Thursday, July 10, 2008
WHITHER BARRY BONDS?
Nobody wants Barry Bonds. Nobody.
And for what reason? The steroid allegations? Take heart, guys: Barry's never tested positive. The guy he hit home run #755 off of, well, he tested positive and got suspended. But Barry never has.
Is it that Barry's an unlikeable guy? Well, maybe that has something to do with it, but "unlikeable" doesn't equal "not good at baseball."
How about the likelihood of a media circus distracting the other players? Well, you know what else is a media circus? The World Series. What team wouldn't want to be part of that media circus?
Barry hit 28 home runs last year, in just 340 at-bats. And he got on base almost half the time he stepped to the plate. Those are better marks than in 2006. He's not declining in ability, at least any more than you would expect any player to deteriorate as he gets older. He's certainly not as fleet afoot as he once was, but he's still pretty sure-handed when he does get to a ball hit out to left field. And that wouldn't even be a concern for half the teams in baseball, the ones in the DH-ing American League.
So why not sign him? You telling me the Minnesota Twins couldn't use him? Last night the Twins used Craig Monroe as their designated hitter. Craig Monroe, of a .207 batting average. Of an on-base percentage of about 28 percent. Last night the Texas Rangers had Frank Catalanotto as their DH. Catalanotto, in 182 at-bats, has all of two home runs. Barry couldn't do better? Worried about his physical condition? Hell, the Giants have two left-fielders on the disabled list as we speak. Bring him back!
It's my contention that Barry Bonds will help your team score a few runs. What are you afraid of? Only your pocketbook and your clubhouse peace will take a tiny hit. Sign him.
"I am not talking to any club about Barry Bonds because they all made it very clear to me they are not interested in him. Every club," [Bonds' agent Jeff] Borris told USA Today..."I can't believe he doesn't have a job...No one has offered even the minimum salary. He made the All-Star team last year, and there's no reason to believe he wouldn't have a repeat performance in 2008, except for the conspiracy against him."I'm not so sure there's a conspiracy. For there to be a conspiracy, all the teams would have to be working together to keep Barry Bonds out of Major League Baseball. Something tells me that they're all working on their own, individually deciding that they don't want him.
And for what reason? The steroid allegations? Take heart, guys: Barry's never tested positive. The guy he hit home run #755 off of, well, he tested positive and got suspended. But Barry never has.
Is it that Barry's an unlikeable guy? Well, maybe that has something to do with it, but "unlikeable" doesn't equal "not good at baseball."
How about the likelihood of a media circus distracting the other players? Well, you know what else is a media circus? The World Series. What team wouldn't want to be part of that media circus?
Barry hit 28 home runs last year, in just 340 at-bats. And he got on base almost half the time he stepped to the plate. Those are better marks than in 2006. He's not declining in ability, at least any more than you would expect any player to deteriorate as he gets older. He's certainly not as fleet afoot as he once was, but he's still pretty sure-handed when he does get to a ball hit out to left field. And that wouldn't even be a concern for half the teams in baseball, the ones in the DH-ing American League.
So why not sign him? You telling me the Minnesota Twins couldn't use him? Last night the Twins used Craig Monroe as their designated hitter. Craig Monroe, of a .207 batting average. Of an on-base percentage of about 28 percent. Last night the Texas Rangers had Frank Catalanotto as their DH. Catalanotto, in 182 at-bats, has all of two home runs. Barry couldn't do better? Worried about his physical condition? Hell, the Giants have two left-fielders on the disabled list as we speak. Bring him back!
It's my contention that Barry Bonds will help your team score a few runs. What are you afraid of? Only your pocketbook and your clubhouse peace will take a tiny hit. Sign him.
