Let's Go Tribe!: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: Reid backs McNabb, does McNabb back Reid? Bar-right-arrows

Just a thought...Bonds in LF?

Tiny by world dictator on

Before everyone freaks just think about it. If we put down our emotions I think that this is an idea worth considering given the current trade market and the likelihood of a decreased price.

Star-divide

From MLBTR

Barry Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, said this evening that his client still wants to play in 2008 despite his legal troubles.  It seems that his trial is unlikely to begin until after the season ends, so he'll be available.

A team willing to take on the baggage should be given a huge discount.  Maybe a half price deal - $8MM or so.  Signing Barry might be unpopular with the fanbase, but winning would probably overrule it.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/bonds-wants-to.html#comments

Assuming we could get a discount and assuming the trial begins after the season, I don't see why we wouldn't put in a flyer on bonds. I don't think he's going to sign for 8 million but 12 million for a one year deal. I'd totally do it. The LF market is quickly evaporating. Taking a chance on an aging veteran is very Shap-esque (Juan Gonzales)

The only thing I'd worry about is losing draft picks for signing him. However, if we signed Bonds then we could use our trading chips, Lee, Shoppach,etc to trade for minor leaguers prospects  instead of looking for a LF bat.

In fact it seems preferable to trade for an established prospect who either has a high upside or is closer to the majors, or both, as compared "to buying a lottery ticket" in the draft. If we were smart we could even parlay our trading chips into a near ML ready OF who could possibly take over for Bonds in LF next year.

I know some people won't like this idea just because of who Bonds is/you think he cheated/etc. Thats fine, but from a non emotion based standpoint I think its worth reconsidering.

0 recs | Comment 42 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Eric Wedge's head would explode if this happened. I'm intrigued.
If I see Jim Leyland in an alone at night, I'll smash his pack of cigarettes and shave off his mustache and eyebrows. GO TRIBE!

by Kid Cleveland on Dec 5, 2007 11:46 PM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Oh man, I get excited just thinking about it. Can we keep him Mom?

by Joe on Dec 5, 2007 11:57 PM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
The second reincarnation of Juan Goneafter one groundout was not even close to that kind of investment. I'm not so sure that's a good comparison. Otherwise, an intriguing idea if nothing else. Wouldn't he be better suited to a DH role? Angels maybe?

by TheVanillaGorilla on Dec 6, 2007 12:12 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
The first time the Indians signed Juan Gone to a one year deal he played like a potential all star. The second time we signed him to a one year deal he got hurt in Spring Training with something minor and then Grady burst on to the scene.

He could play some DH with the tribe to. Maybe play Blake in LF and Marte at third on those days. (just a rough sketch off the top of my head)

by world dictator on Dec 6, 2007 12:17 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Was it Shapiro signing him that first time? He was coming off an injury year there, but still not to far removed from his MVP year. Totally reasonable for him to bounce back and he did. We also paid him like he was expected to bounce back. The second time was a shot in the dark and he was compensated accordingly. It turned out to be very dark.
In any case i just don't see Barry fitting in on this team very well. The injury risk is high (he wasn't even playing in day games after night games last year)and I am not convinced the return and possible disturbance of clubhouse continuity would be worth the investment. I could also see Wedge sending him out on crutches while mumbling something about veterans and loyalty. Just a bad dream i'm sure.

by TheVanillaGorilla on Dec 6, 2007 12:26 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
There are a few holes here.

First (and the most minor), Juan opened the season on the team in 2005.  He did not get hurt in Spring Training.

Second, your original line, Taking a chance on an aging veteran is very Shap-esque (Juan Gonzales), had to be referring to his second signing, because
A) the first signing was not "taking a chance," it was for $10 million for a star player, and
B) the first signing wasn't made by Shapiro, if I remember correctly.  Juan Gone was signed in 2001, and Shapiro took over in the offseason between 01 and 02.

