Odds And Ends: Pedro, Crosby, Nationals

I doubt the Padres would sign Bonds, mainly cause of the fact that we only have one roster spot open and we need arms. Headley/Greut/Giles is our starting outfield, so we have no need for Bonds, plus the Bonds isn't liked in SD, considering the amount of home runs he hit against us is more then any other team. Fan reaction would be crazy.

By the way, I saw Strassburg pitch last night, 7 innings, 14k, 1bb, 6 hits, 2er, 1hr allowed. He balked once but other than that he was as dominate as I have seen. I am no scout but I was impressed.

why dont the pirates have a reunion with bonds? he would be an upgrade in left and pittsburgh cuz use some media attention

"All we are going to hear is "we are going to pass" which unless they have no room for him (some teams legitimately dont), then Barry is really going to clean up on a collusion lawsuit."

This might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. The teams don't have to give a reason if they don't want to. They don't owe it to anyone. Good luck trying to prove collusion.

No team has to give a reason why they don't want an aging ego-maniac who hasn't played in over a year.

Bonds is a terrible teammate and person and even the classiest manager he ever played for (Jim Leyland) has said negative things about him.

It doesn't matter if he's ever proven to be a steroid abuser, anyone with common sense knows that what he did from 2000 on is tainted.

Melonis -- I thought you were one of the smarter posters on this site. I can't believe you agree with this tripe.

The Atlanta Braves play TEAM baseball. There's no room for a cancer who needs his own personal leather recliner in the clubhouse. I'd rather see the Braves lose 90 games again than compete with Bonds on their team.

Clint C, you dont think all this mess of things that have happened to him since the end of the 07 season have diminished his ego? At every turn since 2007 he said he just wants to play baseball, get to 3000 hits, make the playoffs one last time, talk to young hitters and use his minimum wage salary to spend on tickets for poor families. He seems genuine, and if he starts doing all the things he was doing in 2001, like you asume he will, uhhh he's making minimum wage the team can just cut him. Its a literal no-lose situation with Bonds.

Bottom line, people like you are holding a grudge and its pointed at the RESULT not the overall reason for the problem. All of the steroid problems in MLB sit squarely on Bud Selig, not any player.

Everyone in America deserves a 2nd chance, its sickening to read what clint c wrote, a narrow minded, ESPN propaganda-swallowing, anti-american view on a guy who just wants to play 1 last year. Anyone who says they would rather their team not win games than to have Bonds is mentally challenged. What about A-Rod? Do you think the same thing?

Show some respect and get your head out of your @ss. Bonds did roids because he was allowed to do so by Selig, if Selig had manned up and instigated a better policy in the mid-90s, everything would be different.

And, furthermore, I think it's the American way to be able to believe whatever you want. If you believe Bonds deserves this chance, that's fine. I can believe what I want to believe. The owners of baseball teams can believe what they want to believe.

Also, I noticed that you didn't address my points about him being a below average player nowadays. You feel so strongly about him getting another chance, but don't seem to disagree that he's not MLB caliber anymore. Interesting.

If he's truly changed his ways, then let him set up a baseball academy and help children learn how to the play them game. He doesn't need the salary he'd make playing this year, he's got millions of dollars already. If he wants to buy tickets for poor families, he can do that, too. More power to him.

In fact, I suggest he make a sizable donation to Dale Murphy's "I Won't Cheat" program. That would impress me.

"Also, I noticed that you didn't address my points about him being a below average player nowadays. You feel so strongly about him getting another chance, but don't seem to disagree that he's not MLB caliber anymore. Interesting."

"Im sorry but we are talking about a guy who had a 170 OPS+ with 10.2 RC/G in his last season here. Even counting in the drop in numbers due to age, health and whatnot, he's going to outproduce at least 75% of people who are playing LF and DH in MLB in 2009."

Apparently you cant read. Interesting.

"I'm pro American because I want America's pastime to be a clean sport"

The game has never, ever been clean. Dale Murphy and other really religious guys are total outliers. Nearly every player has taken greenies since they were invented. Greenies are an extremely illegal amphetamine that you can go to prison for if you are caught dealing them on the streets, yet they existed in every clubhouse for generations. People really have to get it out of their heads that this game will ever be "clean". It wont, and frankly, Im glad it doesnt. It makes it more of an "everyman's" game, because in the real world, people lie, cheat and steal all the time. Its awesome to see these guys are no better than anyone.

"That being said, it's not like Selig told Bonds, "Hey, start taking steroids and become some monster of a man". Bonds chose his path and should suffer (these limited) consequences."

