Hey ExGreek,
Just want to warn you beforehand, this reply will get a bit emotional since I am a die-hard Giants and Bonds fan.
When he hit his 500th - YES, his teammates came out and bearhugged him. Rich Aurilia, Shawon Dunston, etc. etc., hell I think even Jeff Kent did. ALL his teammates were in total awe of his achievements and looked at him like he was on this pedestal, while congratulating him. I think when Barry hit his 500th, ppl finally began to realize that beneath his cool exterior, he really is a person with feelings, too. After he hit his 500th, he was just so emotional, so elated, so amazed, etc. He actually went to the mike, thanked his parents for having him, thanked the great fans of SF, said how happy he was to be playing for this great city.
And yesterday - yesterday was an INCREDIBLE win for the Giants. We were down 5-1. Twice, the Big Cat - Andres Galarraga - hit HRs to tie it up. So it's 5-5, who comes up and hits a pinch-hit HR for us? Of course it's Bonds. And you cannot believe the emotion that came out after he hit it. His teammates jumped up, incredibly ecstatic, someone even started hanging from a pole and swinging from it like on monkey bars...everyone came to hug him...all excited.
So Jeff Kent and him do not get along. That's OK...you can't expect everyone to get along on a team who has to interact with each other almost every day for so many months.
I am so sick of how ppl can't embrace Bonds, while they can embrace Sammy Sosa and Big Mac. Most ppl just say that he is a big fat asshole, all while never giving him a chance. Also, their impressions of Bonds being an ass usually comes from the media. I think I am just sick of the media in general who won't let ppl alone. When Bonds divorced his first wife, there was the media presenting all the messy details of the divorce to the public. I think there's a reason why Bonds doesn't like talking to the media - especially since it seems each time they talk to him they want to ask him controversial things.
OK I think I've gotten off subject now - the thing is - Barry loves San Francisco and most of San Francisco loves him...I won't ever forget the NL West Division-clinching game in '97 when Barry actually jumped into the stands and started hugging the fans. Suffice to say, I really want him to be back next year!
BTW, there's another Giants fan on GC - GiantsChic.
Sorry about my long emotional message!