Watch: LA Angels give All-Star shortstop Corey Seager the Barry Bonds treatment by walking him intentionally, third such play in the history of MLB
Pitcher Austin Warren of the Los Angeles Angels had a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning when Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers stepped up to the plate. The Angels had one out in the inning and were trailing by a score of 3-2.
When Corey Seager walked up to the plate, Angels manager Joe Maddon told Warren to intentionally walk him, even though the bases were loaded. It's one of the most bizarre decisions ever.
The B̶a̶r̶r̶y̶ ̶B̶o̶n̶d̶s̶ Corey Seager treatment. https://t.co/Nfs1RHAiR2
"TheBarry BondsCorey Seager treatment." - @ Texas Rangers
Why did Joe Maddon decide to give Corey Seager the Barry Bonds treatment?
Mike Trout was rather confused of Joe Maddon's decision. https://t.co/uL7LclnXVL
"Mike Trout was rather confused of Joe Maddon's decision." - @ TrueRGM
Many were confused, including outfielder Mike Trout.
Why did Corey Seager get the Barry Bonds treatment?
Before we talk about the why, let's see what the Barry Bonds treatment is.
Barry Bonds treatment refers to when the Arizona Diamondbacks intentionally walked Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning, when the Diamonbacks were winning by a score of 8 to 6 with two outs.
The manager of the Diamonbacks at the time, Buck Showalter, felt that walking Bonds and giving up just the one run was better than giving him a chance to win it with a walk-off.
While Buck Showalter's decision paid off for the Diamondbacks, as they were able to hold on and win by a score of 8-7, the Angels decision did not exactly do the same.
First of all, the Angels were trailing in the game. No team has ever intentionally walked a player with the bases loaded while trailing in the live ball era of MLB (1920-present day). The only other team do so were the Buffalo Bisons in 1881.
LA #Angels Joe Maddon becomes the first manager to order an intentional walk with the bases loaded while trailing in a game since Jim O'Rourke of the Buffalo Bisons on Aug. 2, 1881.
"LA #Angels Joe Maddon becomes the first manager to order an intentional walk with the bases loaded while trailing in a game since Jim O'Rourke of the Buffalo Bisons on Aug 2, 1881." - @ Bob Nightengale
Joe Maddon must have felt that he did not want Corey Seager to blow the game wide open with a grand slam, but the decision still calls for questioning.
After the Angels walked Seager, the team gave up two more runs in the inning. Despite this crazy sequence, the Angels were able to claw back and win the game by a score of 9-6. This is not the first time Joe Maddon has intentionally walked someone with the bases loaded. Maddon did it in 2008 while manager of the Tampa Bay Rays with Josh Hamilton at the plate.
The intentional walk decision did not pay off and will be questioned for many years to come. While the team did get the victory, it was not due to Maddon's questionable decision.