The Stock on Bonds
I'm taking the time to weigh in on a pertinent baseball issue right now-- which, if you notice the posting dates on this dusty thing, is probably just an exercise in futility since the next time somebody hits this page will be sometime in January.
Much talk has been generated regarding the future residence of one Barry Bonds. And rightly so. He is arguably the most prominent figure in the game still to this day, whether that be positive or negative, and as such he's going to generate a lot of buzz for an aging veteran who can no longer use his legs (reports from the Bay Area indicate that he has installed a lawnmower engine in his clubhouse recliner to get from place to place).
Most experts agree that Oakland seems a likely candidate, mostly because of GM Billy Beane's affinity for On Base Percentage, one of the key areas in which Bonds has not declined much. It also seems natural since San Francisco fans seem to have built a thick layer of cement in their skulls that prohibits them from believing Barry's Shrek-like appearance has nothing to do with banned substances (despite the fact that his personal trainer has just been sent to jail for the second time for not admitting he gave Bonds said substances. I ask myself sometimes how far I'd go not to get a buddy thrown under the bus, and two jail terms is just not in that conversation. Could just be me, who knows).
But there's a problem with that logic-- Billy Beane is smart. Smart enough to sign high-risk veteran Frank Thomas to an incentive-laden one year deal last winter. Seemed odd at the time, but remember Frank had just won the comeback player of the year award a few years back, so clearly the potential for a breakout season was simply waiting for him, assuming he stayed healthy, which he did. But Bonds isn't a player just waiting to crash through his glass ceiling. Bonds is well on his way out. He can no longer play in the field, his decreased skills in left far outweighing any offense he can provide. His power numbers have slowed while his injury total has quickened-- perhaps another sign that his slight frame (remember Pittsburgh?) wasn't naturally built for that massive bulk.
If Bonds stays healthy and out of the media spotlight (keeping in mind that the Bay is the 3rd largest television market in the country), we might assume that he'd sing the tune of 25 HR, .260 AVG and about 100 walks. And we expect Beane to pay, what, $9 million for this? I don't see it.
However there is another option just up the coast. Flying under the radar in this pursuit is Seattle, a team who needs a power bat after a disastrous pair of free-agent signings several years ago (Sexson and Beltre). They have the money (thanks to a very solid fan base, plus the overseas income that Ichiro brings in), they have the market (how often do you hear controversy out of Seattle?). You might expect a deal slightly lower than in Oakland, as without them in the race, it seems that the services for Mr. Bonds are not in high demand.
Sure, teams would love to have skinny 3-time MVP Bonds on their team, stealing a base or two and playing an adequate outfield position. What they don't want is the bloated, egotistical 7-time MVP Bonds (aka post-juice Bonds) who creates clubhouse headaches.
Seattle has nothing to lose from the signing, except perhaps one more year out of contention in the AL West. They don't have pitching, which means that any sort of run for the playoffs next year is going to have to come from the bats. They can easily afford to swallow a one year deal (the increased revenue from a draw like Barry is worth the investment). It just seems like a logical choice.
Of course, logical choices aren't usually the norm in baseball these days (read: the Matsuzaka signing, whoever signs JD Drew, etc.), so I wouldn't expect that this idea would gain any sort of credibility. But it at least gives people something to think about, although that also seems to be too much to ask in this sport.
posted by BJC @ 11:19 AM
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