November 16, 2004

Hello fans,

Yesterday was another memorable for me. My 7th MVP and 4th in a row... what can I say but wow! First things first. Thanks to all the fans who have sent in emails and to my friends and family who have called with kind words of congratulations. To the sports writers , we might have our differences, but I would like to thank you for your professionalism.

I can't really put this moment into words right now. I have been sitting here tonight with Tony going through the emails and still getting calls up until 11 p.m. Most likely once I retire, I will be able to think about it more. For now, my main goal is to win a World Series Title and do better next year.

I would like to send a special thanks out to my teammates and the fans of San Francisco who have always stood behind me. Contrary to what the media may say , I have a lot of respect for you fans. You really don't know how much I appreciate the energy you bring to the game.

Talk to you soon,

Barry

October 13, 2004

Hello fans,

The season is over for me and I would like to send a big thank you to all of you who have sent me emails and pictures. I'm very happy that I started the web site because it gave me a chance to get closer to my true fans. Reading emails while I was on the road or at home was always a great inspiration; when things weren't going so well I was able to read your well wishes and they helped change my outlook of things.

I've tried my by best to keep up with the shout outs but the emails were coming in faster than I could read them. In the off-season, I will review what we did on the site and work on making things better for you. I have many ideas and we will see what will make it on the site for Opening Day and Spring Training.

During the off-season, I will be in San Francisco, LA and the East Coast, spending time with my kids and attending some school functions. I will update the site with important things such as events and special moments. My email will however be working overtime because I want to answer more emails from fans. So don't be surprised if you wrote me in April and I'm only getting back to you now.

It's been an honor to celebrate my 660 and 700 milestones with all the fans around the world. The weekend I hit 700, I received emails from fans in Australia who watched it on MLBTV. Now that's a great feeling. I was just in my Gallery section on the site looking over the pictures from each of those milestones, and I have to say that the gallery is taking shape.

I would like to thank Team Barry (Rachael, Lisa, JB and Tony) and MLB. The fans loved it. I also want to thank my mom, for supplying "Pictures from the Past." It was nice to see some of those pictures myself. The funny thing about that is I was told that when the baby pictures were posted, email volume increased. Finally, I would like to thank all my licensees for getting to my fans fun and affordable products.

Well, that's it for now...back to emails and rehab for my knee. I will be 100% when the season starts.

Thanks again to all of you, my great fans,

Barry

October 3, 2004

Disappointing. What more can you say? Saturday was by the far the worst, blowing a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth and watching the Dodgers celebrate on their own home field. Knowing that the Astros were winning, and that we had blown our chance at taking the division and were now on the ropes in the Wild Card race.

The fact that today we were eliminated, well, I'd already dealt with the prospects of that. It's over. Behind you. That's baseball. You move on and process it all. Only a few teams make it every year and we're not one of them.

I've been there before. I watched the Braves do it to me twice when I was in Pittsburgh and we lost the seventh game of the Championship Series to them two years in a row -- 1991 and 1992. Then in 1993, my first year in San Francisco, we won 103 games. The Braves were still in the National League West back then and won 104. We were eliminated on the last day of the season back then, too. By the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Here we are in the same town, the same ballpark and in the same place again.

I watched the Cubs knock us out in a 1998 Wild Card playoff game, the Angels do it to us two years ago in the World Series and the Marlins knock us out in the first round in 2003. You go down to the last inning if you have to. This year we tried. We played hard. We had a good season and took it right down to the end. When it's over, there's nothing you can do.

People talk a lot about all my personal records and the fact that I've never won that World Series ring. I want both. I wouldn't trade anything I've done for anything else. You do what you need to do as a ballplayer when you go out on the field all year. Then whatever happens, happens. You know what I mean?

But there's no question, not winning it all, that's the one big gap. I'll take a couple of weeks off, get back to training and try again. Next year will be a big year. Chasing Babe Ruth and his 714 homers, Hank Aaron and his 755 after that. Chasing that ring, getting back to the World Series. That's what drives me to keep going.

Barry

October 2, 2004

What Ichiro did with that hits record is incredible. If he hadn't spent all those years playing in Japan, if he had left earlier, he would've given Pete Rose a run for his money. I truly believe that.

Pete had how many? Those 4,256 hits in his 24-year career. Ichiro has 912 in four years. He won't even come close and that's too bad. The Japanese should let their better players come over to the Major Leagues earlier. But you don't get true free agency until you've played 10 years over there. That's the rules and that's the way it is. So Pete's record is safe.

But Ichiro's single-season hits record stands right up there with all the rest of them. He broke a record that's been standing, for what, 84 years? How amazing is that? Before the season is over, he'll have more than 260 hits.

It's right up there with my 73 homers (in 2001) and any other single-season record. None are any tougher than the other. None is any better. A record is a record. Especially one that lasted that many years. When I set my record, Mark McGwire had just hit 70 homers in 1998. Babe Ruth hit 60 in 1927. Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. Then Mark 37 years later. Those were all major accomplishments. Just like my 73.

But George Sisler's 257 hits happened in 1920. And no one had done it since, not until Ichiro passed him on Friday night.

