Who will be Bonds's Al Downing?...

That question has been answered and his name is Mike Bacsik, pronounced (BA-sek). Who you might ask. His name again is Mike Bacsik and he will forever be synonymous with Barry Bonds, like two brothers attached at the hip. However you choose to view him, whether as a failure or as a legend, he was the one who gave up Barry Bonds's record breaking home run number 756, breaking the tie with Hank Aaron. And in case you aren't familiar with Al Downing, he is the one that gave up Hank Aaron's 715 home run when he broke Babe Ruth's record in April of 1974.

Now to who is Mike Bacsik?

He is a starting left handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals, a team Bond's has now hit 64 home runs against, tying the Phillies. Bacsik, you could say in only 5 years in the MLB, has been a journeyman player. He has played for the Indians, Mets, Rangers and Nationals. He broke into the bigs in 2001 with the Indians, appearing in only 3 games, pitching in nine innings. He played with the Mets from 2002 to 2003 pitching in 16 games, 73.1 innings. He spent 2004 with the Rangers but started in only 3 games and 15.2 innings. He spent 2005 and 2006 in the minors. This year with the Nationals, he has started 16 games, including tonight, pitched in 85.1 innings and has given up 16 home runs including the historic one against Bonds.

He was born on November 11, 1977 in the lone star state in Dallas, Texas. He made his MLB debut with the Indians on August 5th, 2001. His career stats entering tonight's game is as follows:

Wins 10
Losses 11
ERA 5.11
Games 36
Games started 29
Complete games 1
Innings pitched 179.2
Hits 210
Runs 111
Earned runs 102
HR 29
BB 50
K's 79


View in History

Now who knows how history with treat this man. As a journeyman pitcher, when you give up a historic home run, you will always be remembered for that indelible moment. He's not a Smoltz, a Randy Johnson or a Greg Maddux, those are pitchers who's achievements wouldn't have been forgotten for this failure. Mike Bacsik, however isn't a household name, that is till tonight. History will always remember today as August 7th, 2007 the day Barry Bonds hit career home run 756 off Mike Bacsik. In 10, 20 or 30 years down the road he will be remembered chiefly for giving up this historic home run. Did you know who Al Downing was? Not until he served up Hank Aaron's 715th home run.


Remember Mike Bacsik. He will now be the answer to a certain trivia question forever.