Bonds Protest at SABR: Ridiculous.
There’s a protest scheduled today at SABR to try and convince people that there’s a conspiracy to “blacklist” Barry Bonds from baseball.
First off, that’s ridiculous.
Secondly, I’ll show you why.
Here’s what we know. Barry Bonds cannot play the outfield, but can probably still hit fairly well. That eliminates the 16 National League teams from his potential suitors.
So, what American League teams could use a DH? Very few. Established hitters such as Travis Hafner, Gary Sheffield, David Ortiz, Jim Thome and Jason Giambi are unlikely to be unseated by Bonds. Struggling teams like Kansas City and Seattle are unlikely to add salary. Only an AL team, in contention, without a good DH, would consider adding Bonds.
So we’re looking at perhaps Minnesota as the only team without a DH already producing, and still in reasonable contention. Would the Twins add a player who is known as a bad clubhouse guy? Would Bonds even entertain signing with them for the league minimum? Unlikely.
The whole idea that Bonds is being “blacklisted” is pretty weak. Mike Piazza and Sammy Sosa couldn’t get jobs as DHs, and they are both lesser injury risks and have worked as a DH in the recent past. Plus, they aren’t clubhouse trouble, as Bonds is. Yet, I don’t hear their names bandied about as being black-balled…
So I say this: Let it go. Stop defending Bonds. There’s no conspiracy against him, and he’s not worth the effort.