I liked reading this quote from Prior after last night's game: "I wasn't going to back down from him at all,'' Prior said. ``Just because he's got 15-20 years in the big leagues and 600 homers and I have been in the league a little under a year doesn't mean I have to stop doing what makes me a professional.''

I have a lot of respect for Prior for saying this.

I think the quote shows why Prior is a good pitcher. He doesn't feel scared when facing Bonds and there are too many pitchers that before Bonds reaches the plate they are shaking in their boots about him.

I was kinda hesitant to jump on the Prior bandwagon but I think now that he is going to have a very good career and I do hope that it happens.

When you take a look at Bonds (look at his 1987 Topps rookie card, see how lean and trim he is) and look at him now, you see all that added bulk.

Then you look at all the equipment he wears (elbow pads, pads on ankles, etc).

Then you see him practically on top of home plate.

No wonder he's hitting more homers as he's getting older than when he was younger.

I love Mark Prior for going after Bonds and his protective gear.

Look at David Eckstein of the Angels. Dude is about 5'7", perhaps 175 lbs. sopping wet, and was hit by pitches a MLB leading 22-25 times last year. He's already on pace for that this year. Yet, he wears no elbow pads, no protective gears that Bonds does.

Pitchers have to start pitching Bonds inside; if he gets hit, that's the same as a walk.

I'd say Dusty Baker had something to do with Woods and Prior hitting Bonds 3 times during the last 2 games...b/c that's the way to get hitters out. You can't let the hitter have the inside and middle part of the plate.

Pitchers have to start pitching Bonds inside; if he gets hit, that's the same as a walk.

I'd say Dusty Baker had something to do with Woods and Prior hitting Bonds 3 times during the last 2 games...b/c that's the way to get hitters out. You can't let the hitter have the inside and middle part of the plate. [/B][/QUOTE]

Good point. Baker has to know what, if any, are Bonds' weakness(es).

Bonds has enough packaging, body weight and padding, to prepare himself for getting hit.

Does anyone know whether Bonds has always tried to own the inside of the plate or did this happen to occur when he started killing the ball.

Originally posted by plunge
I liked reading this quote from Prior after last night's game: "I wasn't going to back down from him at all,'' Prior said. ``Just because he's got 15-20 years in the big leagues and 600 homers and I have been in the league a little under a year doesn't mean I have to stop doing what makes me a professional.''

I have a lot of respect for Prior for saying this.

See, this to me doesn't get any respect. It's just a copp out for Prior. Now I would have respect for Prior if he came out and said that he wanted to hit Bonds, because the pitch showed he clearly did. A RHP doesn't screwup a pitch like that to hit a left handed batter.

Of course he's not going to say he wanted to hit Bonds. No one in baseball wants to be fined in the thousands.

I didn't watch the game but looking at the box score I see Bonds walked three times and was hit once. How can Prior say he didn't back down. Allowing a guy to reach base 4 out of 5 times whithout getting a hit isn't exactly going after him. I watched the game the other night and they started off pitching him away and he tatered to right-center. Then they tried to pitch him inside and he promptly deposited one in McCovey Cove. You throw this guy a pitch anywhere over the plate and there's a good chance he's gonna burn you. Prior knows that and that's why he never pitched to Bonds.

that is exactly the thing, because he on the plate pitchers try to be careful not to hit him and what happens a fat one over the plate and his bat speed in way to quick. so you try to paint the outside corner of the plate and opps you let one get to much of the plate and you can put it on the board.

bonds has done alot of work, I remember when he was with the pirates and he could even get a hit in the playoffs.

In other words, rather than adjusting to Bonds possession of the inside part of the plate, Prior is sending the message to adjust to him. We'll see what happens when the Giants come to Chicago. That should be an interesting series.

Originally posted by plunge
Does anyone know whether Bonds has always tried to own the inside of the plate or did this happen to occur when he started killing the ball.

Bonds only started moving towards the inside of the plate once he put that armor on. Why is that stuff even allowed in baseball? Or at least to the degree that Bonds has. And he only started moving in more once he began hitting the ball which was after he "bulked" up. But people tend to forget that 5 years ago nobody feared Bonds.

