​Former Giants second baseman Jeff Kent speaks during his number retirement ceremony at Oracle Park on Saturday night.  (Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)
Jeff Kent has enjoyed all sorts of Hall of Fame events since he was first voted in by the Eras Committee last December, but Saturday, when the San Francisco Giants retired Kent’s jersey, there was something new – a warm, affectionate moment with Barry Bonds.Famously, the two best players of the 2002 San Francisco Giants World Series team did not get along as teammates and even once got in an altercation in the dugout at San Diego. Since he was voted into the Hall, though, Kent consistently praised Bonds as a teammate and said that he wouldn’t have been in the position to be considered for baseball’s highest honor without Bonds hitting in front of him and getting on base at an incredible rate.Bonds, on the field for the ceremony between games of the doubleheader with the Diamondbacks at Oracle Park, grabbed Kent in a big hug and shook him with joy and patted him on the face as both grinned. In his speech Saturday after his No. 21 was retired, Kent said, “I got to witness some extraordinary baseball that I guarantee you’ll never see again in Barry Bonds,” and added with a smile later, “If Bonds and I weren’t fighting in the dugout, we wouldn’t have what we’ve got, I guarantee you.”While pointing out the other Hall of Famer in attendance, Juan Marichal, and likely future Hall of Famers Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy, eligible next year along with Buster Posey, Kent nodded at Bonds. “Barry, keep with it brother, you’ve got a shot, man,” as the crowd cheered. Kent saved some of his fondest words for his “toothpick gnawing manager.””Dusty Baker was the best,” he said. Turning to face Baker, who was sitting behind him, Kent said, Baker “elevated a skinny white kid who probably didn’t deserve to be in the middle infield but he taught me about culture, taught me how to be a professional, taught me how to deal with emotion. Even though he shoved me up against a wall and told me to knock it off, I had more respect for him in that moment than ever before.””I’m so glad I got to play here, amongst the fans – you guys – for so many years,” Kent added, “and I’m so grateful I get to come back and look up at that number up there. But not my number, all those other numbers, because I know the Giants know how to build culture and legends.”Kent has been a revelation this award season: funny, expansive and insightful, willing to show emotion. During a press conference after the ceremony, Kent was asked about his son, Kaeden, acquired by the Giants at the Aug. 3 trade deadline from the Yankees. Kaeden Kent homered twice at Class-A Eugene on Thursday, with a home run trot exactly like his dad’s.”I’ve tried so hard not to live through my kid, and there’s still a little bit of hesitation that my own boy, if he makes it to the big leagues, he’s got to look at the shadow of the number that now hangs on the wall,” Kent said,