SF - San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds has moved to 4th on the all-time jerk list, passing Albert Belle. "It's an exciting day for Bonds, although I thought that it was a record that a Yankee would break someday," said baseball fan and commentator Bob Costas. "The Yankees have fielded a lot of jerks in their day, and Yankee fans love their hometown jerks, but even a non-Yankee can be appreciated for his skill at being a Yankee-esque jerk."

The all-time jerk list has been stable for several years now since the heir apparent Albert Belle retired. "The jerk list rewards years of dedication and consistency," said Washington Post baseball writer Tom Boswell, "You don't make the top with one game or even one season. John Rocker made a run at the top 10 with his rants about riding the subway, but the ratings factor in intelligence. Rocker is such a moron that he achieves a certain amount of jerkness by accident. Bonds has been a jerk for many years. He may be the biggest jerk of the modern era, although the Golden Age of baseball has great names that may never be replaced."

Baseball's all-time jerk list:

1. Ty Cobb
2. Pete Rose
3. Darryl Strawberry
4. Barry Bonds
5. Albert Belle
6. Jose Canseco
7. Ted Williams
8. Roger Clemens
9. Bobby Bonilla
10. Mo Vaughn

Originally posted April 2002