Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is one of the best hitters in baseball, but MLB’s all-time home run king thinks it’s a little easier now than it was in his heyday. Bonds appeared on the “All The Smoke” podcast and said players today have less to worry about at the plate.
When Bonds was asked about Ohtani’s brilliance, he did tip his cap to the 2024 NL MVP. Bonds said he admires Ohtani’s ability to excel in every aspect of the game.
“The pitching and hitting has been outstanding for what he’s done,” Bonds said. “Baserunning. He’s a complete player. There’s no doubt about the type of player he is and what he’s accomplished in his career.”
Despite that praise, Bonds asserted that hitting isn’t quite as difficult now because fewer pitchers are plunking hitters following home runs. Bonds said Ohtani wouldn’t have been able to hit multiple home runs without getting plunked in the old days.
“The game has just changed,” Bonds said. “The game is way different than it was when I played. The same way Michael (Jordan) talks about it or anybody does. Ohtani is not gonna hit two home runs without seeing one go (by his ear) in my generation. I don’t care what he does. He’s not gonna steal two bases without someone decapitating his kneecap to slow him down. It’s a different game back then.”
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Bonds added there is less retribution for celebrating home runs in today’s era. He claimed he would have been hospitalized for gloating after parking a ball in the stands.
“They should be better than us hitting-wise because they can hit a home run, throw their bat up in the air, run around, get a taco, come back down and have a limo drive them around,” Bonds said. “All these antics that we weren’t allowed to do. If I did anything like that, I’m gonna see a star. I’m gonna see a hospital, but I ain’t gonna see baseball that day.”
Another difference Bonds alluded to was how much batting practice players get today. He noted “these guys hit more than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime.”
The good news for Bonds, and his home run record, is that Ohtani still has 537 homers to go before catching Bonds. Even with the supposed advantages Ohtani has, that’s a tall task for any hitter.
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