From 1990 to 1998, Bonds was considered hands down the best player in the game, boosting his ego and turning him to the arrogant-yet-awesome player he was. Then, in 98, the game/world focussed on 2 others, 2 men who were absolutely using PEDs of various kinds and everyone within the game knew it. The game started to not focus on Barry, he of the large ego. In 1999 Bonds gets hurt and is angry the world isnt focussing on him as much, so he starts using. Seeing as he actually was one of the all time great players, and McGwire and Sosa werent, he puts up video game numbers over the next 7 seasons.

Now, if Selig had put a steroid policy in place by the mid 90s, or, if one had been put in place even earlier in result of the fallout from Ben Johnson's gold medal win in the 88 Olympics like they should have done, the Mac+Sammy HR drive doesnt happen, Bonds remains clean and still the best player in the game, and none of this ever happens.

So yeah, taking into account his ego/personality, and the huge media blitz of "McGwire+Sosa saved baseball" while clearly using PED's, Selig in a way, did force Bonds to juice. He needed to be the center of attention again, and the only way to do that would be to get on Mark+Sammy's level.

PL -- You are clearly delusional. I agree, and said earlier, that Bonds was one of the greats. He didn't need to cheat. Even after 1998 no one would have argued that Maguire or Sosa were better players than Bonds -- he was a complete player. He could field, he could throw, he could steal bases, and he could hit.

To claim that he HAD to cheat to satisfy his ego is where you lose me. He didn't HAVE to cheat, he CHOSE to cheat. There's no way around that fact.

And I know the game will never be, and has never been, TRULY CLEAN. Amphetamines have been around since the 1950's and a lot of players take them. I guess I'd prefer it if that wasn't true, but I do know better. I still don't think you should condone the fact that he cheated just because "everybody's doing it". That's not right.

And I thought the argument was the there was some sort of collusion going on on the part of MLB (Selig) and the owners to keep Bonds out of baseball? I don't think Selig has to say anything to the owners, most of them have the common sense to avoid Bonds.

And, no, I don't think Manny is a complete player and I think the Dodgers did a good thing going to a year by year contract with him.

Just a quick question: why are you so obsessed with "complete" players? Can you please make a comprehensive list of all the "complete" players currently taking up roster spots at LF and DH? These players you are talking about are limited to like Grady Sizemore and Grady Sizemore and you act like they are a dime a dozen.

"The argument is that considering all the players who have jobs right now who play LF and DH, Bonds overall value will be better than 75% of them and the only reason why he doesnt have a team is collusion."

Thats the argument, you have done nothing to prove against it otherwise, thanks for playing though.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention how Bonds is now a ONE tool player - and that's if he can still even hit the ball.

He was a below average fielder with a below average arm and had no speed when he last played."

That second paragraph describes Ryan Howard. And Prince Fielder. And Raul Ibanez. Do you know what all those guys got this offseason. That's right, multi year deals. And all of these guys were WORSE fielders than Bonds was in 2007. And none of them really light up basepaths.

"So the guy hit EXTREMELY well two years ago and that guarantees that he can still hit now?"

And players aren't signed on purely "upside" signings, even if they weren't effective last year? Griffey, Garret Anderson, Juan Rivera (got 3 years, even though he got hurt), Freddy Garcia, Tim Redding, Carl Pavano, etc. All of these guys either didn't play much or blew last year. They all got guaranteed money. None of them were good players anytime recently (although some were good years ago).

The guaranteed money would be VERY low, thus signaling a VERY low risk, and the upside is MASSIVE. Bonds wasn't not productive in '08 because of injuries/suckiness, but because of collusion.

Delusional - a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.

I believe that just about sums up your belief, PL, that Bonds ABSOLUTELY HAD TO CHEAT. Every single person in this world makes their own decisions based on what they feel/believe is right. Bonds chose to cheat.

I don't think I insulted you like a typical internet clown would have. I didn't resort to any childish name calling. If you truly felt insulted, I apologize.

Melonis -- One difference between all the players you mentioned getting multi year deals and Bonds is that they don't come with all the baggage that Bonds comes with. The typical baseball fan believes he cheated to overtake one of the game's most sacred records, and they don't want to watch him play anymore.

Any owner that signed him would hear about it from thousands of disappointed fans.

He does have quite a bit of upside as a DH in the American League, I'll give you that, but to think he'll come back and put up the same kind of numbers as he did in 2007 is kind of silly, at least in my opinion.

It's not "collusion" when the owners make up their minds individually. It's called common sense.