You separate the single-season records from the career accomplishments because career records represent consistency over such a long period of time. But for Ichiro, to come into the league and do what he has done, it's a shame that he won't be able to get there.

I've played baseball in Japan with the Major League All-Stars four or five times. Two years ago Ichiro was on the team, so I got to watch his discipline and work ethic up close. Over the years, you can just see the improvement in Japanese baseball. Ten years ago there weren't the quality position players there are now. Now, guys like Ichiro and (Hideki) Matsui are more than good enough to play over here. They come here and they leave their mark.

The hits record tells the whole story. Ichiro is proving he's one of the best players in the world.

Barry

September 30, 2004

The way I see it, the way the Wild Card in the National League is turning out and that American League West race, they have to be the best in history. It's not often that you get one race coming down to the last weekend, but this year there's two.

We could finish the season tied with the Cubs and Astros for the Wild Card. And the Angels and A's, that's going to be decided in Oakland by Sunday. One game to decide the season. I've been through that before in 1998 when we went to Wrigley Field and lost a Wild Card playoff game to the Cubs. Talk about dejected. To come that far and lose, man, that's demoralizing.

This month has been just crazy. It's like we've been playing a playoff game every day just to stay neck and neck with these other teams. You have to shut everything out. That's why I haven't been talking very much. It's too stressful. Too much. There's too much going on. That's why I turn my cell phone off. I sit in my hotel room. I won't accept any phone calls.

I just want to save as much energy as I can so we can play these last games. If we're going to win, let's win. But if we're going to lose, lose being prepared, you know what I mean?

Really, it's so hard to block it all out. It's right there in front of you every day. Who's playing who? What are the Cubs doing? What are the Astros doing? Do we still have a shot at the Dodgers to win the division title? It's why you need to save as much energy as you can.

You want to have enough energy to deal with playing must-win games every day, so you can concentrate every minute of the three to four hours you're out there on the field. Unfortunately, you have to stay away from the media, stay away from friends. I have to do stuff like that for these last few days. Conserve yourself. Do whatever you have to do.

Then you can get back to everybody after this is over. End of season. Playoff game Monday. Maybe another one on Tuesday. We'll know by then whether we go on to the next level. You can get back to everybody if you play longer.

Barry

September 26, 2004

I can't worry about winning the MVP in the National League. The writers pick that. It's not in my hands. And you shouldn't worry about anything you can't control. I've won six of them and it would be nice to win another, but it's not my top priority. Getting into the playoffs and back to the World Series is.

Everyone's stats stand for themselves. And just about every contending team in the league has a candidate. There's somebody on every team who's doing something to help win this race. The Dodgers have Adrian Beltre. The Cardinals have Albert Pujols. The Cubs have Moises Alou. Any one of them is deserving of winning this year. You play your game and let the chips fall where they may.

In the American League, how about what Gary Sheffield has done? He's had a phenomenal season over there for the Yankees. The Red Sox have got Manny (Ramirez). You know what I mean? It just goes on down the line.

And the weird thing is, the A's always keep winning, but nobody ever talks about an MVP over there. You had Miguel Tejada that one year. Maybe Jason Giambi back in the day. But no one else. Somebody has to be considered, maybe not numbers wise, but somebody has to be carrying that team. It's probably more the pitching staff over there than any particular offensive player.

Then you have to look at the Angels if they come back to win. And how about the Twins? You can't say Johan Santana. He's 20-6 with 260 strikeouts. But he comes out only once every five days, so somebody has to be carrying them the other four.

The bottom line is, whatever team gets to the World Series, that guy should win it. In our league and in the American League. I was born in this game. I'm too old to worry about that kind of stuff anymore.

I've seen crazier things happen with this MVP thing. I've been around long enough. Some years I've won it when, oops, I think somebody else deserves it. Other times, I thought I should have gotten it and I didn't. So who knows?

Barry

September 17, 2004

Tonight was unbelievable. You really can't put it in words to be in a class with those two great players, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. It's like you're dreaming and you're not dreaming. It's unreal. I don't know what to say about it.

You don't think you're going to be playing long enough to hit 500 homers, let alone playing long enough to hit 700 homers. You can't be more proud, doing things at home, doing things in front of your hometown fans and your friends and family.

Before it happens, it's hard not to think about it all the time. Everybody calls you up. Everybody's rooting for you to do well. I got caught up in it last weekend in Arizona and I took some chances on some pitches this week in Milwaukee. But on Thursday, the last day there, I wanted to get back into myself, make contact and hit the ball. We're in this race. I had to shut my phone off for a while and get back within myself and concentrate on us winning games.

In the first inning tonight, I'm up against the Padres' Jake Peavy. Last Friday in Phoenix, Randy Johnson, the great Diamondbacks left-hander, crushed me in the shoulder. That hurt. Peavy hit me in the same spot and I think that was worse. I can't even move my arm right now. Leading off the third inning, he threw me a curveball. It's a pitch he rarely throws to me. I took it for a strike. I almost bit a hole in my tongue because I couldn't have gotten a better pitch to hit.

I really didn't think he would come back with the same pitch. Peavy throws hard and he has a good changeup. I was just trying to protect the plate in that situation. But he happened to throw the exact same pitch in pretty much the exact same spot. I'm pretty sure he missed his spot. Once it got up in the air, I pretty much knew it had a chance to get out.

