Bonds Patient Once Again

Spring Training has started. Even Alex Rodriguez is supposed to show up on Wednesday. The seeds of a new season have been planted. And yet, Barry Bonds does not have a contract. I never thought the day would come when a player would alienate the baseball community so much that he could post at least a .999 OPS over the previous and not have a job at spring training. It's defies logic. But Barry, once again, has done the seemingly impossible. Of course, the lack of a contract probably stems from his salary demands, which is likely a ton of money for a guy who can't play the outfield, hasn't run out a ground ball in four seasons, alienates most of the players around him, and is currently under indictment for federal perjury. Indeed, Bonds comes with a large set of baggage that few could match. And, he has an ego to boot. Then there's the little matter of the PR hit your team would take upon announcing that Bonds has been signed. Nothing raises a team's morale more than hearing their hometown fans boo one of the greatest hitters of all time, shouting "Balco!" and steroids every time he comes to the plate. Sure, none of it will bother Barry. He's lived through it already and probably would perform regardless. And yet, the fans probably wouldn't relent. Barry may be the one player who can't win over the hometown crowd just by hitting the cover off the ball. When the Giants decided they were done with Barry Bonds, it may have officially closed the door on one of the greatest, most controversial athletes to ever play the game. Barry thrived in San Francisco. The city somehow managed to look away from all the rumors and speculation that circled Bonds and gave him the benefit of the doubt as he knocked off record after record. Once he finally toppled Henry Aaron, the Giants finally had enough, announcing they wouldn't offer him another contract. Barry seemed stunned. After all he did for San Francisco, the records, the attendance, the in-fighting, the bad press, the controversy, his entourage, his inflexibility. How could they cut him loose? If Barry can't exist in San Francisco, where his name is as remains as untarnished as it could possibly be, how could another major league team even consider signing on such a nightmare? But if you're team needs a power hitting DH, what a way to fill the hole.