Bonds's stock rises for 2006
Here's what everyone in the San Francisco Giants organization is thinking, but won't say for public consumption:
Barry Bonds waited until last week to return to active duty so that he could put the screws to Giants management next season.
Bonds ended the 2004 major league campaign with 703 career home runs. That's 11 short of the mark of 714 set by Babe Ruth, which stood as the all-time record until Henry Aaron smacked number 715 off the Dodgers' Al Downing on April 8, 1974.
After a series of knee surgeries sidelined Bonds during this past off-season, Giants fans and baseball pundits wondered whether the slugger would return to the field at any point in 2005. The Giants reactivated Bonds last Monday, with just under a month left in the season. He responded by stepping right back into his familiar groove, just missing a home run on a double to the center field wall in his first at-bat. He has smacked home runs in each of his last four games, including tonight's contest against the Washington Nationals, to elevate his career total to 707. With 11 games remaining on the Giants' schedule, it is entirely possible that Bonds could add another three or four dingers, pulling within spitting distance of the Bambino to start next season.
Don't think that's a coincidence.
Barry Bonds is a smart guy. He knows that with roughly $18 million in salary coming to him next season, the Giants would have been tempted to deal him to an American League club — most likely the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — if any question remained about his fitness to resume play next year because he sat out all of this season at age 41. As appealing as the prospect of riding the pine as a designated hitter might be to a middle-aged man with a surgically refurbished knee, Bonds — a Gold Glove-caliber fielder for most of his career — doesn't really want to be half a ballplayer, even at his advanced age.
By coming back just late enough that he doesn't stand a realistic chance of surpassing Ruth this year — although he's pulled off feats far more incredible in his illustrious career — but with sufficient opportunity to get close enough to Ruth that there could be no doubt that Bonds will blow past the Sultan of Swat early next season, Bonds has pinned the Giants behind the eight ball. There's no chance that lead partner Peter Magowan and general manager Brian Sabean will trade Bonds now, knowing that unless he drops dead before next spring, Barry will pass Ruth while wearing the Orange and Black. That's a historic moment the Giants brass has been salivating after for nearly a decade, and they aren't going to let a Southland rival steal that thunder from them now.
For his part, Bonds will be able to leverage from the team any concessions his heart desires. Don't be surprised to look into the Giants' dugout in April and see Magowan fanning Bonds with a palm frond while Sabean hand-feeds him peeled seedless grapes.
And do you know what?
Barry will have earned it.
Barry Bonds waited until last week to return to active duty so that he could put the screws to Giants management next season.
Bonds ended the 2004 major league campaign with 703 career home runs. That's 11 short of the mark of 714 set by Babe Ruth, which stood as the all-time record until Henry Aaron smacked number 715 off the Dodgers' Al Downing on April 8, 1974.
After a series of knee surgeries sidelined Bonds during this past off-season, Giants fans and baseball pundits wondered whether the slugger would return to the field at any point in 2005. The Giants reactivated Bonds last Monday, with just under a month left in the season. He responded by stepping right back into his familiar groove, just missing a home run on a double to the center field wall in his first at-bat. He has smacked home runs in each of his last four games, including tonight's contest against the Washington Nationals, to elevate his career total to 707. With 11 games remaining on the Giants' schedule, it is entirely possible that Bonds could add another three or four dingers, pulling within spitting distance of the Bambino to start next season.
Don't think that's a coincidence.
Barry Bonds is a smart guy. He knows that with roughly $18 million in salary coming to him next season, the Giants would have been tempted to deal him to an American League club — most likely the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — if any question remained about his fitness to resume play next year because he sat out all of this season at age 41. As appealing as the prospect of riding the pine as a designated hitter might be to a middle-aged man with a surgically refurbished knee, Bonds — a Gold Glove-caliber fielder for most of his career — doesn't really want to be half a ballplayer, even at his advanced age.
By coming back just late enough that he doesn't stand a realistic chance of surpassing Ruth this year — although he's pulled off feats far more incredible in his illustrious career — but with sufficient opportunity to get close enough to Ruth that there could be no doubt that Bonds will blow past the Sultan of Swat early next season, Bonds has pinned the Giants behind the eight ball. There's no chance that lead partner Peter Magowan and general manager Brian Sabean will trade Bonds now, knowing that unless he drops dead before next spring, Barry will pass Ruth while wearing the Orange and Black. That's a historic moment the Giants brass has been salivating after for nearly a decade, and they aren't going to let a Southland rival steal that thunder from them now.
For his part, Bonds will be able to leverage from the team any concessions his heart desires. Don't be surprised to look into the Giants' dugout in April and see Magowan fanning Bonds with a palm frond while Sabean hand-feeds him peeled seedless grapes.
And do you know what?
Barry will have earned it.
SwanShadow was randomly pounding the keyboard at 8:36 PM
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