Collusion against Bonds?

[HurricaneDavid]

So 30 GMs agree that the Bonds circus isn't worth pursuing, and now that might be collusion?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3300362

[MusicMan]

Owners have themselves to blame for accusations such as this.

[Mr. Happy]

So 30 GMs agree that the Bonds circus isn't worth pursuing, and now that might be collusion?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3300362

Memo

From: Bud Selig, Grand Poobah

To: MLB Owners (even you Hankenstein)

Someone give that Bonds an MLB minimum incentive-laden deal, quick, unless you all want to kick in more moolah-schmoolah to Fehr, et al.

Back to your naps and love interests.

Bud

[Lurch]

To be totally clear, no accusations have actually been made.  Another non-story story.

After speaking with the Los Angeles Angels during his annual tour of spring-training camps, union head Donald Fehr said his staff will examine possible collusion against Bonds and others.

"We always look at the free-agent markets every year and make judgments about them, and if we come to the conclusion with respect to any player that there's a matter worth pursuing, we'll pursue it," he said. "But I'm not going to make any suggestions or accusations unless and until we come to that conclusion."

Fehr wouldn't say whether he found it troublesome that no team has publicly said it wants Bonds.

"I haven't talked to him about it or his agents and I don't want to comment personally about it since I haven't had the opportunity to do that," he said.

[HurricaneDavid]

To be totally clear, no accusations have actually been made.  Another non-story story.

Point taken.

[pravata]

You want collusion?

Bonds may have had the last at-bat of his career against (Jake Peavy) in the sixth inning this past Sept. 26 at San Francisco's AT&T Park. Peavy served a fastball to Bonds and the lefty-swinging slugger nearly homered, driving the ball to the fence just to the right of center, where so many of his long balls had gone out.

When Bonds jogged back across the infield from first base to the Giants' third-base side dugout, he pointed at Peavy and thanked him for the gesture. Bonds left the game at that point to a standing ovation, nursing a severely bruised right toe. Peavy says now that it was the least he could do.

"Obviously, everyone in the ballpark knew that was going to be Barry's last at-bat," Peavy recalled. "Me and Barry being buddies, I wanted to take care of him in his old ballpark. I wanted to give him as good a send-off as he could have. That being said, I couldn't throw cookies up there all night because we had to win. But we were able to get a 9-2 lead, and I'm facing Barry knowing this was going to be his last at-bat.

"At that point, I knew we were going to win that game and he knew I was going to give him a good pitch to hit. He didn't have to guess what was coming: a fastball. He took a good shot at it and just missed it. We had a good little exchange there. We would've done that whether it had been on the field or not. But he wanted the fans to be a part of us paying our respect to each other."
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080316&content_id=2430845&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[Mr. Happy]

To be totally clear, no accusations have actually been made.  Another non-story story.

Yes, but...

In the same article that Lurch quoted, Bond's agent affirmatively stated that there had been contact between himself and the MLBPA. Something lurking?

[Ty in Tampa]

Yes, but...

In the same article that Lurch quoted, Bond's agent affirmatively stated that there had been contact between himself and the MLBPA. Something lurking?

Sales tactic.

[mihoba]

Didn't Barry decline membership in the MLBPA union?

[pravata]

Didn't Barry decline membership in the MLBPA union?

Yes. Yes he did. sorta http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1661883

[mihoba]

Ah, so he is a union member, just declined the licensing agreement. Thanks for the clarification.

[pravata]

Ah, so he is a union member, just declined the licensing agreement. Thanks for the clarification.

Yes, he's Union, except when he is asked to share.

[mihoba]

Yes, he's Union, except when he is asked to share.

Poor Barry, no one will let him play. Boo-freakin'-hoo.

[Bench]

Poor Barry, no one will let him play. Boo-freakin'-hoo.

Poor Biggio. Nobody will let Barry or Roger play.

[Andyzipp]

Why is it so unreasonable for no team to want to sign him.  He can't play the field, so you pretty much eliminate the National League.  He's likely going to be expensive, so rule out the smaller markets.  So you're probably looking at a larger market team who needs a DH.

Hmmm...

[Bench]

Why is it so unreasonable for no team to want to sign him.  He can't play the field, so you pretty much eliminate the National League.  He's likely going to be expensive, so rule out the smaller markets.  So you're probably looking at a larger market team who needs a DH.

Hmmm...

Toronto (depending on his terms of bond)

[JimR]

at ST i heard that the Mets were considering adding Bonds. that was a week ago, though.

[Bench]

at ST i heard that the Mets were considering adding Bonds. that was a week ago, though.

Olney suggested it off the cuff in his blog, saying that it was just his speculation. The Mets quickly announced they weren't interested.

[legs_of_eggs]

It would take a serious injury mid-season and clearance of his legal troubles for Bonds to sign anywhere and play this year. And even if all the right factors fell in place I still think its impossible for an owner to take the PR hit that Bonds would bring on.

[JimR]

Olney suggested it off the cuff in his blog, saying that it was just his speculation. The Mets quickly announced they weren't interested.

scouts were discussing it at ST, and there was some truth to it then. it did not survive public exposure, apparently.

[Andyzipp]

It would take a serious injury mid-season and clearance of his legal troubles for Bonds to sign anywhere and play this year. And even if all the right factors fell in place I still think its impossible for an owner to take the PR hit that Bonds would bring on.

Unless the team wins, then all is forgiven.

[pravata]

Unless the team wins, then all is forgiven.

By the fans? No.  If the team wins - "FINALLY! those idiots listened to me, I've been saying all along..."

[Mr. Happy]

Unless the team wins, then all is forgiven.

It would be hard to turn down an incentive-laden contract for a hitter who had a .480 OBP, 28 dingers and 132 walks.

[HudsonHawk]

It would be hard to turn down an incentive-laden contract for a hitter who had a .480 OBP, 28 dingers and 132 walks.

The problem is you can't include performance-based incentives.

[Mr. Happy]

The problem is you can't include performance-based incentives.

A major detail that I overlooked. The NFL permits those, but baseball doesn't. He could be paid on playing a certain number of games, making the All-Star team, etc.

[pravata]

A major detail that I overlooked. The NFL permits those, but baseball doesn't. He could be paid on playing a certain number of games, making the All-Star team, etc.

Being able to walk, not being in jail.

[Reuben]

Being able to walk, not being in jail.

Or, taking a tip from the weight clause in Curt Schilling's new contract, a hat-size clause.

[Froback]

There is no room for him on the Astros roster with Lee and Pence manning the corners, so who cares that he isn't signed

[Bench]

There is no room for him on the Astros roster with Lee and Pence manning the corners, so who cares that he isn't signed

I do. I want to be in Cooperstown in five years and bask in a celebration of the greatness that is Craig Biggio (and hopefully Jeff Bagwell). I don't want the topic dominated by the twin steroids stars.

[astroglide99]

Bonds isn't worth pursuing, that is true.

[TheWizard]

There's a clark named astroglide.. and no one gave him any trouble.  Wow, this board obviously is not in mid-season form, spring training is not just for the ballplayers.

[mihoba]

There's a clark named astroglide.. and no one gave him any trouble.  Wow, this board obviously is not in mid-season form, spring training is not just for the ballplayers.

He slipped right through.

So far.

[Mr. Happy]

He slipped right through.

[golf clap]

[MusicMan]

There's a clark named astroglide.. and no one gave him any trouble.  Wow, this board obviously is not in mid-season form, spring training is not just for the ballplayers.

Don't worry... we've covered it.

[Craig]

He slipped right through.

So far.

Once he's been in and out of here a few times, he'll probably get all tacky.