Getting to this point in my life has been a lot of hard work. I owe a lot of people thanks, my trainers and stuff. My parents. My wife and daughter, who's always there. My little one, Aisha, probably knows more about baseball than I do. Like I said, you really can't put it in words to realize where you're at in the game of baseball and what you've accomplished.

All I can say right now is that I still have some game left. It's a little overwhelming to realize what position I'm in -- 14 homers behind Babe Ruth. Hopefully I can stay focused, do it quietly and do good at it. That's all.

Barry

September 16, 2004

This is where we want to be. We're going home for our last nine regular-season games in San Francisco right in the thick of it in the National League West and Wild Card races. For some reason, I've hit all my milestone homers at SBC Park. So I figure my 700th homer will come sometime before we leave there for good this season.

I can't tell you how important this is. Teams that have been tough for us, like the Padres and the Dodgers, play us 12 times in our last 15 games. Add the Astros and Roger Clemens for that little bit of extra flavor and we'll have our work cut out. We're going to have to play harder than we've ever played.

You know the games are going to be sold out. It's always sold out at home. And that's a great feeling. We had to get there by having a great road trip through Colorado, Arizona and Milwaukee and we did. We won six of the eight games and lost the other two by one run each. Suddenly our pitching, particularly our starters, is really coming around.

I try not to think about it, really. I'm trying to rest now and save as much energy as I can. We're all trying to do that. Just keep ourselves focused and play good fundamental baseball. That's all you can do. You can't predict the future.

On Thursday, in our 4-0 win over Milwaukee, I just went back to basics myself. I was 0-for-6 during the first two games of the series and did enough of the little things to help us win. I swung at more pitches. I took more chances. Tried to do too much with them. Today, they threw me good pitches. There wasn't much else I could do. They were throwing me curveballs and changeups off the plate. So I just went with it. Hits, hits, hits and that's it. I'm just trying to stay ahead of Ichiro.

Now it's all on the line with two weeks to go until the end of the season. Anything can happen between now and then.

Barry

September 15, 2004

My 700th homer is going to come eventually, whether it's today, tomorrow or next year. As long as I'm still playing, I have a chance to do it. And I think I can hit one home run in the last 17 games. Right now, it's just about us staying ahead of these Cubs in the Wild Card race. It's not about my 700 home runs.

I mean, I hit 73 home runs in 2001 and we didn't make the playoffs. Sure, it was a great individual accomplishment, but then we went down by the wayside. And I don't want that to happen this year. Not with all the walks they've given me and how hard we've played. We've pushed so hard and we're still in this thing. I just don't want to go down by the wayside with all the attention about my 700 home runs.

The point is, I can do other things to help win games like I did when we beat the Brewers at Miller Park on Tuesday night. I scored the tying run in the game, scoring from second on Marquis Grissom's base hit to short center. And I shocked everyone by throwing out Bill Hall at the plate from left field. That would've tied the score in the sixth inning.

Man, I'm 40 years old and that play was just plain luck. I don't do stuff like that anymore. My arm will be dead for the next month now. I can only make one of those throws a year.

They need to give me my Gold Glove back. I have 11 outfield assists at 40; that's crazy. That's unheard of. It's ridiculous. If I get one, I should win the Gold Glove.

The single was just hit too hard. Hall's a fast runner, but I got the ball before he touched third. In those situations, you've got a chance to throw a guy out -- even me with a weak arm nowadays. And Miller Park is not that big. You get a chance to play shallower. In our ballpark in San Francisco, he probably would've scored no matter what. You've got to play further back because the ball can get hit over your head.

The throw was one hop to the plate. It's all I've got. In SBC Park, it would've been two or three hops.

It's those kind of things that win games. That's exciting baseball. That's as exciting to the fans as it is hitting home runs.

Barry

September 14, 2004

I have so much respect for what Hank Aaron went through 30 years ago. After he hit his 700th homer, that's when people realized he would pass the great Babe Ruth. That's when Hank started to get the death threats and hate mail. When he hit 700, it became a reality. He only needed 14 more. Kind of where I am right now.

But I don't have to deal with that situation. I got a little hate mail in 2001, the year I broke the single-season record and hit 73. But I don't go through the mail anymore. I let other people do it for me. They weed out all those things so it doesn't upset me and I can keep my mind clear. Hank handled it great. He wasn't going to allow people to scare him away from playing the game he loved. He broke the record and then some.

Hank blazed the trail in that respect for me, but Jackie Robinson blazed it for all of us. Hank was the last crusader from the old Negro Leagues, a real pioneer. It was Jackie and Hank and Willie Mays. They're our pioneers as African-Americans. They were No. 1. They will always be No. 1 because they're the people who changed the game and allowed it to be as diverse as it is today.

So matter what I do, in my mind, they will be No. 1. Always. That's part of history, like the first American president. Hopefully, I will just be a part of baseball history. But I won't be the first one, no matter whether I wind up hitting more home runs and passing Hank statistically.

