Is Barry Bonds being blackballed??

[Crewin06]

Is anyone else suprised that Barry Bonds doesn't have a job yet?

I just read an article http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3254672

And I find it very suprising that nobody has picked him up yet.

Yes he used Steroids or HGH, nobody is denying that (except him) but so did Pettite, Tejada, Gagne and a host of others, and people don't care.

It would be different if his skills had totally eroded him but the guy had the 4th highest OPS last season among players with over 450 Plate appearances.

You're telling me nobody wants him to DH for them?

On another note would you mind seeing him in Milwaukee?

If the Brewers had a DH I would love to see him, but considering Braun is just learning left, the outfield is pretty much set and he is a defensive liability and a cancer on a very young and impressionable team, I would pass.

Sorry in advance if this topic has already been brought up.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think it's more that teams are concerned that he'd receive jail time for his perjury case and then not be able to get on the field. If he isn't sent to jail, once that verdict is in, then I'm sure teams in the AL will fly at him (they should, anyway).

[pitchleague]

yeah, his "black-listing" is pretty evident, but can you blame the owners? It would be a complete public-relations disaster for your club to sign him.

 

I know he still plays/hits at an outstanding rate and still has that killer eye at the plate for his age, but it's kind of like Rickey Henderson, who, I think, could have easily played in the majors until even today but teams pretty much "black-listed" him, not because of drugs or attitude, but because of his age. I'm surprised the same thing didn't happen to Julio Franco.

[crewcrazy]

I've heard speculation that Bonds actually has a decent offer or two but he's holding out for his outrageous contract demands so he can act like a victim when no one has him signed by Opening Day. There's also rumors going around that Bonds could actually go over to Japan to play, assuming his legal problems here in the States get worked out. Fans in Japan apparently treat Bonds like a God and would totally embrace him if he decided to end his career there as some kind of protest against MLB.

[DrWood]

Why would Barry Bonds want to go to Spring Training? It might be that simple why he isn't on a roster.

[GAME05]

what i can't really figure out is what Barry wants at this point, what his motivation could really be to coming back another year. love of the game really doesn't strike me as a reason. money, either, for that matter.

 

i've heard the Japan thing before and at first kind of laughed it off. i don't think he'd go there, but in a way it also makes sense. i mean, that's why he allegedly took juice in the first place, right, to be exalted as a legend? so if the Japanese fans do indeed think he's a god and cheer him in every park, that might be the end he wants most of all, because he's sure not going to get it from us.

 

but PR nightmare or not, i think Bonds would still be great revenue. i think he'd pack the seats with people coming to the stadium just to boo.

[mothershipconnection]

I don't think it's "black listing" at all. It's the same reason nobody wants to date someone they know to have VD. The person wasn't collectively blacklisted, you just don't want the VD that'd come with dating them.

[twobrewers]

I don't think it's "black listing" at all. It's the same reason nobody wants to date someone they know to have VD. The person wasn't collectively blacklisted, you just don't want the VD that'd come with dating them.

If we haven't created an "Analogy of the Year Award", we should look into that.

 

We have our first contestant!

[Getpaddled]

he will be on the yankees by the end of the year in a DH role....

[DrWood]

hah. you should see my ex-girlfriends. If they didn't have VD, you'd wonder why. hmmm. this doesn't paint me in a good light, does it. Or does it?

[Big Reed]

one of the problems with barry bonds signing with another team was created by bonds himself. he stated he only wanted to play for a West Coast team. As a dh, that would be the Angels, Oakland and seattle. The Angels alrready have a full outfield and a capable DH in Garret Anderson. The A's can't afford to keep their own players much less pick up the $10 + million contract Bonds wants to be paid. Seattle has jose vidro as their dh. he did pretty well last year. it's sad, but there is no west coast AL team that needs a Dh. That's what happens when there are only 4 teams in the AL west. IF barry wants to play for an NL team on the West coast, he has a choice of the Dodgers or padres. Bonds in a dodger uniform could be interesting. but I doubt kent would allow it to happen. there would be a mutiny among Dodger players. Bonds as a padre would be interesting and also possible.

 

Unless barry changes his position and rethinks playing for some team other than a west coast team, he's going to remain on the outside looking in. A team I could see as a possibility is the Cleveland Indians. Barry has family ties in Cleveland. Cleveland uses a variety of players in it's dh slot. Barry could easily play left field and dh for 100 games and 400 atbats.

[BrewCrewForever]

I've heard speculation that Bonds actually has a decent offer or two but he's holding out for his outrageous contract demands so he can act like a victim when no one has him signed by Opening Day. There's also rumors going around that Bonds could actually go over to Japan to play, assuming his legal problems here in the States get worked out. Fans in Japan apparently treat Bonds like a God and would totally embrace him if he decided to end his career there as some kind of protest against MLB.

Yeah I could see the Japan thing. But l think the most realistic place for Bonds is the Yankees. He can DH and with that short RF porch at Yankee stadium he could hit 40 HR this season. Book it.

 

[pitchleague]

maybe the Pirates should sign him.

 

Heck, it "worked" for Milwaukee in '75 and '76.

[BrewCrewForever]

maybe the Pirates should sign him.

 

Heck, it "worked" for Milwaukee in '75 and '76.

I actually had to think for a second who you were talking about. Then boom! It hit me, duh. That would be crazy to see Bonds in a Pirates uni again. If they played in the AL I could see it.

 

[bigredrobbo]

Is Bonds being blackballed?

 

 

 

I think you'll find these days it's politically correct to call it "African-American Balled"...

[Brian the Automator]

hah. you should see my ex-girlfriends. If they didn't have VD, you'd wonder why. hmmm. this doesn't paint me in a good light, does it. Or does it?

Please keep comments like this away from the site.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Jose Vidro is no reason to not sign Bonds imho. The M's are one squad where it would probably make sense for both parties. The teams rooted for out here in the Pac. NW are Oak., SF, & Sea.... so it's not like there wouldn't be any fan support up in Seattle. A one-year deal fits right in with how Bavasi constructs his teams, too.

Add Bonds in with Ibanez, Beltre, Ichiro, Betancourt... suddenly there's an offense in Seattle.

[BrewCrewForever]

Yeah Bonds could for sure help Seattle. I liked Seattle to win the West before and if they add Bonds I would really like them.

[Blancofan1]

Why would Barry Bonds want to go to Spring Training? It might be that simple why he isn't on a roster.

I agree 100% with this idea. A lot like Michael Strahan last year for the Giants. I can't really say that I blame him either.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd personally love to see Barry sign with the Yankees. His swing is tailor-made for that stadium, and the circumstances seem perfect.

[DrWood]

hah. you should see my ex-girlfriends. If they didn't have VD, you'd wonder why. hmmm. this doesn't paint me in a good light, does it. Or does it?

Please keep comments like this away from the site.

 

 

well, at least you didn't give me a third strike for feeble humor. you could have just deleted the comment.

[LouisEly]

Dumb question: Bonds is a free agent, but is he a type-A free agent? I don't know the rules of that.

 

If so, perhaps teams don't want to give up a #1 draft pick for a player who will likely only play one year.

[TooLiveBrew]

Great point, LE. Not dumb at all, as you were obviously the first to raise the concern.

 

Barry Bonds is a type A free agent. One more step toward understanding why he's still unsigned. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[bigredrobbo]

Can I be the first to point out that he might be unsigned because he's a Type A Douche?

[TooLiveBrew]

we'll call it dual reasoning.