Originally posted by plunge
In other words, rather than adjusting to Bonds possession of the inside part of the plate, Prior is sending the message to adjust to him. We'll see what happens when the Giants come to Chicago. That should be an interesting series.

Although nobody likes to get beaned, Bonds will stand there all day long and continue to get hit if you want to give him a free pass to get on base. So Prior's so called message wasn't anything more than a beanball and a free pass.

Originally posted by IggyWH
See, this to me doesn't get any respect. It's just a copp out for Prior. Now I would have respect for Prior if he came out and said that he wanted to hit Bonds, because the pitch showed he clearly did. A RHP doesn't screwup a pitch like that to hit a left handed batter.

Prior is the greatest young pitcher currently in the Big Leagues. Prior will be a Hall of Famer and that quote took a lot of guts to say. I don't think it's a cop out for Prior, he said what was on his mind...I respect that. Plus, I can't stand Bonds, he's so cocky and just a jerk in general.

Tim

I like the quote because it's great to see the aggressiveness that makes a pitcher a Great pitcher. Only the likes of Gibson and Carlton would have that kind of bravado, which I wish other pitchers would have, confidence in themselves at the expense of hitters. While Clemens can be that way, I think he's been a little over-the-top--especially with Piazza.

I respect it, too. Prior is going to be an incredible star in the years to come. Can't wait to see him pitch more and more. I really like him.

Tim

Originally posted by IggyWH
Although nobody likes to get beaned, Bonds will stand there all day long and continue to get hit if you want to give him a free pass to get on base. So Prior's so called message wasn't anything more than a beanball and a free pass.

Well I'm sure it doesn't hurt Bonds because he's got all that armor on.

BUT if he doesn't mind so much. Then why is he always complaining about not being pitched to. I gotta that he wants to get on base with a walk but I've seen games with him hitting and if the ball doesn't go straight down the middle he doesn't swing at it. His at bats are SOOO boring if the guy doesn't hit a home run.

Sounds like he could be more pitched at than pitched to.

Originally posted by pwaldo
His at bats are SOOO boring if the guy doesn't hit a home run.

That's not because of Barry, that's because of these pitchers who have no balls (no pun intended) to actually go out and throw him good pitches!

All i know is SAMMY SOSA better get him some protective gear, I think they will be out for revenge the next time they meet.

Prior in my opinion did the right thing, If your going to hit one of the players in the league to prove a point "There is nobody more known than BARRY BONDS!!!!!

I think by him not backing down his point was made!

Not sure you want to go after Sosa.

One, he's a nice guy (Bonds is an arsehole to many folks, including his teammates).

Two, Sosa just got plunked with a fastball in the helmet, which broke the helmet in two.

Three...if Sosa is hit in the next Cubs-Giants series, you can bet starting pitchers and managers will be ejected right away, without warning.

Is it too much to ask for to see instead of Sosa beaned... why not bean Prior?

I agree podstock, Sosa is my favorite player to watch. If they do go after Sosa "I am only saying Sosa because he is the franchise like Bonds" We could very well see a bench clearing brawl.

This eye for an eye thing can get a little hairy sometimes like in this situation. Unfortunately this part of the game. If Prior pitches in the next series with SF, I agree with Iggy that he could get beaned.

Originally posted by IggyWH
That's not because of Barry, that's because of these pitchers who have no balls (no pun intended) to actually go out and throw him good pitches!

Well Barry is to blame for some of it. Like I said he only swings at pitches that go straight down the middle and when he doesn't get those pitches he doesn't swing at them. Then he complains about getting walked. Guys like McGwire and Sosa didn't get pitched too and they at least swung at some pitches. I don't care if he doesn't want to swing at what pitchers are throwing him but then he should stop complaining about it. Hell I saw Vlad Guerrero hit a HR off of a pitch that bounced off the ground.

Why swing at a bad pitch? That violates everything a batter has known all his life. Watch some game film on Tony Gwynn... Bonds takes up after him.

Originally posted by IggyWH
Why swing at a bad pitch? That violates everything a batter has known all his life. Watch some game film on Tony Gwynn... Bonds takes up after him.

I'm not saying he should swing at bad pitches but I just don't see why this guy is SO EXCITING to watch. Everyone says he is so exciting to watch yet I find him very boring.

I wish there were more pitches who would have the confidence to outsmart Bonds.