Also!  He was an All Star in 2001.  God I'm nitpicky.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 12:27 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Thankyou for putting actualy numbers to my incoherent musings. Forgive me, i just got done with finals. Coherent thought is a distant memory at the moment.

He did pull his hammy grounding out in his first regular season AB right? I'm not dreaming this up am I? I hope not, that's a fond memory for me.

by TheVanillaGorilla on Dec 6, 2007 12:31 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
I think so.  I remember throwing my hands up.  

We should write him a thank you or something.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 12:37 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
FWIW, while I was fact-checking, I found this on Wikipedia:

Shapiro is the brother-in-law of New York Jets coach Eric Mangini.

Hm.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 12:48 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
That's worth quite a bit. I would certainly trade Jason Kendall for it.

by TheVanillaGorilla on Dec 6, 2007 12:56 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Juan Gone actually was injured on the last day of spring training, allowing Grady to open the season on the 25-man roster.

by jefftribe on Dec 6, 2007 1:07 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Correct.  He rehabbed in Buffalo, eventually got called up, and had a season-ending injury running out a groundball in his first and only big-league AB of the season.

by Jay on Dec 6, 2007 1:10 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Of course.  Wasn't it in May?  Then it couldn't have been the beginning of the year.  Touche.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 1:47 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Not to get all sentimental but what the hell. I love you guys. It's good to be a tribe fan.

by TheVanillaGorilla on Dec 6, 2007 3:32 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
This isn't really cleveland.com or anything.  There are plenty of reasoned, objective people here and Bonds has been brought up plenty of times.  I tend to think that--without even judging what he did or didn't do--it's just not worth it.  By that I mean the circus.  I've given my opinion on Bonds the ballplayer before.  Drool.  But I'd still pass.

For the record, Gonzalez was signed to a minor league contract.  That's much more low risk.

Man, would someone get f*cking traded or something?  Today was just slow.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 12:19 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
The Miggy trade wore off that quick? Or are you reffering to the Tribe?

by TheVanillaGorilla on Dec 6, 2007 12:28 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
The Miggy trade was so yesterday.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 12:36 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
And by yesterday I mean Tuesday.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 12:36 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
I realize things are slow, but come on now...
-Bo

by bodiaz74 on Dec 6, 2007 12:27 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Didn't we do this a month ago?
I swear, next year is it.

by fwembt on Dec 6, 2007 12:45 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Kind of off-topic, but still relating to LF:

The Dodgers just signed Andruw Jones to a 2 year deal.  Jones will play CF, with Pierre supposedly in LF.  This leaves Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in either a platoon situation next season (again) or one of them could be trade bait (I'm purely guessing at the situation here).

The Dodgers seem pretty solid in starting pitching and have Martin at catcher, but third base has been a concern for them with the always injury-prone Nomar and a shaky Andy LaRoche.  LaRoche is still young and doesn't have many ABs, but I heard LA was kinda down on him so far.  

Would it be a good idea to approach them about one of their extra outfielders?  Will they ask for more than we can afford to trade?  I'm not sure how appealing Marte would be to them, but that's who I had in mind to start with.

by Pronk33 on Dec 6, 2007 2:28 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
If they're down on LaRoche, I can't imagine how thrilled they'd be with Marte.  And everything I've read speculates they'll use Kemp/Either to get a big starter.  

It's the first thing I thought as well, but I don't really see a fit unless you want to trade Sabathia.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 2:40 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
I would say that Juan Pierre in LF is the worst LF of all time. This ALMOST needs to be it's own diary.

by gte619n on Dec 6, 2007 10:11 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
Just a thought... no.

I'm not one to get all "moral" about sports, but Bonds is a cancer I just don't want having anything to do with my team.

Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 6, 2007 8:51 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
I read a few places that he'll likely go to the A's, which makes a good deal of sense.

by Thommy on Dec 6, 2007 8:56 AM EST   0 recs

Please?
He is a cancer, absolutely. But I don't care.

