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« White Sox Not Happy With Crede Offers | Main | Nats To Pass On Weaver »
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Barry Bonds
The biggest name remaining in the free agent market is one Barry Lamar Bonds. The most recent rumored destinations for the all-time home run champ have been the Rays, Mets and even Japan. The Rays say there was never any serious consideration and the Mets say they are not interested.
The biggest question mark concerning Bonds is whether his production at age 43 is worth the circus that follows, both in the clubhouse and in the media. Yesterday at my home base, Rays Index, I contacted Chone Smith of Anaheim Angels All The Way, and creator of the CHONE projection system. Smith had used his projection system to predict that the final regular season standings. The Rays are projected to win 89 games and finish third in the AL East, based on a considerable improvement in pitching and defense. The Mets are projected to win 92 games.
In an effort to estimate Bonds' on-field impact, we asked Smith to substitute Bonds into the Rays and Mets lineups and rerun his projections. With Bonds in the lineup, both the Mets and the Rays improved by 3 games in the standings and approximately 30 net runs (As an Angels fan, Smith kindly refused to run the same projection for the Mariners or the A's, lest those teams start thinking Bonds is a good idea).
If the Rays are indeed an 87-89 win team (PECOTA projects 88 wins), then Bonds might be a difference-maker. While signing Bonds may indeed be a headache, the difference between 89 wins and 92 wins for the Rays could be the difference between the 2007 Brewers (just missed) and the 2007 Rockies (World Series). And the difference between 92 wins and 95 wins for the Mets could be the difference between the 2007 Mets (one game short) and the 2007 Phillies (one game not short).
To quote one commenter from Rays Index, "Media scrutiny is only hard if you suck. If you're good, it's fun."
Let's take a look at what else is being said about Bonds in the Blogosphere...
If there is a topic you would like to see covered in "Baseball Blogs Weigh In" please let me know HERE.
- Squawking Baseball thinks the Angels could be a solid fit for Bonds.
- Baseball Musings will miss Bonds if he doesn't play this year, and lists several teams that should consider signing him.
- Amazin' Avenue explores "The Bonds Market" and express their desire for the Mets to sign the aging slugger, calling the apparent blackballing "disgraceful".
- Mike's Mets doesn't see Bonds as a clubhouse cancer and thinks he would be good for the Mets, but does not think he will fit from a financial perspective.
- Bugs & Cranks feels that the Dodgers would have a much better shot at winning the NL West if they signed Bonds.
Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.
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wow, even without bonds 88 wins kind of scares me as a sox fan, i know we are primed to win in the 95 area of games, but thats amazing that they are going to be that close especially after the last few years.
Posted by: 04Forever | March 14, 2008 at 11:11 AM
bonds will also put alot more butts in the seats, thats something they should REALLY consider taking into, well, consideration. after all, alot of there talent will be lost to free agency soon and they may want to dip their feet in the free agent market
Posted by: 04Forever | March 14, 2008 at 11:14 AM
I agree with the obvious blackballing being disgraceful. 3 wins is 3 wins and can obviously be the difference between a wild card and going home. He's still a monster hitter and wouldn't have to play defense, his only (on-field) liability.
What are his salary demands, and are the Rays able to pay that?
Posted by: Dan Stabbingworth | March 14, 2008 at 11:23 AM
If I am not mistaken, Bonds still has an offer from the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League. Maybe he should start to consider that. :)
Posted by: Nate Braxton-Coley | March 14, 2008 at 11:28 AM
The Rays have said that money is not a problem to signing anyone. Just a complete guess I'd say 10 mil is a fair price for him for one season. Who knows what Bonds is demanding though. I have a feeling he is asking for a lot and as the season progresses he'll lower his demands and hope to jump on with a contender.
