In 2001, Barry Bonds set a new record with 73 home runs, perhaps the greatest highlight of an extraordinary career. But his team, the Giants, missed the playoffs, and Bonds again fell short of the one thing he had never accomplished — winning a World Series. The Giants were hoping to make another run at the playoffs this season, though it seemed unlikely that Bonds, at age 37, could repeat his incredible performance from the year before.
        Bonds didn't hit 73 home runs, but he did have another stunning season, setting more records while also winning his fifth MVP Award. The Giants made the playoffs, beat Atlanta and St. Louis to win the pennant. Bonds made his first trip to the World Series, and in Game Six his team was five outs away from winning the championship. It didn't happen; the Anaheim Angels came back and won the final two games of the series, leaving Bonds and Giants fans waiting for another year.

        Though he fell a little short of the championship, Bonds did break through with a great playoff performance. In five previous postseason appearances, Bonds had been a major disappointment, a .196 hitter with just one home run. This year, Bonds was the story of the playoffs; in 17 games, he hit .356 with eight homers, 16 RBI, and 27 walks. Bonds was given so many intentional walks — even in the first inning — that possible rule changes were seriously debated by fans and in the media that could force teams to pitch to him.
        As for the regular season, well, it was pretty awesome as well. Bonds won his first batting title with a .370 average. He also set a new major-league record with a .582 on-base percentage. His 198 walks broke his own record from the year before; his 1.381 OPS also broke Babe Ruth's 1920 record. Bonds set another record by drawing 68 intentional walks. Throw 79 extra-base hits into the mix, and it is very clear that Bonds was once again the greatest player in baseball.
        As great as Bonds was, he didn't completely overshadow the rest of the league. Expos right fielder Vlad Guerrero continued his remarkable improvement as a player. Guerrero led the league in total bases, was third in batting average, and stole 40 bases for the first time (falling just a homer short of having a 40-40 season). Guerrero also walked more than he struck out for the first time, and was among the league leaders in many categories. Best of all, the Expos had a winning record, their first since 1996. Major League Baseball had tried to contract the team before the season started; the Expos survived, and played the entire season without an owner. And Montreal fans (at least, the few who showed up at the ballpark) were treated to a great season from their star slugger.
        Brian Giles began his career with the Indians in 1995. The Indians' outfield was stocked with stars; though Giles played well in a platoon role for four years, he never got a chance to play on an everyday basis. He got that chance when he was dealt to the Pirates after the 1998 season; his first year in Pittsburgh, he hit .315 with 39 home runs. In his first four years with Pittsburgh, Giles was a consistent .300 hitter with ample power and walks. This season may have been Giles' best, and he was among the most fearsome hitters in the league.
        Sammy Sosa led the league in home runs for the second time in five years. Oddly, the three years that he broke the 60-homer mark were also the years that he didn't lead the league! Sosa was tremendous the first half of the season and was a top MVP candidate; injuries slowed him down during the summer, but it was once again a great season for the Cubs' right fielder (but not such a great season for the Cubs, who lost 95 games — falling well short, again, of an elusive championship).
        Jeff Kent had a tumultuous season for the Giants that began when he broke his wrist during spring training. He claimed that the injury occurred while washing his truck — but rumours then spread that the break happened while he was riding a motorcycle, a clear violation of his contract. He managed to return to the lineup without missing many games, but got off to a slow start.
        Kent gradually warmed up, and then got very hot, finishing the season with big numbers. Credit for the turnaround in Kent's season was often given to manager Dusty Baker, who in June moved Kent ahead of Bonds in the Giants' batting order. It should be noted that Kent won an MVP Award in 2000 while batting behind Bonds, but never mind; the odd couple of the Bay Area were once again a formidable duo on the field (off the field, Bonds and Kent also managed to get into a fight on the bench during a game).
        I think that Kent was the best infielder in the National League this season, and I'm placing him behind his teammate Bonds in the MVP race. In Montreal, slugger Vlad Guerrero was nicely complemented in the lineup by second baseman Jose Vidro, who had a terrific year for the Expos. Junior Spivey played only a small part in the Diamondback's championship season in 2001, but this year was their best player, leading Arizona back into the postseason.
        Jose Hernandez of the Brewers had his best season, and was one of the better shortstops in the league. He also struck out 188 times, one short of Bobby Bonds' record. Hernandez would almost certainly have broken the record had his manager Jerry Royster not sat him out the final week of the season. It was an unfortunate decision by Royster, whose priorities were badly misplaced. The team sufferred without its best player in the lineup, and the fans were cheated as well. And for what? There is no shame in striking out; Bobby Bonds was a great player, despite the strikeouts. Reggie Jackson struck out more than anybody, and he is in the Hall Of Fame.
        Even worse, the games that Hernandez sat out were not meaningless — they were against teams involved in a tight pennant race. The decision to sit Hernandez went against everything that baseball should be about — that the good of the team should be always be placed ahead of individual interests, and that teams should always field their best lineups when the stakes are high.