Bonds in 2008?

Will Barry Bonds play in 2008? He seems to think so and the Giants have yet to comment. If history is any indication, the Giants will start talking about this in December or January. I'm not sure it will be in the best interest of the team to sign him. Yeah, he'll put some butts in the seats, but not as many as in the past. He's already broken the record so each new homer is a yawner.


Although he's as potent a hitter as there is in baseball, and his on-base percentage is second to none, he as no lineup around him to make him effective. His defense is lagging because he's not an aging star - he's an aged star. He misses every third game and the games he does play in he's out by the late innings, usually substituted for defensive purposes. But I think substituting for him for defensive purposes backfires because the bullpen usually blows the lead, then the offense is short his bat in trying to come back. Then they lose. The bullpen is more of a liability than Bonds' defense.


He's still one of the better players in the game, and because of his popularity (in San Francisco, that is) and his ties to the Giants, I'm willing to bet that the Giants will sign him again and try to make him a Giant for the rest of his life. It'll be a bit awkward letting him DH in the AL only to have him immediately return for a lifetime involvement as a legend and mentor like Mays, McCovey and the rest of the Giants hall-of-famers.