Who is your favorite? Barry Bonds or Jeff Kent? While one grew old with magical numbers, the other was the media-proclaimed good boy. However, both the superstars had their fair share of controversy and drama. While Barry Bonds made his MLB debut in 1986, Jeff Kent started in 1992.

Both of them played together from 1997 to 2002 with the San Francisco Giants and contributed to their success during this time in cahoots. Their most successful outing was in 2002, when they reached the World Series against the Anaheim Angels (NOW: LA Angels). However, after establishing a 3-2 lead in the first five games, the Giants lost the series 3-4 after losing the last two matches.

What went wrong between Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent?

Bonds and Kent played together with ultimate synergy. Together, they were absolute assets to the Giants’ roster. However, there’s more to this than what meets the eye. Their synergy limited itself to the field only. And off the field, they were barely even friends.

While Bonds was an undoubted legend, Kent had a stubborn ego of his own. Consequently, their egos clashed on multiple occasions. Kent has gone on record, saying, “But off the field, I don’t care about Barry and Barry doesn’t care about me. Or anybody else.”

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The first time their ego clashed was when Kent stole Bonds’ front seat on the bus and refused to get up. Eventually, the nagging extended to blunt criticism during practice sessions and the absence of these sessions. Kent’s first year with the Giants pleasantly shocked everyone. Bonds’ response to Kent’s stunning form was, “I love it.” Their unfriendliness continued when manager, Dusty Baker, called Kent, the team’s MVP. This infuriated Bond.

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In 2000, Kent won the National League MVP award despite Bonds being statically superior. Despite the massive achievement, Kent said, “That’s Barry. He doesn’t answer questions. He palms everybody off on us, so we have to do his talking for him.” 

In 2002, when the Giants took on the Padres, David Bell misplayed a throw to second base. While Kent screamed at Bell, Bond came to his defense. A physical brawl broke out in the Giants’ camp at 10:54. The fight supposedly cleared some tension and resulted in one of the best outings of the Giants as they reached the World Series in 2002.

Barry Bonds – a broken legacy

While Bonds had an absolutely splendid reputation on the field, his reputation off the field was equally notorious and questionable. Coming back from an MVP snub in 2000, in 2001, Barry Bonds defied the odds and announced his return by hitting 71 homers in a single season. To date, that record is unbeaten.

Markedly, Giants’ trainer Greg Anderson was indicted by a grand jury for supplying PEDs and steroids to athletes. Amongst these athletes was Barry Bonds. While Bonds was involved in multiple controversies, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative or the BALCO scandal was the most popular.

Jeff Kent’s career after the Giants

Jeff Kent arrived at the Giants after the new general manager, Bob Sapien, took over and traded Matt Williams to Cleveland for Kent, Tavarez, and Vizcaino. With Jeff Kent’s arrival, Giants let go of the losing ways and reached the postseason in 1997.

Kent’s relationship with the Giants got strained after the 2002 incident where he claimed to fracture his left wrist after falling off his pickup truck while washing it. However, a 911 call revealed that he was involved in a motorbike accident while trying stunts on a highway. This incident wasn’t well-received by the Giants and by the end of 2002, Kent was a free agent.

Ultimately, Kent and Bonds were both superstars but their ego was an obstacle on their way to greatness. Do you think the San Francisco Giants’ history would be different if Kent and Bonds shared a better dynamic?