Barry Bonds: Why the Embattled Slugger Should Be on a Team Now

Before the season began, I thought, without question, and so did Barry Bonds, that the new home-run champion would have a job this summer.

Coming off an All-Star season in which he broke the all-time home-run record of 755, belting 28 to end the season with a career 762 homers, Bonds was a free agent with an unsurpassed statistical resume.

The seven-time MVP and former Gold Glove left fielder was unceremoniously let go by the Giants after a 22-year career, the last 15 of those years with San Francisco, and was hoping to find a job with an American League team in need of a bat. But with his numerous links to use of human growth hormone, he also has an unsurpassed resume of unpopularity.

Six months later, it seems there are plenty of teams, especially in the AL, that could use a good lefty hitter at this point in the season, but none of which have contacted or made much effort to go after Bonds. His agent has repeatedly said there have been no offers, and it doesn't appear as if there will be any for Bonds this year. It has gone so far that an investigation has taken place in baseball for possible collusion among general managers.

I know that if I am a GM right now, I would be on the phone with Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, working out any possible deal that I could. There are plenty of reasons to do this and so few not to.

At the top of that list is that Bonds will provide any team with instant offense. There is no question that the 43-year-old still has some power after last year's showing, and he can make any pitcher fear for his life. He is still good for 15-20 home runs the rest of the year along with 30-40 RBI. Those are good numbers for a guy who would be just virtually picked up off the street and added into the lineup.

Bonds will also provide a spark of energy in the clubhouse, as well, despite the fact that he is seen as a nuisance to most clubs. Sound like I'm contradicting myself? Well, I'm not, entirely. Bonds' bat in the lineup has the potential and could give any team instant power and more runs, which will provide more energy and enthusiasm in any clubhouse instantaneously. Any club that is struggling for offense now and looking for an extra push to take pressure off its pitching staff (ahem, Yankees) would gain a lot of energy in its clubhouse with Bonds.

Bonds also has the ability to act as a leader in any clubhouse being a 22-year veteran and has plenty of baseball experience and knowledge that would be beneficial for any young players to watch. While the Giants may be glad to have dumped the veteran out of San Francisco, any of the young players will tell you how big of an impact Bonds had on them, going back to the Candlestick Park days in the '90s.

Just ask Fred Lewis, F.P. Santangelo, Marvin Benard, and Armando Rios, all of whom learned and played with Bonds. It wasn't the young guys that couldn't get along with Bonds' selfish demeanor, it was the veterans who were jealous of his accomplishments and could never amount their careers to anything great. Just look at Marquis Grissom, Ellis Burks, Jose Cruz Jr., Kenny Lofton, and Reggie Sanders. There is no question that a team could use Bonds in its clubhouse as a leader to help develop younger players.

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