I saw something the other night I had never heard of before. Bottom of the fourth inning, man on second, one out, the Colorado Rockies gave an intentional walk. This isn't unusual, it was Barry Bonds after all, but they did it with the score 6-1. The Giants were winning.

I was trying to think if I'd ever heard of such a thing and the answer was, no. Barry Bonds is the most feared man in baseball. Ever.

I wanted to make sure about this so I pulled a statitic out. This is the previous best combination of batting, on base and slugging averages I could find. .376 .532 .847 That gets an OBPS of 1.378 (there's some rounding in the actual numbers so it comes out .001 points off). That's Babe Ruth in 1920, what is arguable his best season, and statistically by far his best. Bonds through the first half of the year is doing this, .354 .622 .796 1.417.

Keep in mind, there are only THREE people who have ever broken 1.250 (Ted Williams is the third) and Bonds isn't just beating Ruth, he's beating him handily, and so far ahead of everyone else it isn't funny.

Who else currently stands out? Sammy Sosa? He pulled in a 1.172 one year and has been over 1 a couple times, but he's not close. Junior? Never made a 1.1. How about Big Mac, he of the broken record (before Bonds kicked it to the curb) his best season was 1.222. Not shabby by any stretch, but not even close. Mays? His best season was 1954 and it doesn't make 1.1. Hammerin Hank? At his absolute best, not a 1.1.

Barry destroyed Ruth's walks record years ago. This season he may get walked so many times he won't be eligible for the batting title. A few years ago I thought, as a baseball fan, I'm lucky to be living now, because so many great players are playing right now. I was right, but didn't know I was also getting a chance to see the absolute best.

Hate him or not, no one has ever put up numbers like these.

For sources check www.baseball-reference.com and a very good article on this from the 2001 season at www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1205