DAUGHERTY: Rijo has idea how to stop Bonds

Friday, April 26, 2002

Rijo has idea how to stop Bonds

On Saturday night, Jose Rijo will get Barry Bonds out with hard sliders down and in. He says it will not be a problem. He has done it before.

“It looks like a pitch they love to hit, then it disappears,” Rijo says.

Bonds has a sore hamstring, meaning he's down to a couple home runs a week. He has eight now, not quite the 73 he hit last year, but it's only April. He hit five in San Francisco's first four games.

“Just watching that opening week,” Aaron Boone is saying. “If they weren't intentionally walking him, they were pitching around him. The one time they throw it in the zone, he hits it out.”

Said Barry Larkin: “The best hitter in the game, hands down.”

At the moment, Bonds is to hitting what sharks are to eating. But never mind. Rijo will own him Saturday. “You face Bonds last year?” I wonder.

“No,” Rijo says.

“You have any way to know if you can still get him out with the slider?”

“No.”

“You're going to try it, though, aren't you?”

“Absolutely.”

BONDS vs. REDS PITCHERS

Pitcher AB H HR BB K Avg

Jose Rijo 35 7 1 7 11 .200

Joey Hamilton 22 6 3 3 3 .273

Gabe White 13 4 0 3 1 .308

Jimmy Haynes 13 6 3 4 2 .462

Scott Sullivan 10 2 1 2 1 .200

Elmer Dessens 5 2 1 1 1 .400

Danny Graves 4 3 1 1 0 .750

Jim Brower 3 1 1 2 0 .333

Scott Williamson 2 0 0 2 0 .000

Luis Pineda - - - - - .000

Chris Reitsma - - - - - .000

Bonds doesn't swing at bad pitches. He doesn't excuse mistake pitches, those Kevin Mitchell used to call “cripples.” He dents them.

There is no book on Bonds.

“If there was, it's closed now,” says Reds closer Danny Graves. “Other guys, you have an idea what you want to throw them. Not Barry.”

Rijo has an idea. Sliders down and in. Oh, and shoulder-high fastballs. “Just make sure they're not too low,” Rijo says.

You have to love Rijo. He makes Sammy Sosa seem grave. You ask him about Bonds, he produces a stat sheet. It shows Bonds hitting a lifetime .200 against Rijo. Seven-for-35, one homer, 11 strikeouts. Impressive, except Rijo hasn't pitched at Bonds since 1995. Things have changed.

“Will you pitch to him?” I ask Rijo.

“Hell, yeah.”

“When?”

“Nobody on base. If we're way ahead.”

“You won't give him anything in the strike zone otherwise?”

“No. Guy hits everything. I've got eight (Giants) that are vulnerable. Why take a chance on one?”

“They've got other guys who can hit.”

“Not really,” Rijo says. “Not compared to him.”

“What about the slider?” I ask. “You just said. ...”

“They should have named that movie for him,” Rijo says. “A league of his own.”

“Isn't it a macho thing to challenge him, your best against his?”

“I believe in macho in a woman situation, not a baseball situation,” Rijo says.