Update: Rumors have surfaced that Tampa Bay is pursuing the possibility of offering a contract to free agent outfielder Barry Bonds. Thus far, this has been a quiet offseason for Bonds as the potential suitor list was dramatically reduced upon hearing his price tag along with potential perjury and obstruction of justice charges, to which Bonds has already pled not guilty. Nevertheless, The St. Petersburg Times is reporting the organization is having internal discussions whether or not they should seriously consider the 43-year old slugger, seven home runs removed of the all-time record and 65 hits short of 3,000. Manager Joe Maddon said he was unaware of the rumors and Andrew Freidman, VP of Operations, called it a “non-story.” Bonds himself has not yet commented on the situation.
The View: Considering Bonds’ prospects are limited, he might want to consider long and hard about joining the Rays, despite a history full of futility. The Rays may have emphasized a youth movement over the last half-decade, but have a history of overspending on the few veteran talents they attract. The Rays have undergone a minor rebuild this season, but it has pushed them closer to being a contender than ever. They already added 38-year old closer Troy Percival, 34-year old lefty specialist Trever Miller, and 35-year old outfielder Cliff Floyd to the major-league roster. They handed out minor-league deals to 38-year old catcher Mike DeFelice (who has a reasonable shot at winning the back-up job) and 35-year old pitcher Brian Anderson (who will compete for a bullpen spot)They also resigned 37-year old Al Reyes, expected to be Percival’s primary set-up man, giving the team their strongest veteran core in a long time and adding some more potential AARP members to the state of Florida.
So do the already aging Rays really even need Bonds?
Percival, Miller, and Reyes all fill voids and all address the team’s biggest problem: a 30th ranked bullpen of a year ago. They’re also low-key producers, good veteran leaders, and do not disrupt the clubhouse chemistry. The organization already cleaned its hands of two of its problem children this offseason, dealing Elijah Dukes to the Nationals and sending Delmon Young to the Twins. Carl Crawford has already come out and stated how the environment is much more positive and they have a stronger clubhouse chemistry than ever.
Assuming, Rocco Baldelli is and stays healthy (albeit, a pretty big assumption), the Rays have their starting outfield in place. They also already added Cliff Floyd as a veteran, power hitting 4th outfielder/designated hitter. They have a top prospect in outfielder Justin Ruggiano and two more pretty good ones in Wes Bankston and Fernando Perez and all could feasibly be major-league ready by the start of the season. They also have Jonny Gomes, who has shown good pop and is capable of handling both corner outfield positions. Bonds would just make a crowded outfield/DH competition more crowded. He should instantly assume the DH spot on a full-time basis (considering the money he’d likely get to sign), but that would move both Floyd and Gomes, who both possess a similar skill set, to the bench and force someone to either be traded or cut. Also, if anyone could completely restructure the clubhouse chemistry, it would be the game’s most-controversial figure and his recliner chair.
All things considered, the Rays could probably field a much better team spending the money they may offer Bonds elsewhere. It’s not always about fielding the best team, though. Bonds would sell tickets and that’s a quality they could desperately use. The team, while still not considered a serious contender, has surpassed the Orioles by a good margin and could field the most competitive team in its young history without Bonds. Adding Bonds would give them a veteran presence and experience needed in the heart of the lineup (much more so than Cliff Floyd could provide).
It’s far from a done deal, but considering Bonds’ potential suitor list should instantly be down to 14 before perjury charges and relative lack of interest shown this offseason, along the lack of other veteran power-hitting options on the market, and this could be the best move for both Bonds and the Rays. If they sign him and his playing time isn’t restricted due to legal issues, he would likely make Floyd (another lefty bat) obsolete and the only Gomes would have a small possibility of eating away at Bonds’ at-bats at DH. Bonds’ playing time has been limited by his aging body and the fact that he was a liability in left field, but both concerns would be significantly reduced if all he had to do is worry about hitting. He still has 30 HR potential, walks at a higher rate than any other hitter, and scores a reasonable amount of runs. As a DH, he has the best chance of reaching these numbers, and if a deal is struck, he should be considered as a mid-to-late round option for the utility/DH spot in fantasy league starting lineups.
Posted by James 