Barry Bonds, baseball’s all-time home run leader with 762 career homers, recently weighed in on Shohei Ohtani’s dominance in today’s game. At the 39:40 mark of a recent interview on Matt Barnes and Stephen Johnson’s ‘All The Smoke’ podcast, Bonds reflected on how the sport has evolved, contrasting his era with the present-day freedom players enjoy.
“The game has just changed,” Bonds said. “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 was a different game back then.”
Bonds pointed out that today’s players can celebrate their success without fear of retaliation—something unheard of during his time. He also noted that hitters today benefit from more extensive batting practice and the ability to showcase emotion on the field.
“These guys hit more than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime,” he said. “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. 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.”
Despite the differences in baseball’s culture, Bonds didn’t hold back in praising Ohtani’s talent.
“The pitching and hitting has been outstanding for what he’s done,” Bonds said. “Base running. He’s a complete player. There’s no doubt about the type of player he is and what he’s accomplished in his career.”
A seven-time MVP and 14-time All-Star, Bonds understands what it takes to dominate the game, making his recognition of Ohtani all the more significant.