So who's going to sign him????

[HoustonGM]

The age shouldn't bother any team. Bonds is still one of the best hitters in baseball. Add Barry Bonds to any team and that team IS better baseball-wise.

[RickD]

But it's the legal issues and media headache that will make this a no-go!

[gRYFYN1]

The biggest Dynamic noone here has mentioned is Barry's Ego.

Any team that signs him isnt going to be paying 3,6 or 8 million, he will demand 10-15 million easy, any less and Barry wil scream he's being treated unfairly.

I think the chances of him being signed are fairly slim, but with injuries and such alot can change around the trading dealine.

[RickD]

I guarantee the owners have probably colluded at this point to make sure this headache stays gone in baseball. Party is over. Everyone go home. We milked the cow dry and don't want to get kicked in the head anymore. Nothing to see here, move along.

[HoustonGM]

I guarantee the owners have probably colluded at this point to make sure this headache stays gone in baseball. Party is over. Everyone go home. We milked the cow dry and don't want to get kicked in the head anymore. Nothing to see here, move along.

And that is in direct violation of Major League Baseball rules.

For more on Bonds and possible collusion, check out these great articles by John Brattain of the Hardball Times:

Those who do not learn from history…
See windmill … tilt at windmill … rinse, lather, repeat

[TheNamelessPoet]

1st of it has to be a team in need of a DH since he cant run. 1B MAYBE.
2nd its a player who in the WS and Interleague cant play. I think he is stil a f/a because there really IS no place for him. seattle maybe. tampa but they wont pay his ego $$$. And who wants to take a chance on a guy who is going to need tome off to rest and is an injury risk. I see noone signing him because he is a 1 tool player. Yet another reason the DH should be gone. If there was no DH it wouldnt even be an AFTERTHOUGHT about him playing

[petrel]

Out of all the Bonds/collusion articles, I've only read one about the legal remedies Bonds can take. They are:

1. File a labor grievance: If there is true collusion, this is a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that states that "players may not collude, nor may teams". Of course, filing such a grievance would take so long to wind its way through the courts that Bonds wouldn't play in 2008.

2. Pull "The Dawson" manuever: like Andre Dawson did, hold a press conference and tell the world that you'll sign a contract for any amount of money with a team. Bonds'll have to take a humiliatingly low salary, but he might get a multimillion dollar payoff if it's decided that baseball colluded. Meanwhile, he can add to his homerun totals.

The problems with this strategy are:

a) it would be a humiliating act for a proud man, and
b) there's still no guarantee that a team would sign him. It would look very bad for Bonds.

3. I, Petrel, would like to use this space to announce to major league baseball that I am ready to play in the 2008 baseball season. I'd prefer to play for the Braves, Blue Jays, Mets, Giants, or Yankees, but I'm willing to negotiate with any team in need of a 42-year old guy who has not only never played at the high school level, but has played at no level outside of two years of church league softball. I'll leave them my number and they can call me. (I am also seeking an agent.)

If teams refuse to sign me, can I ask Donald Fehr to file a collusion lawsuit on my behalf ?

[HoustonGM]

1st of it has to be a team in need of a DH since he cant run. 1B MAYBE.

All the defensive metrics put him around an average left fielder, and all the baserunning metrics put him around an average runner. The only real reason to try and fit him into a DH role is because it'll help keep him healthy. He is by no means a liability in the field or on the base paths. He just isn't good.

2nd its a player who in the WS and Interleague cant play.

Yes. He can.

And who wants to take a chance on a guy who is going to need tome off to rest and is an injury risk.

A lot of teams, apparantly, because tons of players who need a lot of rest and are injury risks get signed...except the very best of them.

I see noone signing him because he is a 1 tool player.

Ignoring that he's not a 1 tool player, because he can hit for a solid average, along with great power, and his other tools are all slightly below average to average but nothing abominable, that should be irrelevent. He's one of the absolute best hitters in the league. If your "one tool" is putting up a .450 OBP and a .550 SLG, that's **** fine tool to have.

If there was no DH it wouldnt even be an AFTERTHOUGHT about him playing

And that'd be silly because he's a very valuable player whether he plays the field or DH's. The DH just helps alleviate some of his health problems a bit.

[RickD]

And that is in direct violation of Major League Baseball rules.

For more on Bonds and possible collusion, check out these great articles by John Brattain of the Hardball Times:

Those who do not learn from history…
See windmill … tilt at windmill … rinse, lather, repeat

Agreed but you know it probably is still happening.

[HoustonGM]

I know. I said I don't doubt that there's been collusion.

[RickD]

Bonds might as well call it a career.....and buy tickets to the HOF every year as he also won't get it for awhile.

[Arctic Blast]

I have a feeling about the White Sox. I think, if they start struggling, Ken Williams job security (not to mention Guillen's), could become a discussion point, and a GM trying to save his job is willing to do just about anything. Also, who do they have in LF...Brian Anderson?

[HoustonGM]

I have a feeling about the White Sox. I think, if they start struggling, Ken Williams job security (not to mention Guillen's), could become a discussion point, and a GM trying to save his job is willing to do just about anything. Also, who do they have in LF...Brian Anderson?

Carlos Quentin...

They have an outfield of Carlos Quentin, Nick Swisher, and Jermaine Dye.

[Red Sox Fan 734]

Yanks will sign him because the yankees are evil and cheaters and so is Bonds

[Reade]

the yankees are evil and cheaters

And this coming from a Red Sox fan. Do we need to be reminded that there were several Sox players and a GM named in the Mitchell report.