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Thursday, May 08, 2008

Det News: Parker: Like him or not, Tigers need Bonds

Life with snarky Parker…

Bonds, baseball’s all-time home-run leader with 762, should pick the American League team he wants to be designated hitter for, give it a blank contract and have it fill in the numbers.

And that team could easily be the Tigers. They desperately need a left-handed bat in their inconsistent lineup, which has been shut out five times in the first 34 games. Last season, the Tigers were blanked three times.

The only thing Bonds—who earned $15.5 million last season with the San Francisco Giants—should ask for is an attendance clause. If he fills the seats, he should get a bonus. It would be hard for a team to pass up that offer, even with Bonds’ alleged-steroid-use baggage.

...Whether you like or dislike Bonds, he hasn’t been convicted of anything. He should be allowed to play like everybody else who has been tarnished by this scandal.

If Bonds is unemployed because he wants too much money, that’s one thing. But if it’s not about that, it’s simply not fair.

Repoz Posted: May 08, 2008 at 12:15 PM | 26 comment(s)
Related News: General, Detroit, Steroids

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1. Mr2bits Posted: May 08, 2008 at 02:14 PM (#2773818)

An attendance clause? Aren't the Tigers going to sell out every game with or without him?

2. JuanGone..except1game Posted: May 08, 2008 at 02:57 PM (#2773860)

As much as I hate to say this, my Indians might need him more than the Tigers. We can't hide him as easy with the DH spot taken up by Hafner and Vic on off days, but we have a pretty easy LF to play and Sizemore has enough range to help in Left-Center. Plus, if CC maintains his recent performance and Westbrook comes back healthy, we would be wasting a hell of a pitching staff with the atrocious offense we've been playing lately.

3. Lastings' gigantic wooden cross (Orinoco) Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:05 PM (#2773869)

so for how long are we going to read the same "Like him or not, team X needs Barry Bonds" article over and over again?

Trade deadline? September? Winter meetings? Spring training next year?

4. Golfing Great Mitch Cumstein Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:07 PM (#2773871)

Hasn't MLB severely restricted the statistics and other metrics for which a player can receive a bonus? I forget the exact terms, but MLB came out after the Schilling contract with the Red Sox and A-Rod's extension with the Yankees and limited bonuses to certain types of individual achievements.

5. EddieA Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:14 PM (#2773881)

#3 As long as nearly every DH and most of the LF on AL contenders continue to suck, that is, as long as players clearly inferior to even a 50% Bonds continue to start on supposed major league baseball teams supposedly trying to win their divisions and make the postseason. In the AL Central, 4 teams could greatly improve their postseason probability to the harm of the other AL Central teams if they upgraded the DH and/or LF position. This could be done quickly and without costing prospects, and the sooner the better.

6. Charter Member of the Jesus Melendez Fanclub Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:22 PM (#2773900)

I just don't understand what Bud Seaslug could have promised/threatened to get everyone to go along with his plan.

7. cardsfanboy Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:22 PM (#2773901)

so for how long are we going to read the same "Like him or not, team X needs Barry Bonds" article over and over again?

as long as it's true. Heck I think there are probably about 6 teams that don't need him either to help their team win or to help attendence. (now I'm not saying he couldn't help all the teams in baseball, but some teams have pretty decent players at all the spots that Bonds would help them with, and have strong attendence so his value to them isn't as strong.

8. Dizzypaco Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:36 PM (#2773931)

Its been said over and over that Barry Bonds would help attendance. I doubt there is any evidence this is true. I mean, if Bonds makes a team that competitive that wouldn't be otherwise, he would help attendance, but I doubt he'd have any effect otherwise.

9. The District Attorney Posted: May 08, 2008 at 03:49 PM (#2773953)

so for how long are we going to read the same "Like him or not, team X needs Barry Bonds" article over and over again?

It's a much stronger argument when team X spends a lot of money, has a ton of talent, is underachieving, really needs another big hitter (especially if he hits lefty), has a place to play Bonds without displacing any other good hitters, and has a manager whom Bonds respects and vice versa.

10. EddieA Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:04 PM (#2773978)

(8) cmon, there can't be evidence except past performance. And there is past performance evidence, that is, Giants attendance and Giants road attendance when Bonds was sure to play. Fans can see home run records, so there would be ticket sales in right or left. There will be more press coverage. Definitely, it would look like the team was trying to win even if there were no effect, as in, some teams look resigned to putting an inferior product on the field and are setting attendance lows (not mentioning names in the northwest). Is there any other player people would make a special point to root for or to boo in person?

11. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:21 PM (#2774003)

Is there any evidence Bonds wants to play?

He never had any problem mouthing off to the media. The media LOVES to cover him, even with a negative slant. Why isn't Barry and his agent giving interviews to writers talking about how he would love to play LF or DH for a contender at a reasonable price? Instead he has gone McGwire on us.

12. cardsfanboy Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:22 PM (#2774008)

Is there any evidence Bonds wants to play?

just his agent saying that he wants to play and has received zero offers.

13. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:27 PM (#2774016)

Can he pitch?

14. David Nieporent Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:30 PM (#2774018)

He never had any problem mouthing off to the media. The media LOVES to cover him, even with a negative slant. Why isn't Barry and his agent giving interviews to writers talking about how he would love to play LF or DH for a contender at a reasonable price? Instead he has gone McGwire on us.

Setting aside that Bonds has never been interested in giving interviews, my guess is pride; he doesn't want to look like he's begging for a job.

15. kevin Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:34 PM (#2774024)

Instead he has gone McGwire on us.

Thank god for small favors.

16. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: May 08, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2774028)

If Bonds wants to play, get his mug out there. Otherwise, this talk of blackballing is meaningless.

17. Diamond Research Posted: May 08, 2008 at 06:21 PM (#2774126)

I think all he has to say is that he is willing to sign a minor league deal and all this fuss will end.

18. robinred Posted: May 08, 2008 at 07:10 PM (#2774163)

As much as I hate to say this, my Indians might need him more than the Tigers.

Interesting. Do you think the fan base would go for it if Shapiro triggered?

19. aljunquin Posted: May 08, 2008 at 07:37 PM (#2774176)

Bonds DOES want too much. In our beer league, it's customary for former pro players to donate their salary to charity since it's all about provin they're still worth a crap to a big league club.

Get THIS.

Bonds wanted to keep it ALL to himself..in his case all the used syringes he could manage to talk the town's addicts out of.

20. MM1f Posted: May 08, 2008 at 07:41 PM (#2774182)

I just don't understand what Bud Seaslug could have promised/threatened to get everyone to go along with his plan.

Is it really so surprising that businessmen in an ENTERTAINMENT industry would shy away, on their own accord, from a PR nightmare?

21. MM1f Posted: May 08, 2008 at 07:44 PM (#2774186)

How did Leyland and Bonds get along in PIT?

I say, since Leyland knows what he would be getting into with Bonds, you leave it up Leyland. IN this case, since you have such a qualified, experienced manager, you show the him the respect of letting him decide what kind of clubhouse problems the team could take in exchange for some offense and what would be best for the club

22. Joey B. Posted: May 08, 2008 at 07:48 PM (#2774188)

so for how long are we going to read the same "Like him or not, team X needs Barry Bonds" article over and over again?

Yeah, no sh*t, this horse is more dead than poor Eight Belles. You would think that eventually even the big media troublemakers would get tired of beating it.

And #13 nailed it. Unless Barry Bonds has somehow reworked himself into a pitching ace, he isn't helping that payroll-maxed-out-slugger loaded lineup win crapola.

23. kevin Posted: May 08, 2008 at 07:50 PM (#2774191)

Agreed. The Tigers are more like a slow-pitch softball team than a baseball team.

What would they want with an over-the-hill, surly, slow as a garden slug Bonds?

24. Walt Davis Posted: May 09, 2008 at 07:16 AM (#2774390)

runs is runs, be they scored or prevented. Granted, the Tigers are probably the worst fit for Bonds given his PT would come mainly at the expense of Sheffield -- unless they're gonna put Guillen back at 1B, Cabrera back to 3B and Inge to the bench.

Would the AL please start hitting again. It offends my aesthetic sense to see Clete Thomas' (great name) line of 295/338/393 with a 103 OPS+ next to it. That's basically Juan Pierre's 2006 ... and I want to go back to saying that guys who hit like Pierre suck without having to "era adjust" it.

25. Russ Posted: May 09, 2008 at 07:36 AM (#2774397)

Leyland and Bonds have seemed to be on the level for a long time... in that infamous "Barry is a human being" interview that Bonds gave about 10 years ago, Bonds professed a lot of love for Leyland. And Leyland was one of the only people in baseball who stuck up for Barry during the whole steroid thing who had nothing personally invested in Bonds being vindicated. I think the Tigers are really the best fit for Bonds other than Seattle (West Coast + the Mariner fans are insanely forgiving unless you're Bobby Ayala).

26. Rusty Priske Posted: May 09, 2008 at 08:33 AM (#2774417)

Don't Sheffield and Bonds hate each other now?

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Det News: Parker: Like him or not, Tigers need Bonds

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