762, base on balls with 2,558, and intentional walks with 688. Of his 22 years in the big leagues, Bonds spent the last 15 with the Giants after becoming an MVP while initially with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He would win five of his seven National League MVP awards in a Giants uniform, including four straight from 2001 to 2004. Bonds will make the National League All-Star team 14 times, win 12 Silver Slugger Awards, and win eight Gold Gloves playing elite defense in left field.

Bonds returned to a Major League dugout for the first time as a member of Mattingly’s 2016 Marlins coaching staff after spending the last eight years away from the game. He may not be liked by most Major League teams for his cocky attitude and believed use of performance enhancing drugs, but it was a cool moment to see two teams that care a lot about him come together on Friday night in the Marlins/Giants series opener at AT&T Park.

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