When I was growing up, certain numbers were important to baseball fans, like 56 (Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak) and 714 (Babe Ruth's career home run total) as well as some benchmarks -- 500 home runs, 3,000 hits and 100 stolen bases. They carried the same amount of significance when I became a major-league player.

That's why what Barry Bonds accomplished Thursday with his 60th home run was so special. While people may say Bonds should be chasing 70, 60 is just as important as 70 because 60 is the number we grew up with. Pete Rose's 4,256 hits don't diminish the importance of reaching 3,000. Hank Aaron's 755 home runs don't take away from Ruth's 714 because Ruth's record stood for 39 years. In the same way, McGwire's 70 home runs didn't make 60 irrelevant.

FRIDAY NIGHT BASEBALL

Los Angeles at St. Louis 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2 Play-by-play: Jon Miller Analyst: Joe Morgan What are the Dodgers' chances of making the playoffs? The Dodgers are not that good, but they have hung tough, to manager Jim Tracy's credit. They were like the Red Sox for a while, remaining in contention while key players were injured. However, the Dodgers still have a great shot. Any time a team has Gary Sheffield and Shawn Green in the lineup, it has a chance. It's tough to pick a favorite in the wild-card race. People were critical of the wild-card format when it was first introduced, but I think it has been great for baseball. The format guarantees that the two best teams in both leagues will be in the playoffs. Look at Oakland. The A's wouldn't make the playoffs this year without the wild card, and they may be the American League's second-best team. The wild card has given them an opportunity despite Seattle's great season. Baseball was criticized when the leagues were broken into divisions in 1969, but the moves have improved the game. -- Joe Morgan

The number 60 will remain magical to baseball fans everywhere. If Bonds fails to hit another home run this season, he has still accomplished a great feat.

During his postgame press conference, Bonds seemed gratified, especially after he saw an image of him and Babe Ruth flash on the scoreboard after he hit No. 60.

When players consider baseball lore, they don't think about matching Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa. They think about Ruth. And Bonds understood how incredible it was to join a magical circle that began with The Babe and later included Roger Maris.

By the way, Maris will never become a footnote in baseball history. He will always be known as the player who broke Ruth's record, one that stood for 34 years. Maris will always be the first one to hit 61, just like McGwire will always be the first to hit 70.

It doesn't matter if 60 has been reached five times in the last three years. Hitting home runs may be easier now than in the past, but no one can discount what Bonds, Sosa and Luis Gonzalez are doing because other players have the same opportunity. Bonds has to be compared to his peers. How the home run numbers are achieved is irrelevant. Hitting 60 will always be special, even if the ball is juiced, the ballparks are smaller and the pitchers are not as good.

Because Bonds had never hit more than 49 in a season, 60 is as new a plateau as 50 was. Now 70 is in sight. If Bonds gets enough pitches to hit, he will smack at least 11 more home runs.

It all depends on how teams pitch to him during the pennant race. Nine of the Giants' final 21 games come against Colorado and San Diego, two non-contenders that may give him pitches to hit. Then again, Arizona was unlikely to throw him strikes, and Bonds still hit two home runs in the series.

His most amazing statistic of all is hitting a home run every 6.9 at-bats. That surpasses both McGwire (7.3 in 1998) and Ruth (9.0 in 1927). And let's face it: Bonds gets few at-bats. At the rate he's going, if he gets 80 more official at-bats, Bonds will hit 71. But will he get 80 more opportunities?

While Bonds is frequently misunderstood, he has a great sense of baseball tradition. When I used to broadcast Giants games, I remember speaking to him about baseball history and about what certain records meant. He understands and cares about what players like Ruth, Aaron and Willie Mays did in their careers, while some don't even know who Jackie Robinson was.

People may not like him as much as McGwire or Sosa, but Bonds is officially part of an elite class.

Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan is a baseball analyst for ESPN.