2008 is our best chance to win it all in a long time. There is no guarantee we have CC in 2009.

Let's take a big gamble for once. We have an established team with known veteran leaders. The team would not be all about him like SF was. I think they can balance him out.

We need a big stick. We need a LF. Barry can be had cheap. Isn't he a classic "damaged goods" type player?

Maybe he can even give Pronk some hints on how to adjust his swing to compensate for wearing plate mail on his arm.

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 9:32 AM EST   0 recs

Re: Please?
We have an established team with known veteran leaders.

So why not eff it up with a one-year rental, criminal clubhouse cancer?!

Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 6, 2007 10:24 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
I think it is worht a shot with the number he'd put up. I realize im probably in the minority here, but I think it is worth the shot, especially if we know we can't sign CC.

If its March 1st and we know we can not sign CC and Bonds is still available and in game shape, wouldn't you want to take a shot at him for 1 year just to try to push us over top?

I realize his chemistry awful and his fieldign is poor, but the guy can still mash.

To me it seems like a worthwhile risk if 2008 is our last year with CC.

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 11:29 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
No, I don't think it's worth the possible long-term effects. I don't know how many of our current guys would appreciate Shapiro basically saying "you know what, you guys simply aren't good enough to win a WS, so I'm gonna bring on Bonds even at the risk of a media circus and total betrayal of the fan base."
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 6, 2007 11:54 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
Which our our "long term" guys would you be talking about? Michaels? Dellucci? That's who he would be replacing. The only guy I see that could take offense is Francisco and he isn't even our regular LF.

How is signing a FA is an insult to the team? In a way spending the $ on him shows that you believe in this team this year and you think think they can win it all, so you are giving them all they help you can get.

The biggest downside of Bonds to me is that he is a Type A FA. I don't like the idea of losing the draft picks.

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 12:20 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
I'm obviously not referring to our "long term" LF, because we don't have one. I mean our core guys, Vic, Grady, Haf, etc. It's kind of a slap in the face to them to say that the talent Bonds will bring in is worth the circus, since those guys aren't getting it done.
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 6, 2007 1:42 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
I still don't see how its a slap in the face to bring in a FA. I really don't see how acquiring a more productive LF is an insult to our other position players. I would think that ponying up the cash is a signt that you think they could win right now.

Are you saying the media circus would be an insult to our core? I am not tryin to be flippant. I really do not understand the insult.

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 1:48 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
I dunno, what I'm trying to say is not coming out right. I guess basically, this:

Effect of talent Bonds brings < effect ridiculous Bonds issues have on the clubhouse

While I agree with your point that players almost universally appreciate when management brings in better players, I just feel like some guys might think "hey, we're good enough as is, why do we need to bring in this clown?"

Of course I think I might be overestimating players' perceptions of Bonds. I guess a lot of people really respect him and feel some sympathy for him.

Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 6, 2007 1:59 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
The national media presence around Bonds really changes a clubhouse environment, it seems to me, especially given Cleveland's famously non-confrontational press room culture.

by Jay on Dec 6, 2007 2:09 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
That's precisely the kind of thing I've been trying to get at in the three or four incoherent posts above.
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 6, 2007 2:37 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
We have an established team with known veteran leaders.

That was the problem with Bonds' Giants.  Not enough veterans.  They weren't a veteran team at all.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 11:28 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
That was Bond's team. He was what the entire thing was built around. Everyone knew that. The rest of the Giants were just his supporting cast on his quest for 756.

He brings a media circus, no doubt. But he wouldn't be the centerpiece of this team like he was in SF. He would be a 1 year mercenary and that's all.

I think we could find a way to mitigate the media circus. It should be less this year any way. He can't talk about the case due to his pending trial and he has already taken the HR title.

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 11:34 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
That's just wishful thinking if you believe the media wouldn't swarm him.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 11:36 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
I know it would be bad, but so bad that it hurts the team? I'd risk it if he can still hit.

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 11:39 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Please?
Maybe we could convince him to go into the HOF in an Indians cap.

by nickjs21 on Dec 6, 2007 11:41 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Hah
Didn't Tampa Bay try to pull that one with Jose Canseco a few years ago?

by KevinV on Dec 6, 2007 11:46 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: Just a thought...Bonds in LF?
When I read this, the "My Future Self n' Me" song from South Park started playing my head.  Specifically, Stan's constant "No...  Stop it...  STOP IT!"

We have a DH that can play a barely average position, we don't need two.  Barry in the outfield is pretty sad.

Also, after all the team has done to build chemistry and togetherness, bringing the constant biggest story and baseball along with all the fan reaction that entails would seem to derail the entire process.

No...  Stop it.

by painaxl on Dec 6, 2007 10:10 AM EST   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed

Search

User Tools

Constantly updated Indians news, lots of in-depth analysis, live in-game discussions -- and more fanatical and thoughtful Indians fans than every other web site combined.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Topps1978-332f_small
Just how important is the draft?

by talonk 3 days ago

12 comments | 6 recs

Yw9dg4yi_small
Open Cliff Lee Just Won the Cy Young Award Thread

by nickjs21 5 days ago

161 comments | 6 recs

Recent FanPosts

Small
Free Agent Starters

by stickpiano 5 days ago

73 comments | 0 recs

3444ant_black_small
Depth Starters

by APV 10 days ago

39 comments | 2 recs

Brick_small
40-Man Decisions - Who ya Got?

by Brick. 12 days ago

104 comments | 0 recs

Small
Indians fans interested in Closer & 3rd Baseman?

by Rhombus67 14 days ago

109 comments | 0 recs

47b8dd28b3127cceb64839d9746800000026102bauwjrq3za_small
It Must Be The Offseason.

by afh4 14 days ago

18 comments | 10 recs

Small
A Pronk Sighting

by Chuck H 15 days ago

141 comments | 0 recs

3444ant_black_small
Short-Term Depth: Infield

by APV 16 days ago

86 comments | 1 recs

3444ant_black_small
Short-term Depth: Outfield

by APV 20 days ago

94 comments | 1 recs

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini

Recent Posts

AL CENTRAL AFTER JULY 9

W L PCT GB
Cleveland 44 28 .611 -
Minnesota 38 34 .528 6
Kansas City 35 35 .500 8
Chicago 36 36 .500 8
Detroit 28 44 .389 16

An Empty Widget

No Data Available

FanShots

Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.

Recommended FanShots

BBWAA awards AL MVP to Travelocity Gnome

by nickjs21 about 10 hours ago 55 comments | 6 recs

O/T: Christmas Ale has arrived! Christmas Ale has arrived!

by hans 10 days ago 133 comments | 8 recs

Recent FanShots

O/T "A valuable substitute for vegetables"

by APV about 1 hour ago 2 comments | 0 recs

Tazawa Junichi

by nickjs21 about 7 hours ago 3 comments | 0 recs

Cliff Lee gets the Dugout Treatment

by Turkmenbashi about 10 hours ago 15 comments | 0 recs

2009 Marcels

by APV 1 day ago 8 comments | 0 recs

BBWAA do not screw up NL MVP, give it to Pujols

by nickjs21 1 day ago 16 comments | 0 recs

OMGICBWGHAFN - Matt Whitney

by Brick. 1 day ago 18 comments | 0 recs

Lugo for Robertson or Willis?

by afh4 2 days ago 12 comments | 0 recs

Indians pursuing Hoffman, other closers

by hans 3 days ago 68 comments | 0 recs

Yanks make CC an offer; can he refuse?

by peter m 4 days ago 77 comments | 0 recs

Post_icon New FanShot All FanShots Carrot-mini

Site Meter