Barry Bonds, entertainer

Barry Bonds pleads his case.

During a 50-minute news conference Monday — remarkable, considering that Bonds rarely even submits to five-minute news conferences — he tried to close the distance between himself and the baseball public that he so clearly has alienated.

Speaking directly to the fans who jeer him from the rafters, Bonds said: “You’re judging me on a third party when I’ve actually done nothing wrong. I’ve just gone to your stadium and tried to entertain you and tried to play my game the best I can.”

He added: “Why are you booing me? That would be my question. Why?”

Aw, Barry, you know why. Although it doesn't share many traits with the World Wrestling Federation, baseball is just as dependent on the featured villain as the WWF. Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Derek Jeter put meat in the seats, as they say. And the meat is there to boo these visiting villains, aka, "Everything that's wrong with baseball."

At least A-Rod isn't being booed by the mouth breathers at home anymore.