https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/04/16/david ... h-disaster

Samson: Barry Bonds's Stint as Marlins Hitting Coach Was 'Complete Disaster'

Former Marlins president David Samson called Barry Bonds's one-year stint as the franchise's hitting coach was a "complete disaster."

During an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, Samson explained on Thursday that he didn't want to hire Bonds, saying he was “not worth the squeeze.” But, he was overruled by former owner Jeffrey Loria.

"He had fun as a hitting coach because he would hang out with [Giancarlo] Stanton and give Stanton some pointers. But he was ineffective, completely," Samson said. "He would sleep in the clubhouse. He would not pay attention during games. He did not work hard. It was a complete disaster."

During his interview, Samson recalled that Bonds was combative and refused to accept less than $1.5 million—well above the typical salary for MLB hitting coaches.

“It was the worst interview I’ve ever been a part of,” said Samson. “Bonds was an absolute pain in the ass about pay because he knew he had the job.”


Most of Bonds's 2016 salary was reportedly paid off the books in an attempt to hide it from other employees. Miami deposited over $1 million in the former Giants and Pirates slugger’s private holding company.

However, the moment during Bonds's tenure that stood out the most to Samson was when the hitting coach stormed out of the facility as second baseman Dee Gordon apologized to the team after receiving an 80-game suspension due to a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.

Ironically, Bonds was a central figure in MLB’s steroid saga of the early 2000s

"Barry Bonds, in the middle of the clubhouse, he's standing toward the backdoor, he screams, 'This is crap!' and he walks out," Samson said on Le Batard's show. "I look at [general manager] Mike Hill and I say, 'Are you kidding me?' Like Barry Bonds just stormed out as though he can't believe one of the players did steroids? Is that really possible?"

Bonds had a reputation of being standoffish and difficult to work with, and according to Samson, it followed him to the Marlins.

“That’s what it was like. It was all about Barry. We had to do so many special things for him in terms of how we traveled, the hotel and the suite and the food, the money. It was just an absolute nightmare,” said Samson, who spent 16 years with the Marlins. “He didn’t sell a ticket, he didn’t do anything to benefit the team at all. There were certain relationships with certain players that were decent, but no one got better because of him.”

The seven-time NL MVP retired as a player in 2007 after 22 seasons. Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record in August 2007 and ended his career with 762 homers. He has yet to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

What a shock he was a lazy prick.

I've always believed Ron Kittles encounter with him.

Guy who made hundreds of millions wanted to be paid well and not work hard? Shocking.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Stop trying to keep the black man down!

Daily Southtown article said:
Ron Kittle is no fan of Barry Bonds — not after his tense encounter with the slugger at Wrigley Field in 1993. Here's an excerpt from Kittle's book, describing how he approached Bonds with a couple of Bonds' game-worn San Francisco Giants road jerseys, asking him to autograph them for an auction for Kittle's charity for children with cancer:

"I paid about $110 of my own money for them, so they could be auctioned off at the golf outing. I did that all the time for stars like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Derek Jeter and Roger Clemens. When I tell them how their autographs help the cause, every player gladly signs — with one exception.

I walked up to Bonds at his locker in the Wrigley Field visitors' clubhouse, introduced myself and said, "Barry, if you sign these, they'll bring in a lot of money for kids who need help."

Bonds stood up, looked me in the eye and said, "I don't sign for white people." If lightning hits me today, I will swear those were his exact words. Matt Williams and other Giants were in the room and they heard what Bonds said.

I stood there for a minute, and the veins in my neck were popping. I've only been that mad a few times in my life. I was going to beat the (heck) out of him, really kick his (butt), but Williams saw what was happening, so he came over and got between us. Matt said, "Ron, that's just the way he is."

I said, "White guys aren't the only ones who get cancer," but Bonds had turned his back on me and walked out of the clubhouse. Somebody must have run in and alerted Dusty Baker, who was the manager of the Giants then.

So Dusty came out of his office, put his arm around me, gave me a big old hug and said, "Aw, Kitty, he's just got that (bad) attitude again." Dusty gave me an autographed team ball for the auction, but I never got the Bonds jerseys signed. Later, I gave one of them to Scott Paulson, the Wilson sporting goods representative, and shredded the other one. But that day, I drove from Wrigley Field at about 150 miles per hour and sat there, fuming.

I'll never forget what that man said. So if Barry Bonds is looking for a breath of fresh air to live and I'm the only one who has to give it to him, unfortunately, the man will die. I just don't like guys like that."

Asked about the incident, Kittle replied, "It's a true story. How could I make up something like that?"

Bonds' spokeswoman declined comment on Kittle's story. A Giants team spokesman also declined comment.
To summarize: White folks are fine with Barry if they can provide pvssy, steroids or multi-million dollar contracts. White folks collecting charity items to auction for kids with cancer, not so lucky.

This is why you don't step foot in Cub Park.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Kittle wrote a book? Why?

My favorite story is Jim Leyland tearign Bonds a new asshole and Bonds just stood their like a little baby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9DHA2dJ7uQ

Bonds wasn't steroid crazed then, so even he knew that Leyland would kick the living hell out of him between smoke breaks.

Baseball needs Jim Leyland back in a dugout, even as a bench coach.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal