October 31, 2006

Barry Bonds, Detroit Tiger

I really believe that Barry Bonds would be an excellent lead off hitter for the Tigers in 2007. He started his career playing for Jim Leyland in Pittsburgh. And he batted lead off back then. Bonds respects Leyland. Bonds says he wants a ring. The Tigers came close (okay ... that might be debatable) to winning the ring. What a way to go out. A walk-off home run at the end of the 2007 World Series. That would be the way to end a Hall of Fame career ....

He could also wear number 24 (his original number) or 25 (Dmitri's and Stairs' 2006 number).

Read the following story right here: Note -- taken from the Baseball Prospectus ...

Sign Barry Bonds. At first glance, it seems like the strangest possible fit: Bonds, the one-man sideshow, and the aspirational, team-oriented Tigers. But probe a little bit deeper, and the scenario makes a lot of sense.

The Tigers need a hitter like Bonds. For all the talk of the empty shell that is Bonds without his chemical enhancements, he led baseball with a .454 OBP last season. If Bonds' power is so depleted, why did he have more intentional walks last season (39) than Ryan Howard (38)? Bonds can't play every day, but that's okay for the Tigers, who can take advantage of their depth and rotate him with Marcus Thames and Craig Monroe through the DH and LF slots. They can even consider using Bonds as their leadoff hitter if Granderson can't improve his pitch recognition skills.

Just as importantly, Bonds needs a team like the Tigers. He'd be reunited with his first manager in Jim Leyland. He'd steer clear of the frenzied media environments on the East and West coasts. And he'd have the chance to win a World Series, which could go an awful long way toward rehabilitating his reputation.

Surely, the Tigers would take some risk in bringing on Bonds. But this is a team that should be looking to take risks; the AL Central is the wrong division in which to play it safe. The competitive and reputational risks that Bonds presents should be priced into his contract: the Tigers might well be able to sign both Bonds and Garciaparra for less than the annual salary they'd need to pay to Alfonso Soriano. Bonds will be looking for a one-year contract, which means that the Tigers can wash their hands of him whatever happens in 2007.

Besides, methinks the Tigers could use a little growl…

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