Barry Bonds is one of the most accomplished hitters in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. He is a seven-time MVP and seven-time National League home run champion. He also holds the major league record for most home runs in a single season with 73, and the all-time record for most career home runs with 762. But a question that has been asked by many baseball fans over the years is: did Barry Bonds swing a 32 inch bat?
Barry Bonds’ Batting History
Barry Bonds began his professional baseball career in 1986 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played seven seasons with the Pirates before signing as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants in 1993. During his time with the Pirates, Bonds was known for having a very strong swing, and for using a bat with a larger-than-average barrel size. While the exact dimensions of his bat are unknown, it is believed that he used a 33 inch bat during his time with the Pirates.
When Bonds signed with the Giants, he continued to use a 33 inch bat for the first few seasons. However, in 1998 he switched to a 32 inch bat and continued to use it for the remainder of his career. It is believed that he made the switch to a smaller bat in order to increase his bat speed, which would in turn increase his power.
The Debate Over Barry Bonds’ Bat Size
Despite the evidence that Bonds used a 32 inch bat for the majority of his career, there are some who still believe that he used a 33 inch bat. This debate has been fueled by the fact that some of Bonds’ home run records were set while he was using a 33 inch bat. For example, his record-breaking 73 home runs in 2001 were hit while he was using a 33 inch bat.
This has led some to speculate that Bonds switched back to a 33 inch bat in order to increase his power and set the home run record. However, this theory is unlikely to be true, as the majority of Bonds’ home runs were still hit with a 32 inch bat. In addition, Bonds’ swing and mechanics remained consistent for the majority of his career, regardless of which bat size he was using.
Did Barry Bonds Swing a 32 Inch Bat?
Based on the evidence, it appears that Barry Bonds did indeed swing a 32 inch bat for the majority of his career. This is supported by the fact that he made the switch from a 33 inch bat to a 32 inch bat in 1998 and continued to use it for the remainder of his career. In addition, the majority of Bonds’ home runs were hit while he was using a 32 inch bat.
Ultimately, it appears that the debate over Barry Bonds’ bat size is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. However, based on the available evidence, it appears that Bonds did in fact swing a 32 inch bat for the majority of his career.