The good thing, though, is that I will be one of them. Like one of the presidents. I will have my place in history, but I'm not sure what that will be yet. My place in history will be whatever place baseball gives me. It's not over yet. So there's no place for me right now. I look at it as a journeyman still on his journey. I won't know my place until the journey is over.

Barry

September 12, 2004

The last few games had been frustrating, I can tell you that. Before I came up in the ninth inning Sunday and hit No. 699, the Diamondbacks hadn't even been giving me much of a chance. You want to participate in your team's success or failure, whether you do well or you don't do well.

That's what's most important -- to take it on the chin or punch somebody in the chin. It's been hard. They made it very tough on me with all the walks, six in the three-game series. I hope it's better on Tuesday night when we play in Milwaukee.

I really wanted to do well here. Arizona is pretty much where my career began, playing college ball at Arizona State. This is where I really became recognized and was drafted by the Pirates. So I got a little bit frustrated not being able to participate in the games. I was trying to do everything to stay focused.

Because of it, I took a few more chances during certain at-bats. On Saturday night, I kind of jumped out of myself a little bit when I took a called third strike during the ninth inning. I fouled off two pitches. The first one I fouled off was probably a ball. I'm just trying to do something to stay in the game. If you don't start up your car, man, eventually the battery goes dead.

I'm just sitting over there rooting and hopefully we'll stay in this thing. But my car's got to start, too, every once in a while.

So in the ninth inning on Sunday, I was just trying to bear down. You go up there and you never want to waste a single at-bat. Mike Koplove threw the first ball outside and I fouled it off. He then threw a couple of changeups and went away. Finally, I could see it in his face that, you know, "I'm tired of this, too. If I throw it to him, he might miss it. There's no guarantees here. If you hit, it, you hit it. If you don't, you don't." He came at me with that one pitch and I just hit it.

You learn things every day. That was probably the first time I saw in a pitcher's face that he finally got disgusted with not coming after a hitter. Now I've just got to focus on the next game with Milwaukee. I've got to get a feeling about what's going on out there first before I start thinking about 700. I don't know what's going to happen.

Barry

September 11, 2004

The walk record is just one of those things. The strategy against me has changed over the last four or five years. Opposing teams just make me work harder. Every at-bat is a real battle. But I'm up for the challenge. Sometimes it's hard, but when we win ballgames, it doesn't matter whether I walk or hit a home run. I still feel gratified.

I've been up to the plate over 500 times this year, but I've walked about 200 times. It takes a whole different mental approach, knowing that almost every other time I come to the plate, they're not going to pitch to me.

So I just don't think about it. I can't. I can't think about what they're going to do. I've got to just stay focused and try to play the game. If I walk, I walk. If it happens, it happens. I just can't go up there thinking that all I'm going to do is walk.

If I did that, I'd lose focus -- a lot of focus. My entire approach would change and my intensity level would go way down. So every time I go to the plate, it's with the idea that I'm going to hit. I can't get frustrated and I can't get mad. If I do, the pitchers will make me pay for it.

That's why when I get that chance to hit, I have to take advantage of it. The opportunities are so few and far between. It's my chance to make them pay. Once they start pitching to me, I lock in and the adrenaline starts to flow.

Sometimes it's so obvious what's going to happen. First base doesn't even have to be open. But it's a critical part of the game. The manager puts up four fingers and the umpire might as well let me walk down to first base. Why go through the charade of throwing those four outside pitches?

I've walked more than 750 times since the start of the 2001 season. Like my manager Felipe Alou has said, it'd be interesting to see how many more homers I would have hit already if they had just pitched to me in half of those situations. I'd be well past 700 already, that's for sure.

Barry

September 8, 2004

People ask me if there's any pressure going after my 700th homer. My answer is no. Pressure is raising your kids, not hitting home runs. That's something I've done my whole career. What's the difference between 700, 600, 100 or your first home run? Not much. It's what I do. What's the pressure in that?

Every home run is different. Take my 698th on Tuesday night at Coors Field. With a runner on third, all I was trying to do was hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game for Schmitty, our top starter, Jason Schmidt. It was a fastball from Jamey Wright down the middle but just a little off the outside of the plate. I hit it the other way to left field. This is Denver, so it just kept carrying. It was a Coors Field home run, that's for sure, 362 feet and barely over the fence.

It gave Schmitty the lead in a game we eventually lost. He's got a chance to win the Cy Young Award in the National League.

Everybody's trying to come through for him so he can get it. He's pitched so well all year. You just want to do well and give him every opportunity to win the game and that Cy Young. He didn't win, but he didn't lose the game, either. Everybody goes through a bad stretch of outings where it just doesn't click for you. We just have to make it work for him between now and the end of the season.

What surprised me most about that situation is that the Rockies pitched to me with first base open. That doesn't happen very often. Clint Hurdle, their manager, must have taken a little heat in the press or something to change his tactics like that. He's been walking me for the last two weeks, eight times in four games. In the ninth inning, he walked me intentionally with a runner on second. But the game was close. We were two runs down. You can't argue with the strategy in that situation.

I'm sure my next two homers will be interesting. But 700 is 700. Then it will be time to move on to the next thing.

Barry

September 7, 2004

I've been to the World Series and won six Most Valuable Player Awards. I've hit 73 homers in one season and am just about to hit the 700th of my career. But all that is nothing in comparison to what I experienced today.

