From:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...SPG2TLIFOT1.DTL

"I saw where Peter Magowan said some nasty things," Bonds told the
MLB.com reporter. "He wants me to take a pay cut. Well, that's OK. I
don't have to play baseball anymore, brother. I'll be glad to stay
home. I'm free. I feel very free."


Sounds like he's not willing to take anything less than 18 million/yr
based on this comment. After being paid 36 million over the last two
years for playing fewer than 162 games combined, one would think Barry
would be a little bit more reasonable. Comments like this and his
earlier rejection of signing any incentive based contracts makes me
believe that his return is unlikely. Pretty classless in my opinion,
considering the club's generosity with Barry over the years.

> noogiedunn@yahoo.com wrote:

No kidding. He's simply not worth $18,000,000/yr anymore.

noogiedunn@yahoo.com wrote:

You mean the last two years, relative to performance. For most of his
time with the Giants, Barry has been one of the most underpaid
non-locked-up players in baseball relative to performance, without even
getting into his impact on attendance. On the net, I'm quite sure the
Giants have gotten a huge bargain for Barry's production since 1993.

TheDave© wrote:

He's worth whatever the market will pay him, regardless of what you or
Barry think. Or did I miss the news release where the owners and
players union appointed you the grand arbiter for MLB salary
negotiations?

>

I don't know about THAT. The one sticky part of performance-based
salaries and the single justification for the huge contracts in general
is the turnstile factor. How many fans attend Giant games BECAUSE of
Bonds? That goes for home AND road. As much as I can't stand them,
there are the boo-birds at every park who show up JUST to jeer Barry.

Even if he's not performing, he's bringing revenue to the game. $18M
worth? That's up to the accountants, but unless the market sours on
him and he becomes a Robby Alomar--sold to the highest bidder at
$500K--he's still worth the salary. Especially if he is still in the
hunt for the record.

> Dobbs Redemption wrote:

Yes, you missed the news release. Since you've appointed yourself as
the one in charge of other people's opinions, we'll make sure to
include you next time. <insert eye roll here>

> Don Tootin' wrote:

I have no doubt he draws people just to root against him. But, I
wonder if his appeal even in that regard hasn't significantly waned.
The closer he gets to 755, of course, that would change.

As a pure baseball matter, I don't believe he's worth that much
anymore. He's still a good home run hitter, but not anywhere near the
overwhelming impact he was a few years ago. I have no doubt they could
get someone else who could hit more HRs and RBIs, and probably even
play more games, for far less money. Impacts on attendance, could be
another matter.

how many of the 81 home games will Barry start. We may have to pro-rate his
salary
if he is going to stay in the N.L. Of course in the A.L. he and Moises can
make whatever
the D.H. market will pay. Again the amount I still hear bantered about on
WQAM sports
radio in Miami, is that Bonds is probably worth about 10 million in SF,
maybe less elsewhere
in the N.L. If he goes to the bums, I wonder what they will now be saying
about his steroids,
same goes for the Oakland scenario. Look what Oakland got in Frank Thomas.

"Dobbs Redemption" <regalia@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160074682.607525.115620@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

Two years of 2005, 2006, he got back whatever bargain the giants got
between 1993 and 2004.

> Dr. Wayne Simon wrote:

While Thomas is probably the only player in MLB slower than Bonds on
the bastpaths, I'd still rather have Thomas at this point in their
respective careers. Where winning on the field is concerned, of course.

Thomas will NOT be as cheap next year, either.