Maddux in a Pickle
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by K Walker
Greg Maddux is set to face the Giants and he main question everyone is asking is will Greg walk Barry Bonds? Personally I think walking Bonds is a smart move to the naked eye because of the home runs but statistically it is a flop.
Barry is only averaging .270 this year and I am not a Bonds fan much anymore but walking Bonds is going to slowdown the inevitable. I was watching ESPN today and a poll was taken about how many people are sick of hearing about the Bonds home run situation. 42 of 48 states polled do not care any more they are sick of hearing about it. 2 of the remaining states were neutral. People in 4 states care about Bonds' home run right now, I’ll say it again because it bears repeating, 4 STATES! Me, personally I fell out of my chair laughing when I heard this.
But getting back to Maddux, my opinion is I would do what the situation calls for. I think that all Bonds is focused on is hitting the HR. I do not think Bonds is focused on getting hits for his team, just cranking the long ball.
Greg is my favorite pitcher and if anyone can strike Bonds out it is going to be him (Smoltz could do it too but since Greg is no longer with the Braves I lost a slight amount of respect for the Braves for letting him go). I say go for it Maddux, pitch to Bonds and if it happens it happens fear of a HR cannot stop you from being a good pitcher. But as Tony Mercurio mentioned on ESPN Radio 1310 today "when did pitchers become pansies." Bring someone out of the Bullpen that will pitch to Bonds and lets get this stuff over with.
