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Bonds too injured, tired to return
By Ken Gimblin and Joseph Cronin August 19, 2005 |
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SAN FRANCISCO - The one thing you've got to know about the San Francisco Giants is this is not a great Giants team. Since the Western Division is so bad, at the end, they still may be on top. As of the start of play Thursday, the Giants are only six games out of first place. It's possible, yet because the other teams within the division are not very good, the Giants still might get into the playoffs. With a team like this, it's really bizarre that that's still the case. We still abide by what we have said in previous stories regarding Barry Bonds and any possible return this season - Bonds is not going to return in 2005. All he's doing now is just antagonizing people by sticking that possibility out there. We still don't think he's coming back. It's a long, long shot for a Bonds return, but playing the devil's advocate if he does return, what impact will Babo have if he does come back in September like he said he would? We don't have idea about his bat speed. Has he lost any of it? Over the last 10 years, this man has had the best bat speed in the majors. He's absolutely a tremendous hitter, and you know that hitting a baseball is the toughest thing to do in professional sports. Can Babo come back at the top of his game like he was before? Well that's just not likely. Is it possible? It's possible that the moon is made out of green cheese, but we don't think that's the case. Seeing Bonds back without the benefit of spring training, without the benefit of playing games, practice-type games, thinking that he could come back and actually do very much is wishful thinking. Don't you think that Bonds makes a tremendous amount of money, and don't you think that the Giants management is asking when Bonds will come back?Doesn't Bonds need to put the possibility out there? After all his problems, he's 41 years old, and you have to think this is awfully long period of time for him to be out. There's a good reason for that. Number one: He's old and you don't heal as fast when you're old. To take a better part of a season to come back from three knee operations just seems way too long if this guy is going to be somebody that's going to produce for your team. It doesn't add up. It seems to everyone, his teammates, the doctors, and even manager Felipe Alou that they just cant see him coming back and providing any offense punch. Certainly, you can't see him in the outfield - maybe a return as a pinch-hitter, but nothing more than that. Can the Giants make a difference by closing the gap in the chance for seeing the postseason? We really see this as a possibility - this Western Division has four clubs that aren't very good in their own ways. The Giants could catch fire and win the Western Division - we think it's possible, considering they face Arizona six times and San Diego and Los Angeles seven times apiece down the stretch. It's unlikely because this is a team that had Armando Benitez as a closer and that left fielder who was going to play - both players didn't happen and even then, the Giants are six games short of first place in mid-August. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin cover the Cal Bears, the Sac Kings, and the SF Giants in one neat package all you have to do is come here and read about it. Joe and Ken hold court on Sportstalk on weekends on 1430 KVVN San Jose and 1110 KLIB Sacramento. |
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