{"id":552397,"date":"2026-03-29T13:58:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T13:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/552397\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T13:58:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T13:58:22","slug":"could-the-slumping-giants-use-advice-from-barry-bonds-i-hope-hes-around-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/552397\/","title":{"rendered":"Could the slumping Giants use advice from Barry Bonds? \u2018I hope he\u2019s around soon\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want more ways to catch up on the latest in Bay Area sports? Sign up for the Section 415 email newsletter here<\/a> and subscribe to the \u201cSection 415″ podcast <\/a>wherever you listen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At this point, perhaps it would be helpful if Barry Bonds were around the Giants. It never hurts to seek advice from baseball\u2019s greatest hitter since Ted Williams.<\/p>\n

The offense struggled again in Saturday\u2019s 3-1 loss to the Yankees at Oracle Park, leaving new manager Tony Vitello and the Giants with a record of 0-3 and a fan base wondering what in the world is wrong with the bats.<\/p>\n

For the first time in their 144-year history, the Giants scored just one run in their first three games. Also, it was the first time since 1949, when they were housed at New York\u2019s Polo Grounds, that they scored just once in any three-game series at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, we didn\u2019t get the big hit again,\u201d said shortstop Willy Adames, who went 1-for-11 with five strikeouts in the series. \u201cThese first three games didn\u2019t go like we wanted, but that\u2019s how baseball goes. Obviously we didn\u2019t want to start the season like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The way Giants hitters were dominated by Yankees pitchers the past three games, there might have been little Bonds could have offered that would have made a difference. But who knows? He was a fixture at Oracle Park much of last season and would often slip into the batting cage just behind the home dugout, before weeknight games, and be available to hitters and coaches smart enough to ask about his speciality.<\/p>\n

Over the years, many hitters have publicly attributed information they received from Bonds for succeeding in the batter\u2019s box. Probably countless more examples surfaced that never became public.<\/p>\n

That resource is not currently available. The Standard reported on March 20 that Bonds\u2019 contract as a special adviser expired<\/a> in December, and he and the Giants have not reached a new agreement.<\/p>\n

Do players wish Bonds could be present again? Of course. Including the team\u2019s newcomers who have never got a chance to work with the seven-time MVP.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to meet him first and see what he can tell me, see what we can talk about hitting,\u201d said second baseman Luis Arr\u00e1ez, a three-time batting champion. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to meet him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Center fielder Harrison Bader said, \u201cHe\u2019s the greatest hitter of all time. It\u2019s not even close. I\u2019d love to shake the greatest hitter of all time\u2019s hand. I\u2019d love to say hello. We know he\u2019s got stuff going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like Arr\u00e1ez and Bader, the two biggest offseason hitting acquisitions, outfielder Jared Oliva and catcher Daniel Susac haven\u2019t met Bonds.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be able to meet Barry Bonds would be awesome,\u201d Oliva said. \u201cI would love to pick his brain and talk about hitting and his career. I think I could definitely pick up a couple of things. You\u2019d be crazy if you didn\u2019t want to meet one of baseball\u2019s greatest players of all time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Susac was born in 2001, the year Bonds set the single-season homers record, and their paths never crossed even though Susac\u2019s brother, Andrew, was a Giant in 2014 and 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope he\u2019s around soon,\u201d Susac said. \u201cI\u2019d like to talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ThreeBonds talks with Matt Chapman in the Giants\u2019 dugout before a game at Oracle Park in 2025. | Source: Suzanna Mitchell\/San Francisco Giants\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Bonds has been with the Giants since 1993, the year he signed a record free agent contract and won the third of his seven MVP awards. His final season as a player was 2007, and since then, he has had a series of contracts with the team starting with a 10-year personal services contract.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare for Bonds not to be associated with the Giants after 34 years. The team hopes to strike a new deal in the next month, but it\u2019s tricky.\u00a0<\/p>\n