Posted by: celtics464 | March 14, 2008 at 11:30 AM
even if bonds is being blackballed(which by the way is much better than being blueballed), he deserves it and its the owners right. he is an employee, not the boss. nobody has the right as an employee to demand work. look at what mcgwire did when it was obvious he cheated. he didnt stick around and try to break more records. he left and he also left 30 million dollars on the table. im not saying it makes up for him cheating but it holds weight in my book.
Posted by: Joelcards | March 14, 2008 at 11:50 AM
I've never been a Bonds fan but if he was willing to sign a relatively cheap contract laden with incentives I'd sure rather see him in LF for the Jays instead of Reed Johnson or Shannon Stewart -- The future is now ... Someone will sign him
Posted by: Jim T | March 14, 2008 at 11:51 AM
88 wins? I'll believe that when my poop turns into rainbow sherbert. 80 tops!
Posted by: joemorgan=#1 | March 14, 2008 at 12:06 PM
lots of sites are predicting that, its not just me.
ps - i liked super troopers myself
Posted by: 04Forever | March 14, 2008 at 12:14 PM
I don't know if that Bugs and Cranks blog entry is supposed to be a joke or not, or what proportion of joke to truth he's going for.
- Sign Bonds?
Great, so we'd have an outfield of Jones, Pierre, and Bonds? That way we'll lock Ethier AND Kemp out of the lineup?
- "Other than Brad Penny and Derek Lowe, try to name another Dodger you wish was on your team."
I'll name a guy who I'd take before Lowe and Penny. Chad Billingsley?
Posted by: jumanjifan01 | March 14, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Rebuttal!!!
http://alldodgers.blogspot.com/2008/03/how-dumb-are-you-david-chalk-decides-to.html
Posted by: dusto | March 14, 2008 at 01:52 PM
This Bonds situation is as mysterious as Selig's hair. Seriously folks, why wouldn't you want to sign Bonds? He's clubhouse cancer, he'll bring in Barnum and Bailey, he's a cheater (whatever that means), he'll be a major distraction, the fans will rebel? There is one guy I can think of who is none of the above, Milton Bradley. Look, I can understand teams unwilling to sign Barry given his legal situation. Who wants to pay $10+ million for a guy whose attendance is as slight as Drew Sharp's goatee? Given the status of his legal problem, it's very likely (with all the motions and so forth) the trial won't begin until after the season. We'll probably find out next week. If the trial is held at the predicted point, then sign the guy. I'll guarantee any AL owner or GM this, he'll be the most productive DH next to David Ortiz. And I honestly think he's still an adequate left fielder. Signing Bonds not only makes sense from a baseball standpoint but he'll increase revenue wherever he lands. Turning down Bonds would be like turning down a free visit to The Bunny Ranch.
Posted by: fenderfanatic | March 14, 2008 at 02:15 PM
I think I share the same sentiment a lot of people do about Bonds. I'd love to see him play a little more and help a team to the World Series... as long as it's not MY team.
Posted by: FineHamAbounds | March 14, 2008 at 02:21 PM
Bonds to Cleveland ~ please! We wanted a power-bat for a corner OF spot and its such a huge playoff bat… Play him 2/3 the games, platooning all of Bonds/Michaels/DavidD/FrankieG on the corners… Come on, just do it already…
Posted by: darkstar1661 | March 14, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Good stuff fender. I am tired of hearing how Bonds will be a clubhouse cancer and the rest of the team wont like him. Well, when the rest of the team is posting .480 OBP, then they can complain about having Bonds in the lockeroom. Until then, shutup and deal with it. The guys is still probably one of the 5 most dangerous hitters in the league. It really would be like turning down a free trip to the bunny ranch.
Posted by: nrmax88 | March 14, 2008 at 03:52 PM
"I think I share the same sentiment a lot of people do about Bonds. I'd love to see him play a little more and help a team to the World Series... as long as it's not MY team."
Would you enjoy watching him play 18 games against you in a Met uniform? I would. But I guess when you have Matt Diaz who really needs Bonds.
Posted by: nrmax88 | March 14, 2008 at 03:54 PM