Thursday, July 24, 2008

Bonds as a Yankee? Why not?


Of course there is an argument to sign Bonds.
The Yankees offense might need a boost
Money is no object for the Yankees
He costs the Yankees no prospects
Little Hank Steinbrenner would be able to make his first big splash
And let's not get too self righteous about his cheating.

4 seasons ago the headline of the Post was "Dump the Bum" calling for a release of Jason Giambi based on his name being in the initial steroid findings.

Now people are debating the merits of giving him an extension.

Funny, Sheffield was in the same report... nobody called to dump him? Could it be that Giambi had a bad year in 2004 and Sheffield was an MVP candidate? Nahhhh

Plus they brought back Andy Pettite, who bravely kind of confessed after being caught.

And had Roger Clemens suit up.

Not to mention Jose Canseco in 2000.

What's one more?

(Keep in mind, the number of juicers in the league is probably so high and on every team including the Red Sox that NOBODY can act holier than thou about it.)

So Bonds could come in, supply some offense and protection for A-Rod, Abreu and company and provide a spark.

So it’s a no brainer, right?

Not so fast…

First of all with Damon, Posada and Giambi, they already have three guys who can swing from the left side with physical issues who should be DHing.

Secondly the offense is finally starting to click, especially with Cano hitting the ball.

Thirdly, the Yankees are still starting Darrell Rasner and Sidney Ponson every 5th day. It’s been working for the Yankees to be sure, but those victories have all the security of an episode of Mr. Magoo. The Yankee brass should be talking about bringing a starting arm into the Bronx seeing that 40% of their starters could implode at any moment.

But most importantly there is the Bonds factor… which nobody can honestly say what it will be like.

As someone who has lived in the Bay Area for the last few years and has seen up close how the Giants bent over backwards for Bonds, I can tell you it will be a NIGHTMARE for the Yankees.

Since losing the NL West on the last weekend of 2004 and losing Bonds for almost all of 2005, the Giants basically put a product on the field in 2006 and 2007 with one purpose only: Keep Bonds happy while he tries to hit 756 homers and fills AT&T Park every night.

They signed old friends like Rich Aurillia, surrounded Bonds with low maintenance veterans like Randy Winn and Dave Roberts and allowed him any concession he needed.

Want to take a day off? Need the clubhouse clear? Don’t want to talk to the intensely forgiving press? Go ahead Barry….

He was so insulated and protected that you got the sense that people in M Night Shymalan’s The Village were more up to date on current events than Barry.

Not to mention the press fawned over Bonds, save for a pair of reporters in the San Francisco Chronicle who were VILLIFIED for writing about Bonds.

And the fans gave him standing ovation after standing ovation.

And why not?
He saved baseball in San Francisco!

And he was still prickly!

So now you want to put him in an environment where he has no good will banked with the fans, in a clubhouse where he will not be the big star (that’s A-Rod’s job) won’t be the head of the clubhouse (that would be Jeter) won’t have a position and, I’m going out on a limb here, might find out the press won’t give him his space.

This is what is being proposed for a team that is finally playing up to its potential?

As a Red Sox fan let me say “It’s a GREAT idea!!!!!”

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