My little daughter, Aisha, is on her way to being a big girl. At 5 years old, she attended her first day of kindergarten. She was so excited. Let me tell you, to be there for that was above everything. Way above everything.

Her first class is on Wednesday, but the ceremony for all the incoming kids, all the new kids in the school was today. It's a great school in the Los Angeles area -- kindergarten through the end of high school. It was something to see her with all her new classmates and some of the bigger new kids in the school. This is the place she will probably be until she's all grown up and goes to college. But I don't want to think about that now, that far ahead.

Right now I just want to enjoy what happened today.

My wife, Liz, and I got up at 7 o'clock in the morning to make it to the ceremony by 8:45. And I had all my things packed because I then ran to the airport to get to Denver for our game against the Rockies on Tuesday night.

We got to the school and she was so cute. Aisha means life and she was beaming. She told us she had to go to her class. She gave us a hug and a kiss, and the next thing I knew, she was off. I was there long enough to see her file in with all the rest of the new kids, just another proud parent. I had to miss the last 20 minutes of the ceremony to catch an 11 o'clock flight.

I'm tired and it made for a hectic day. Now it's back to the home run chase and the pennant race. But it was worth it. I can't think of any place else I'd rather have been.

Barry

September 6, 2004

It feels good that so many people are focused on my home run chase and I'd like to get to 700 as soon as I can, but the real deal is making it back to the postseason.

I'm only three away right now and if I hit home runs, we have a good chance to win. But there are plenty of other things I can do if I don't hit one out, like hit the ball to left field to beat the shift and work that key walk. I'm going to get to 700 eventually. I'll pass 700 and then all eyes will be on Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755). But what we do as a team along the way is just as important.

We're 3 1/2 games behind the Dodgers now in the division race and there's still a long way to go. We're also right there in the Wild Card. Anything can happen. We're going on the road this week for eight games in Denver, Phoenix and Milwaukee. There's 23 games to go. We have to have a good road trip and then come home.

The Cubs are going to have a tough go of it because their three-game series against the Marlins this past weekend in Miami was postponed. So will Florida. There will be those doubleheaders late in the season and a lot of extra traveling. You don't want to be doing that in September. The only good thing for them is that they're in Chicago, so the flights aren't too long.

As far the division race goes, I'd like to be tied with the Dodgers by the time we face them. We have six games left against them, all during the last 10 days of the season. We also have six games left against the Padres and they've been tough for us to beat this year in PETCO Park, their new home.

You have to do anything you can to win, like Sunday when we beat the Diamondbacks. I worked Randy Johnson to a full-count walk in the sixth inning. I had to. It was important for us to have the baserunners. He doesn't give up many big innings.

I feel like it's all in our own hands right now. It's up to us to make it happen.

Barry

September 4, 2004

I had the feeling I was going to hit my 697th home run on Friday night against the Diamondbacks when I went out there about 5 o'clock to take batting practice. It was a hot day in San Francisco. And that ball carries very well when it gets super hot at night in SBC Park. So I knew that if I could just touch it, I would hit it out.

Day games are different than night games here. If you hit the ball at night in the heat, it's going to go.

I'd never seen that kid before, rookie Arizona right-hander Edgar Gonzalez. I figured the only reason I might not hit a home run against him is that he would pitch around me, walk me like everybody else.

But he came right at me in the first inning with a first-pitch fastball. I knew I was going to hit a home run after he threw me a first-pitch fastball for a strike right over the plate. That's something I don't see that often. He couldn't get the rest of his pitches over. Any pitcher, if he can't get the rest of his pitches over, he's going to get hit. Unless you're Randy Johnson and you're throwing 97, 98 miles per hour. If you're throwing 88, you're going to get crushed.

So I just waited again for that fastball. And in the second inning, he threw two balls and came back with it again. Between the heat and the ball out over the plate, I hit it 438 feet into the right-center-field bleachers. No easy feat in our ballpark.

So I'm three away from 700. With Johnson pitching on Sunday for the Diamondbacks and the Giants heading out on the road for eight games, let's see what the next few days will bring.

Barry

August 30, 2004

Hello Fans,

The past two weeks have been a lot of fun. My family came on the road with me to Florida and Atlanta before the kids go back to school this week. My son was bat boy at the games which is always fun to have him down in the dugout when I play. It reminds me when I was young with my dad and Willie.

What else can I say, I'm having a fun with my new mac and iSight on the road. Right now it's 12:30 am and I'm up answering emails with Tony.

Until next week
Barry

August 19, 2004

Hello Fans,

Today is an off day, but I don't have time to rest. I will be at the gym soon then to the DMV.

We have been keeping up the intensity and now we're in first place in the Wild Card Standings. It feels good seeing a few pitches the past few days and I hope to see a few more.

Well, I have been responding to e-mails and updating my computer. I'm having so much fun with my iSight with Team Bonds. It makes a difference when you can see someone opposed to sending an email. Here's a picture Tony took of me with my new P900 phone on the iSight.

Until next week,
Barry

August 12, 2004

Hello Fans,

This week has been a good one for us! Our intensity has increased and the only thing we have to do is just keep it up in Pittsburgh and Philly. In doing so we will be in the running for the wild card.

This week, I bought a new G4 laptop and Tony is setting it up for me. So now I will be a Mac and PC man. One of the cool new things I also purchased with my G4 was an iSight for me and Liz. Awesome technology: Now, after a road game I can see and talk to my little girl before she goes to bed. It's important to keep close to my family when I'm on the road.

Until next week,
Barry

August 5, 2004

Sorry for the delay. I've been so busy with things and playing ball. Since we launched the site I am receiving more emails than I expected. So many more questions! Tony is collecting them all and I will try to answer as many as possible. Here's what's been going on,

Saturday July 31st
I did a second signing of my 660 memorabilia items with Willie, then we went to the stadium for the '54 Giants ceremony. It was pleasure to see the guys who played during my dad's time.

Sunday August 1st
So many fans have been asking about game-used items, so I took some time in the morning to take some pictures, which will be posted in a "Coming Soon" section so you will know what will be in the store. Then I went to the park for the Family Day softball game. I took some great pictures of my daughter, mother and Liz (my wife). I think after baseball, I will become a photographer! :-)

Monday August 2nd
Well, this was my day off, but I did so much. I changed my phone to a P900 and I got one for Liz. We spent time trying to sync it with her Mac computer. No luck. I was able to see the P900, but kept getting an error when using iSync. I checked online and tried a few solutions but no luck. If anyone has a solution for me, please e-mail with the solution and he will try it out for me.

Tuesday August 3rd
I spent the day going over new designs that Tony and JB have been working on. Went to the ball park and hit two homers. Came home, and read a bunch of e-mails congratulating me on the home runs—thank you but I have to say my fans are quick on the e-mails!

Wednesday August 4th
I have to say that Team Barry is working hard for the fans. We spent the day going over promotion ideas for the site and I signed one item to giveaway for this month. Good luck.

Until next week
Barry

July 26, 2004

As you know, it was my birthday on Saturday and what a great day it was! That evening, I did something that I want to do more of with my wife Liz... go to dinner and have quality time together. People really respected our time on Saturday night. Thank you St. Louis.

More thanks for the many birthday wishes that came in via e-mail. I will answer as many of them as possible in the next few days.

If you are reading this, you're having fun on my new web site. I have to thank Team Barry (Tony, JB, Rachael and Lisa) and MLB for getting this done.

In fact I was on the site last night with Tony, and boy there's a lot of new stuff. I'm so happy that there's one place where fans can find out about me without the media spin, as well as purchase authentic memorabilia and merchandise.

I have some big plans for the site in the next few weeks so be sure to come back. Starting in August, I will be signing one product a month for a lucky fan to win. Also, we are working on a kids section. Since I have kids, I feel that its important that I have something for my younger fans to have fun with when they come to my site. And yes, I will put on the site those pictures of me when I was a kid. Coming soon.

Until next week,

Barry
 

Gloria Pysarchyk
Iselin, NJ

Jimmy Mosby
St. Louis, MO

Mike Davis
Ocean Springs, MS

Carol Wiley
Forestville, MD

Maury Merkin
Washington, DC

Steve Bower
Sacramento, CA

Julia Chu
San Leandro, CA

Mike
Fresno, CA

July 20, 2004

Hello Fans,

Over the weekend my tooth was hurting me and I thought about going back to San Francisco but I decided to stay and see a dentist here in Arizona.

Monday I was sitting in a dentist chair having a root cannel done in the afternoon. Wish I was doing something else like answering emails.

Anyway, I saw my new web site on Saturday and I am just figuring out what day to launch. Please make sure you have windows media player because I have a lot of audio and video content on the site from MLB.com

Shout outs:

Alonso Mariscal Jr., Tina and Madison Mariscal, San Mateo, CA

Michael Risti, Waterboro, Main

Lewis Booker, Pittsburgh, PA

Dan Ritter, Harrisburg, PA

Kathy Fitzsimmons, Reno, NV

Ed Gordon, Austin, TX v Jennifer Rodriguez, San Jose, CA

Mark Jones, Sioux City, IA

July 12, 2004

Hello Fans,

Thanks for all the e-mails following my HR Derby appearance. I had a little time to answer a few emails tonight, which was fun but I have to rest for tomorrow. It looks like I might get a few pitches my way.

I just wanted to let you all know that Willie and I did our first signing of the 660 memorabilia on Saturday, July 10th. Thanks to those who made it happen.

Barry

Shout outs:

Tim Reynolds/Lisa Brown - Pilot Mountain, North Caronlina

Louie Allen - Belmont, California

Mark Samuelson - Fairfield, CA

Vicky Gil - Oakdale, CA

Dava Bayles - Palm Desert

Anne Larsen - Redlands, CA

Lucas Hammond - Myrtle Creek, Oregon

Peter Gulow - Massachusetts

July 9, 2004

Message from Barry:

Hello Fans,

The article in today's (July 9, 2004) San Francisco Chronicle is not true. They reported false information.

It is true that I normally do not participate in the Home Run hitting competitions, and at nearly 40, I could use the day off.

