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Pennant Securer: Barry Bonds? Not So Fast

The Hot Corner

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By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: August 17, 2008

This is the time of year in baseball when the panic button's allure can be intoxicating. September is looming and pennant races are heating up with the close of each and every ballgame.

With only about 40 contests left for most teams, every close loss and each nagging injury can make that button look bigger, brighter and ever more tempting to slam down for that quick fix.

It happens to virtually every team that's in the thick of things, just trying to secure one of those precious few available playoff positions.

The Rays are certainly no different, and, adding the fact that this is completely foreign territory for the organization and fan base alike, recent do-or-die murmurings beginning to grow louder should come as no surprise.

As for the front office, the Rays made it clear at the uneventful passing of the July 31 trade deadline – painfully clear for some – that they like their product virtually as is. This isn't to say if the right deal at the right price for the (you got it) right-handed bat the Rays seem to lack came along that they wouldn't have acted, but that prospect never gelled.

Though the trade deadline has officially died, as most fans know, the moving and shaking is not nearly finished. Players can still bounce around from pretenders to contenders on the waiver wire.

With last week's losses of Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford, the pre-trade deadline clamoring amongst many Rays' faithful for a move to be made has once again kicked into high gear. Taking the power and offensive productivity out of the lineup that these two offer does warrant discussions for action to be taken, but it's surprising to hear who seems to be topping the lists of some fans and media personalities – Barry Bonds.

Bonds strolled out onto AT&T Park in San Francisco last week and made his desire to return to the field of play clearly obvious. More likely than not, there is still some pop left in the lefty slugger's bat and his on-the-field productivity would be welcomed to many.

But here? In Tampa? Is that seriously what would be best for this young team making a remarkable, historic run?

Calling it a three-ring circus upon Bonds' arrival would most likely be an understatement. It would be a media feeding frenzy. They say any publicity is good publicity, but in certain instances I beg to differ – this being one.

The baggage Bonds will be towing into the Bay Area doesn't need elaborated upon. That's more than well-known. But his general persona and track record of disdain and contempt toward the media and fans are things completely incongruent with this Rays ballclub. The 2008 team motto has been "We Are One Team," and the Rays have managed to personify that label throughout their run. I think it would be difficult to find many willing to defend the fact that Bonds fits nicely into that mold.

Elaborating on that thought; say Bonds does join forces for the playoff push. Maybe it's naivety, maybe it's a general distaste for the way he carries himself, or perhaps it's both, but I think Bonds' presence would have the potential to take away from the feats this emerging group of talent performed together all season long. With Bonds, the risk-to-reward-ratio doesn't seem to play out in the Rays' favor.

The guys have gotten this far on their own merit. For all the shaky-handed fans out there starting to feel like the club's letting an opportunity to stick it to Boston and New York slip away, remember that they remain on top of the American League East with a few games to spare AND have been 19-9 since the All-Star Break. Not a guaranteed shoe-in for a division title, but still impressive enough to rank as one of the best records in the league since the break.

Now let's see if they can do it wire-to-wire – as is, Bonds not included.

Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com

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