Ricky Bottalico Recalls Infamous Incident with Barry Bonds

Former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star pitcher Ricky Bottalico had a memorable interaction with Barry Bonds during a game in 1998. This incident, revisited during a Netflix pre-show broadcast featuring Elle Duncan, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, and Anthony Rizzo, involved Bottalico hitting Bonds with a pitch. This event marked the only instance where Bonds charged the mound.

During the broadcast, Duncan claimed Bottalico insisted the pitch had gotten away from him. Bonds, however, disagreed. “No, it didn’t, it did not get away,” Bonds stated. “He’s a good pitcher and a good man. During that time, it was part of the game, and I accepted it.”

Bottalico refuted Duncan’s version of events when he spoke on 97.5 The Fanatic before the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia. “That is a bold-faced lie,” he declared. “I was instructed to hit Barry Bonds. It’s that simple. I’ve recounted the story many times on different platforms.”

He explained his previous statements were influenced by potential consequences. “Back then, if I admitted to hitting him on purpose, it meant a lengthy suspension. We had to lie,” said Bottalico. He recalled his coaches’ reaction: “Do not tell me you did it on purpose.”

Bottalico added the team’s frustration stemmed from Bonds stealing a base while the Giants led by seven runs. Bottalico wasn’t scheduled to pitch that day, as he was recovering from surgery and had pitched the night before.

Bottalico made one All-Star appearance in his career during the 1996 season, achieving a 3.65 ERA in 69 appearances. After his initial five-year stint with the Phillies, he became a journeyman reliever, moving across the league.