754!

Give the people what they want.

Barry Bonds just blasted the 754th (or 755th, if you ask Bonds and Tom Candiotti) home run of his career. It was a line drive shot to centerfield, just a little to the left of dead center. Bonds actually hit it to one of the farthest points of the park, just to the right of the 404 sign and above the "Sharp" signage. The shot was measured at 420 feet.

And now he's guaranteed that everyone will remain tonight until the final out, given as how there's a chance he'll at least tie Aaron tonight.

Bonds did it in the bottom of the first inning on a 2-1 pitch off Florida starter Rick Vanden Hurk , who may just be the first Dutch-born pitcher Bonds has ever homered off. The board said that Vanden Hurk's pitch was 84 m.p.h.

When the inning ended two members of the Giant grounds crew jogged onto the field and replaced all three bases.

The home run is Bonds' 20th of the season, his 19th season of having at least 20 home runs. Only one player ever had more 20-homer seasons (20) and yes, that player was Hank Aaron.

Between innings, the entire ballpark grew silent when a special sports figure appeared on the centerfield video board to offer Bonds congratulations. That person? Michael Jordan.

Being here, I'll agree that it was difficult not to be caught up in the moment. It's one thing to be seated on a couch watching Bob Costas interview Patrick Arnold. It's another to be seated no more than thirty yards directly behind Bonds as he unwields a mammoth swing. Watching him in batting practice, for example, you're instantly struck by how fast the ball ricochets off his bat. Doesn't matter if it's a homer or a line drive or a grounder. Bonds' swing is lightning-fast. He punishes a baseball.