That being said, I also understand that this is a special year celebrating the 500 HR Club, that I knew the fans wanted me to be part of. I am not being compensated for my appearance in the HR Derby.

I am doing this for my fans, for my fellow 500 HR Club members, and for the game of Baseball. It is an honor to be voted to the All-Star Team, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone down in Houston.

Barry

Shout Outs to:

Mark Jones - Sioux City, IA
Dan Ritter - Harrisburg, PA
Lewis Booker - Pittsburgh, PA
Doris Lindquist - Davis, CA
Alex Ulloa - Miami, FL
Carl Conti - New Jersey

July 3, 2004

Message from Barry

Hello Fans,

I had a great week in LA and we are still at the top of our division. I've seen a few pitches and above all, I had a great 40th surprise birthday party at Lucky Strike in LA.

I've picked a few pictures from my personal "behind the scenes" photo album for you to see.

Barry

Shout Outs to:

Carl Conti - New Jersey
Mark W. - Willamina, OR
Mark Jones - Sioux City, IA
Elizabeth Gordon - Woodstock, Georgia
Jennifer Rodriguez - San Jose, CA

June 23, 2004

Message from Barry

Hello Fans,

Keep those e-mails coming! We are playing some great baseball right now and seeing the Giants on top of our division is a great feeling.

Anyway, last week I received a few e-mails asking what my stats were when I was in Little League. I just got them in my mail and well, my batting average was .550. I was number 15 and playing for the Yankees... The San Carlos Little League Yankees. So now you know.

Barry

Shout Outs to:

Sgt. Thomas Crosson, Jr. - Caldwell, Iraq
Nic Dawson - australia
J.C. Abdallah - Youngwood, Pennsylvania
Steve Gilbert - Troy, Michigan
Jeff Petersen - Reno, Nv

June 16, 2004

Message from Barry

Hello Fans,

Thanks to everyone who entered my Father's Day contest. The Grand Prize Winner will be picked tonight after the game and we'll contact all the winners tomorrow.

Barry

Shout Outs to:

Shashik Banda - Cupertino, California
Karl Williamson - Ohio
Scott Surdez - Palisades Park, NJ
Patrick Haviland - Portland, Maine
Daniel Oliver - Phoenix, Az

June 2, 2004

Message from Barry

Hello Fans,

This week we have a lot of catching up to do. As you probably know, I was in Puerto Rico to play the Expos two weeks ago. I had a wonderful time. I was on the look out for a few fans who sent e-mails letting me know where they were seated :-)

The home runs I hit last week were very satisfying, after what felt like a long time. It looks like we're turning things around. We're playing some good baseball. My back still hurts but I'll play.

Last week, a few e-mails inquired about what other sports I played as a kid coming up. Well, I played basketball and football. I asked my mom if she had any pictures. She did. She found one for my fans. It's funny how some moms keep everything.

Talk with you next week, later.

Barry

Shout Outs to:

The Leonard family - Ukiah, CA.
Justin Isacco - Pittsburgh PA
gabriel goltz - Tempe, Az
Brian - Philadelphia
Brian Pomerantz - Los Angeles
Stephen Reynard - New Zealand

May 20, 2004

Message from Barry

Hello Fans,

My highlight for the week so far has been a visit to the City of Harvey. I've been going there for years. A special man lives there. His name is Eric J. Kellogg. He grew up in the town and became mayor. He's had many successes and has made a big difference in the community. I've seen positive changes over the years. To all the kids and youth of Harvey, keep your heads up, stay in school, and keep reaching for the stars. Mayor Kellogg is a very good example of what is possible!

Also while I was in town, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the Harvey's Little League was renamed B & B Bonds after my father and I. Thanks. I had fun spending some time with the kids and signing a few baseballs. I'll be checking their performance as their season goes on.

Barry Bonds

Shout outs to:

Andrew Hicks - Manlius, NY
Kevin Brady - Danville, CA
Stanley Duitsman - Independence, MO
Jenny Wilson - Santa Barbara, CA
Mark McGregor - Pittsburgh, PA
Aaron & Chelsea Powell - Fort Bragg, NC

May 13, 2004

Message from Barry

Hello Fans,

I'm still feeling the effects of the ear infection but my doctor said that I will be back to the level I like to perform at soon. Thanks for the remedies -- but I have to follow my doctor's suggestions.

Great news! The 660 Memorabilia store is now up and running. I want to express my thanks to Jb, Tony and MLB for getting it all together. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, take a look: we've put together something special for you fans who collect.

By the way, I'm still answering e-mails :-) Keep `em coming. Until the next time...

Barry Bonds

Shout Outs to:

Larry and Jeremy Ellison - San Francisco, CA: Thanks for the 660 ball.
Donald Nickel - Torrance, CA: Happy Birthday
Sarah Crikos - Rohnert Park, CA
Drew Wildstein and Pat Copeland: Hi
Daniel Brett - CA: Thanks
Chris Freitas - San Jose, CA: God Bless

May 7, 2004

Shout Outs to:

Ricki Fernandez & mom - San Jose, CA
Shauna Watson - Lancaster, CA
Bob Whitehill - San Francisco
Carla Baughman - San Francisco
Erick and Bailey - Ventura, CA
Jason Chesshir - Springfield, Ohio

May 4, 2004

Shout outs

Amy Effinger - Versialles, Kentucky
Becky & Natalie Halstead - Sacramento
Scott Carter - Bellevue, Idaho
Jackson Thorpe II - CA
David Ainsworth - San Francisco
Jerry Terrell - Sacramento, CA.

