Bonds will also have a huge advantage playing in the American League, as he won't have to worry about playing the field because he can serve as the designated hitter. This runs a far smaller chance of injury and almost guarantees that Bonds will remain healthy for the remainder of the year. He's a had a lot of time off, and asking Bonds to come back for the second half of the year would be no problem for him despite all of the nagging injuries he's had to put up with throughout his career.
The final reason that signing Bonds would be a great decision is he'd likely come cheap. There is little question that Bonds would come as a great deal for the remainder of the season, probably around $5 million. That is a steal for any team looking to push itself into the playoffs and compete for a pennant.
The reasons not to sign Bonds have included the fact that it's time to move on, there is too much baggage with him, he's a nuisance in the clubhouse, and he wants too much money. People have also said that he is getting what he deserves after a career of shutting down fans over and over. While some of these allegations might be true, the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Where Bonds would sign and what would be a great fit for him remains unknown. We know it would be an American League team and one in contention for the playoffs. New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Minnesota, Detroit, Anaheim, and Oakland would be the only possibilities.
New York desperately needs a bat to take the place of Hideki Matsui, who is going to be on the DL for a long time, as well as to take some pressure off their pitching staff, which is having to carry the team. Boston could use another bat, though its situation is not as drastic as New York's. The absence of David Ortiz has done nothing but allow J.D. Drew to break through and begin to earn his paycheck.
Bonds also said he would never play for the city of Boston a few years ago, but times have changed. Tampa Bay could definitely use the powerful bat in the lineup as the Rays have lost seven straight and are in desperate need of some help. If they want to stay in contention with the Red Sox, signing Bonds would be a huge help.
The White Sox could also use a bat, as they have a strong rotation backed by a solid bullpen, but are trying to hold off the Twins and Tigers to take the division. The White Sox might not have what it takes with Carlos Quentin, Nick Swisher, A.J. Pierzynski, and Joe Crede all underperforming, so Bonds could be the answer they've been looking for.
Minnesota is unlikely, as the Twins main concern is their pitching, but if they can't go out and get a pitcher to add, why not add some offense to score more runs?
Detroit's problem is similar to Minnesota's and it is hard to believe that we would even be talking about the Tigers in need of a bat with the lineup they have, but they are going to need all the help they can get as they try to take the division.
Anaheim wants to run away with the division as it is holding onto a six-game lead over Oakland. It hasn't been their hitting, but their pitching, led by John Lackey, Jered Weaver, John Garland, and Ervin Santana, that has kept the Angels in first place. Vladimir Guererro, Torii Hunter, and Garrett Anderson have completely underperformed, so adding Bonds to the lineup could be the missing piece for the Angels.
The A's have had to deal with so many injuries it is unbelievable that they are still even in contention. Their entire lineup is diminished with injuries to Eric Chavez, Frank Thomas, Bobby Crosby, Mike Sweeney, and Ryan Sweeney. They have pitched really well, but they need some offensive help and Bonds might not be all they need, but it is definitely a start if they want to stay in the pennant chase and compete for the division. As you can see, there are many teams that could use Bonds in their lineup to make a second-half push.
It's hard to believe that Bonds is not on a roster right now with all of the holes on teams trying to compete for a playoff spot. I know if I was a GM, I would have Bonds on my team.
We're going to send you the most entertaining MLB articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
8 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete