I happened to be watching ESPN on Saturday night when Barry Bonds hit career home run number 755.

The reaction was interesting. More fans in San Diego cheered than booed. Commissioner Bud Selig was there. He eventually stood up, put his hands in his pockets, and acted like he didn't know what to do -- I thought for a second he was going to yawn.

Maybe he wasn't bored, just confused or embarrassed. Don't worry, Bud. No matter what Barry does, there's a reasonable chance that his soon-to-be record holding status will be short-lived.

On the same day that Bonds tied Hank Aaron, Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th career home run. Here's how the two stack-up when compared by age (totals through Saturday)

A-Rod has 166 more home runs than Bonds did at the same age. And the gap -- at least temporarily - is only going to grow. Bonds completed his age 31 season (his age when the season began) more than a decade ago. A-Rod still has nearly two full months to pad his totals.

So how did a guy with "only" 334 home runs after 11 big league seasons find himself on the verge of breaking the all-time home run record?

Check out Barry's totals starting 1997. Along the way, a slugger was transformed into Superman.

Check out his home run frequency in the last column. Interesting to note that the year after the McGwire and Sosa home run chase of 1998, Bonds really began to dial it up.

In his first 11 seasons in the big leagues, Barry hit a home run every 16.6 at-bats. Over his last 11 years, that frequency has increased -- a dinger every 10 at-bats. His rate was in the single digits for six straight years.

At his first-half career pace, Bonds would have hit 255 home runs since 1997 -- great career totals, for sure -- but well short of record breaking status.

So is A-Rod's a lock to break Bonds' record? There are no guarantees but you have to like his chances as long as he stays healthy.

Let's say Barry plays one more season and between now and then he hits another 25 home runs. He would walk away from the game with a career total of 780.

If A-Rod can average 500 at-bats (he's averaged almost 600 the last 11 seasons) and continue to hit homers at his current career rate -- the Yankees third baseman should pass that mark in the year 2015.

Babe Ruth hit home run number 714 in 1935. That mark lasted nearly 40 years until Aaron broke the record in 1974. Hank's 755 has stood the test of time for three decades.

With good luck and good health on the part of A-Rod, Barry's status as the all-time home-run king will last all of eight years. And if he doesn't do it, there are other young sluggers in the game, including Albert Pujols, whose pace isn't far behind.

Barry's time on the throne may end up being the shortest of all.