Separating "What is" from "What was"

3 years ago, Bonds was worth $20 mil. Now? Another story.

SAN FRANCISCO - It seems that I pissed a number of people off by asserting that signing Bonds to a 20 million dollar contract was the worst move that Sabean could have made this off season. For some reason, there are still fans out there that believe that the aging outfielder could lead us to a post season. Hell, I was one of them for a long time. There comes a time however when you have to see the writing on the wall, and separate what is from what was.

It was only a four years ago that Bonds was the most feared player in baseball. There was no right way to pitch to him. When pitchers tried to paint the corners, he had the eye to take it. When they tried to blow it past him, he had the bat speed and when they made a mistake, he never missed. His 2002 campaign was simply the best baseball I have ever seen anyone play.

While he was a little off color, none of us cared. We were too busy being mystified at the offensive threat he was with Jeff Kent behind him. He may not have been perfect but Giants fans understood that we had one of the best players to ever play the game in our corner and he was all ours.

It was in these years, that fans created this immediate defense when confronted on Bonds. People would complain about his attitude, or the lounge chair, or whatever recent anti-Bonds tirade was in the news. Giant faithful could simply reply, "Yea, but he's also the best offensive player you'll ever see in your lifetime". Barry Bonds was one of the best that had ever played the game and we revered him for it.

With the Giants announcement last week of their intentions to sign Bonds to a 1 year, 20 million dollar contract, Magowan much like many fans still, continues to hold on to what Bonds used to be. It is the automatic defense that all of Giants nation was used to yelling back when those who just didn't understand his greatness would attack Bonds as a player. In his eyes, he still can see the 46 homerun, 106 RBI slugger that took the club to the Series in 2002.

What Magowan did not see is that for many of us, the smoke has cleared. What Bonds is is now is unavoidable.

The once great slugger has a bad knee which has cost him his bat speed and coverage in the outfield. He no longer can play a day game after a night game and brings the most damaging PR story of the season before pitchers and catchers have even reported to spring training.

For those of you who still are coping with this realization, that is completely fine. Just do those who see reality a favor and refrain from arguing that the Giants can make the playoffs with an injured and aged Barry Bonds. There is no need to try and sugar coat the motivations of Giants management. This season is about the record, it’s about money and Peter Magowan's inability to let go of the player he both hated and admired for his extraordinary talent.

So now that it looks that Barry is coming home to play one last season by the bay, I will say this. I will be there with my fellow Giants faithful for the final time Barry Bonds plays in a San Francisco Giants uniform to pay tribute to what he was, what he is and most importantly, wonder what he could have been.

A Giant Disaster

Fans forced to endure 1 more dark year of Giants baseball

Schmidt is gone, Bonds is back, and as much as he tries to spin it, there is no doubt that Magowan, Sabean and Co. are to blame.

They have undoubtedly now thrown in the white flag with this signing. Magowan simply could not allow Bonds to take less money and break the record elsewhere (if there even was another interested party).

With Bonds around, baseball remains in the steroid era and in this regard, the Giants are now its mascot. Magowan is turning his head the other way to turn a buck and what's worse, everyone knows it.

So with that said, I want to extend an invitation to our ill fated owner to sit next to me in the stands at Fenway Park during Father's Day Weekend next season. Before last week, I actually would have gotten a chance to enjoy the game. Now? I'm forced to go incognito.

What's sad is that it's not that I can't take crap. It's that for the first time in my life, I'm actually ashamed to be a Giants fan. I'm ashamed to show public support for a team that is looking to shake every dollar out of a player with absolutely no sense of morals or loyalty. Bonds is loyal to Bonds, so what do I owe him?

Thanks to Magowan, every Giants fan outside of the Bay Area is the elephant in the room? Don't believe me? Go to a road game this coming season and then tell me you actually enjoyed the game.

So here's to the last year of a dark era in Giants baseball and the wish that one day, the Giants will get "younger and healthier".

Bonds asking price outrageous

Bonds' asking price a reported 1 year, 18 million with a one year option

I can't tell what's more insane.

Jeff Borris' outrageously overpriced offer or Brian Sabean's refusal to call it so.

Either way, someone needs to tell me how a 42 year old player who can't play a day game after a night game, has virtually no range in the outfield and brings one of the most negatively publicized story in the history of baseball into the locker room can demand a 1 year, 18 million dollar salary with an option for a second year.

Even more so, why is no one writing about this?!

For the sake of my own sanity, I am going to put aside the somewhat old school notion that a player has a responsibility to his team to do whatever it takes to help the team win, on and off the field. God only knows the kind of free agents the Giants might have been able to pull in if they signed Bonds early to a 10 million dollar contract. I've written about this earlier; in the free agent market, the image of a winning ballclub is worth just as much as the offer. Need proof? Take a look at what Walk Jocketty who just signed an extension for one of the best pitchers in the league for yesterday.

So we've established Bonds is selfish. Obviously not a big surprise. What we didn't know is how selfish.

Bonds' agent Jeff Borris is reportedly asking for an 18 million dollar contract with a second year option that could be worth another 18 mil. To put this in perspective, two MVP caliber candidates year in and year out Albert Pujols and David Ortiz are making 14 million and 6.5 million respectively next season. Barry Bonds, who had as much fantasy value as Brad Hawpe of Colorado last year, is asking to be paid more than both. Right now you are probably wondering who Brad Hawpe is. THAT'S the problem.

After striking out with Soriano and Lee, agent Jeff Borris is eyeing his opportunity to advance negotiations in that for the time being, his client is the best power hitting outfielder option for the Giants. Why else do you think he has been active in spewing out the discontent he had for the Giants negotiations and continually repeating the fact that there is "interest from multiple clubs", none of which he wishes to disclose.

If Sabean's smart, he will realize three things this winter.

One, the only team that showed any real interest publicly was the Baltimore Orioles. The Chronicle recently reported that two high placed officials of the club said the team was not interested. What does this mean? Borris' interest from other teams is purely fictional. Any team that might seriously want to pursue the slugger at this point would have to think they could handle the press that comes with him. No other club has already come forward, making Borris' market even less believable. Just look at the source.

Two, taking into account Bonds' numbers last season, an 18 million dollar asking price is ludicrous. Enough said.

And finally, there are other options. In the game of baseball, there is more than one way to score runs. Preventing runs and solid hitting creates runs on both fronts. Hell, read Moneyball if you need proof. Sabean may not be seen in the best light in the book, but he needs to revisit its theories. There are a number of players he could get for a third of Bonds' asking price who could be just as valuable in doing what wins games: increasing opportunities to score runs. With Bonds on the team last season, they still ranked third to last in onbase percentage.

Earlier today, I read that GM Walt Jocketty always tells his wife before going to the mall that even though they have money, it doesn't mean they should spend it. For all our sakes, lets hope the Cardinals GM has Sabean's number on speed dial and owes him a favor.