Barry Bonds defeats Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich in Marlins hitting contest
Remember this guy?
There were 762 of those bad boys during Barry Bonds' 22-year career. But it was a career that ended nine years ago. Bonds is now 51 years old and the Marlins' new hitting coach.
Still, it's hard not to wonder whether the slugger could somehow help the team in some dream emergency scenario off the bench. Can he still hit? Is that don't-pitch-me-inside-i'll-obliterate-that-thing-to-the-moon swing still there? Judging from an impromptu batting practice challenge on the back fields of Roger Dean Stadium on Wednesday, yes --- yes, it is:
Barry Bonds just beat the Marlins players on a back field HR BP contest. Including Stanton.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) March 16, 2016
We spoke to Mish, who said Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich were definitely involved in the competition. Bonds hit at least four dingers and afterward, as any 51-year-old hitting contest winner has the right to do, told the rest of the group to "pick up the balls."
MLB.com's Joe Frisaro caught up with the group after the game, who said it was more of a team runs contest -- Bonds, Stanton and Yelich vs. Miguel Rojas, Jeff Mathis and Chris Johnson.
"We keep it under wraps. We weren't having a home run derby," Yelich said. "We were trying to make hard contact and get hits. It turned into who could score the most runs. If you hit a homer, it was a run."
Bonds hit the most -- followed by Stanton and Yelich -- leaving the others in awe.
"It was very impressive," Stanton said. "[Put] another 51-year-old out there and he probably snaps his back in half. That was probably one of the coolest things we've done."
When the hitting coach was asked about his participation in the event, he simply responded, "No comment."
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