Bonds to the Just Call Me Rays?

The Tampa Bay Rays are considering bringing in the seven-time MVP, Barry Bonds, to Tropicana Field. Bonds has been unsuccessful in his search for a new team after he and the San Francisco Giants parted ways back in September. Likewise, the Rays have been looking for publicity ever since their inception in MLB in 1998.

He would clearly cause a ticket sales boom for a team that has trouble filling half their stadium. If signed, Bonds would bat fourth and be the designated hitter in an already talented, young lineup. The contract would pay for itself with the increase in tickets sales, but the question is, is this a good move for the Rays? I would have to say half and half.

First the positive, and it mainly involves what he can do on the field. Bonds can still hit, and being the DH would save a lot of wear and tare on his knees. Despite having a tumultuous season last year, Bonds still hit 28 home runs in 340 at-bats. On top of that he walked 132 times. He would provide the Rays with an excellent 2-5 in the batting order. Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Bonds, and Carlos Pena would be one of the best 2-5s in the game. The Rays have never really had powerful players in their lineup either, but with the 4-5 of Bonds and Pena that could realistically be a combined 80 homeruns. He would clearly make the Rays a better team on the field. They are not going to win the AL East even with Bonds, but they could win 80 games and could be a key factor in determining who wins the division.

Now the negative, and conversely it mainly involves what he would be off the field. Before getting into the steroids, his indictment, and everything else, he is much older than a team that is predominately young. He would be a media magnet and all of a sudden Tampa Bay baseball would be covered like there's no tomorrow (Pedro Gomez's family would be eternally grateful to the Rays). That could be very distracting to a young ball club, and put unnecessary pressure on them. Bonds has always been a very demanding figure in the Giants locker room, and he wouldn't be anything less here. That's the ground floor, so now add all of the other negatives. Do the Rays really want an indicted individual on their team? A player who cheated his way to the top? I'm not sure that's the message they want to send to their fans and players.

Tampa Bay signing Bonds could and most likely would improve their team, but it would be their management selling their soul in order to do it. He will bring all that baggage with him to Tampa. I wouldn't want him on my team, but it all depends on how much exposure, good or probably more so bad, the Rays front office would want to shine on their team. But it is about time the Rays do something to show they belong in Major League Baseball.

Pat Morgan