“It kind of upset me a bit when you see guys blatantly scared to throw him a strike” - When Joe Beimel said that he was eager to take on Barry Bonds
Growing up in the Pittsburgh area, Joe Beimel idolized Barry Bonds during the latter's seven years with the franchise in the early 1990s. At the time, Beimel had no idea that one day, the pair would meet on the field.
In a 2007 article for the New York Times, writer Jack Curry caught up with Beimel, who was then a relief pitcher for the Dodgers. In the piece, Beimel outlined that while he still saw Bonds as a larger-than-life figure, his approach to the superstar did not deviate from other players:
"Obviously, I’ve got a lot of respect for him, that’s one of the main reasons why I’ve always tried to throw him strikes, mainly out of respect. If he’s going to do something, I want to give him a chance to do it. Not be scared and pitch around him.”
At that point, Barry Bonds was just 1-for-15 with a home run against Beimel. An eight-time NL walks leader, Beimel also discussed his disapproval with his counterparts pitching around Bonds, who was then in his final MLB season with the San Francisco Giants:
“It always kind of upset me a bit when you see guys blatantly scared to throw him a strike."
Despite the fortitude of his convictions, Beimel never had a chance to face Barry Bonds again. After Biemel's 2007 campaign as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bonds announced his retirement, finally closing the book on an ilustrious 22-year career in MLB.
Although Bonds set MLB records in both home runs and walks over his career, his legacy remains marred. On account of revealed steroid use, Bonds has never gained entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and is disliked by many for relying on performance-enhancing substances.
Joe Beimel remained a Barry Bonds fan to the end
In 2011, Biemel was able to pitch 35 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, his childhood team, and the one that Bonds made his MLB debut for. Further on in Curry's piece, Biemel spoke about Bonds' steroid use:
“I’m not saying he did it, obviously, I don’t know anybody who did it, except the guys who came out and said they’ve done it. I’m not going to judge anybody.”
Despite his approach to hitters and the overwhelming evidence of Barry Bonds using PEDs, Biemel had a respect and reverance for Barry that lasted well into his adult life.