April 30, 2004

Shout outs

Frederick West - San Francisco
Randy Milliron - Gillette, WY
Leon D. Culpepper - Riverside, CA.
Dan De Salvo - Mt. Pleasant, MI
Andrew Rouse - Sydney, Australia

April 22, 2004

Hello Fans,

Just started my trip down to LA.

I've been answering e-mails for the past few days. I notice that everyone wants to know when the 660 memorabilia items will be available. They'll be available in 7 to 10 days. If this changes we'll update you.

I've been looking over the items production with my team. We have some great stuff!

I'm also working to set up the first signing with Willie. Having him involved makes the 660 memorabilia special to me :-)

Barry Bonds

Shout outs

Jim and Desmond in my SF fulfillment center - Thanks for getting the shipping on my 660 items together so quickly
Allie Lynch - Fort Wayne, Indiana - Reading widely is a good thing ;-)
Tony Gschwend - Hillsborough, CA - I'll keep on swinging.
Ernie Quiroz II - Los Angeles - I'll look for you.
Colby McCarty - Sitka, Alaska - Hope you make it to the Major Leagues. I'd like see you play in the future.

April 17, 2004

Shout outs to:

Pierre - France - Hi to my biggest fan in France :-)
Christoffer Kammebo - Stockholm,Sweden - Thanks.
Robert Drake - New Hampshire - Tell the kids hi for me please.
Jason Seeba - Prague, Czech Republic - hope you fans get some sleep :-)
Leo Vass - Montreal, Quebec - I'll keep hitting' em out!!

April 16, 2004

Shout Outs to:

Jeremy Mackie, Cookeville,TN
Vinny Sciarretti - 1ST. CAVALRY DIVISION, be safe.
Adam M. Dlin - Vancouver, BC
Kurtis - New Zealand - watch the game from my site soon...
Fumio Ishii - Tokyo, Japan - 868 is a big number :-)

April 12, 2004

Hello Fans,

What a day for San Francisco, I'm so proud. I'm going through e-mails tonight but there are so many. I just want to thank you all for your support.

Barry Bonds

Shout Outs to:

All my fans...
Larry and Jeremy Ellison
Majestic for the t-shirt
New Era for the cap

April 10, 2004

Hello Fans,

Enjoyed a nice day off yesterday. I read a lot of e-mails and answered quite a few. Sorry if my e-mails are short, I'm trying to answer as many as possible. I'm gathering all your questions and I'll answer most of them in my Q & A section.

Barry Bonds

Shout Outs to: John Wallace in So-Cal. John, when my site opens you'll get the real thing :-)
SSgt. Patrick "PJ" Jirka. Keep safe. God bless. I hope you get back in time for a game.
Jake Sheeran 10 years old, Austin, Texas. Hey Jake!
Sean Murphy, "Life Long Giants Fan". My favorite kind of fan!
Billy Stroppel, Santa Cruz Ca. Hope I can give you another moment like 73.

April 9, 2004

Hello Fans,

Last night's game was pure adrenaline. Intense! I thought that I'd be a lot more sore and tired, but I'm not. I feel great and excited to get out there again today!

Barry Bonds

P.S. Shout Out to Gregory Moore, USA and Stuart of Melbourne, Australia

April 8, 2004

Hello Fans,

I wish I could've done better against my buddy Roger Clemens last night. But least we took 2 out of the 3 games. That's a great start for our team.

Can't wait to play in the new Petco stadium. If you're in San Diego look out for me before the game, I'll be wearing blue jeans and a tan top. Oh, everyone wants to know how I get my e-mail. Well, Tony forwards them to me and I see everything on my TREO 600.

Barry Bonds

Shout Outs to:

To Brian Mott, see you in June.
To Joshua S. Clagg, my dad was my role model too.
To Ofer from Israel, you'll be able to see games from my site soon.
To John J Perricone, I'll pass by your web site on my day off.

April 7, 2004

Hello Fans,

Feeling good today. Ready to play ball. It's our last game tonight in Houston and we want to pull out a win. I've been reading some funny e-mails! I like all the positive energy out there. Keep 'em coming! Thanks,

Barry Bonds

P.S. Shout Outs:

To the Rousan Family. Hope you all come down to a Giants game.
To Aubrey Lomack. You should put a 2 in front of that 5.
To Marie-Carmen Miranda from Puerto Rico. Ola!

April 6, 2004

Hello Fans,

Last night's game was pure adrenaline. Intense! I thought that I'd be a lot more sore and tired, but I'm not. I feel great and excited to get out there again today!

Barry Bonds

P.S. Shout Out to Gregory Moore, USA and Stuart of Melbourne, Australia

April 5, 2004

Hello Fans,

I would like to personally thank all my fans who have sent e-mails to Anthony. I want you to know, that I have read many of them and would like to thank you for your words of encouragement.

Barry Bonds