1 day ago<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

4 days ago<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday, Mar. 20<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Other Giants legends are receiving accolades in the coming months and years. Jeff Kent will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in July, and Buster Posey, Bruce Bochy, and Dusty Baker all are eligible for induction in Cooperstown next year. The Giants will continue to try honoring their World Series heroes including Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum.<\/p>\n

Bonds, the greatest living Giant of all now that Willie Mays has passed, undoubtedly would like some assurances moving forward beyond a statue, which the team has promised, and where it\u2019s placed. Many Giants fans who experienced Barrymania have expressed on social media that he contractually deserves what he seeks.<\/p>\n

It was ironic during the season-opening series that Bonds appeared at the first game and Kent the second. No one could have predicted when they were teammates in the late 1990s and early 2000s that Kent would be inducted at Cooperstown before Bonds<\/a>, whose candidacy has been detoured because of his connection with performance-enhancing drugs.<\/p>\n

Bonds was present Wednesday but only to work for the Netflix broadcast on its pregame and postgame shows. Friday, Kent was honored by the Giants and tossed the ceremonial first pitch, then was escorted to the club level to check out a new display featuring Giants Hall of Famers. He\u2019s showcased more than anyone else with a large photograph and No. 21 jersey.<\/p>\n

\"TwoJeff Kent and Bonds led the Giants to a National League pennant in 2002.\u200b | Source: Donald Miralle\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

During the Netflix broadcast, Bonds revealed that he had never met Vitello, who was hired Oct. 22. Bonds congratulated him on the air and said he\u2019s happy for the former Tennessee coach.<\/p>\n

In retrospect, Bonds offered a message that hits home: \u201cYou\u2019re going to have eight-game losing streaks. You might have a 10- or 12-game losing streak, and it\u2019s going to be how he manages in those bad times. You don\u2019t have too many of those in college. We have 162 of those here in the big leagues, and you better be able to understand how to deal with your players when situations are not going well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, Vitello didn\u2019t use a single pinch-hitter in the series, and slugger Jerar Encarnaci\u00f3n never swung a bat. An opportunity arose in the seventh with a runner aboard and two outs. But Vitello kept Jung Hoo Lee in the game against sidewinding lefty Tim Hill even though Lee struggles against lefties. Predictably, Lee whiffed on three pitches.<\/p>\n

Afterward, Vitello said he didn\u2019t hit for Lee because \u201che\u2019s our guy.\u201d Vitello did summon a runner (Jared Oliva) for Adames in the ninth, which surprised the shortstop, who took a while to come off the field, just the second time in his career he was replaced by a pinch runner.<\/p>\n

Vitello: \u201cI know he doesn\u2019t want to come out of the game. You\u2019d hate to have a regret when you\u2019ve got the fastest guy I\u2019ve been around sitting in the dugout.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adames: \u201cTony makes the decision. He\u2019s the manager.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaron Judge hit his second homer in two games, a solo shot with two outs in the fifth, and Vitello said he considered intentionally walking him and admitted he would have done so if given another chance.<\/p>\n

Bonds said he\u2019s encouraged with the Giants\u2019 direction and their established veterans and is rooting for Vitello to succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a childhood dream of his, and we should honor that,\u201d Bonds said. \u201cWe should respect that, and time will tell what comes out of that. He doesn\u2019t pick the players. He\u2019s not upstairs. He just needs to gain respect, do his job like he did at Tennessee, bring that same vibe here.\u201d<\/p>\n

So far, it has been a major disappointment. With or without Bonds, the Giants are off to a historically bad start. They\u2019re off Sunday and start a three-game series Monday in San Diego, still waiting for the first win of their manager\u2019s career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Want more ways to catch up on the latest in Bay Area sports? Sign up for the Section…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":552398,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[16732,363,2329,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-552397","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-barry-bonds","9":"tag-mlb","10":"tag-san-francisco-giants","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/552397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=552397"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/552397\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/552398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=552397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=552397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=552397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}