Bonds scoffs at Minor League offer

By Ken Gimblin and Joe Cronin

November 14, 2007
 
 



Back in Washington, Pennsylvania, the Independent League Washington Wild Things owner Ross Vechhio’s offer to Barry Bonds to play minor league ball would be something that former Oakland Athletic Rickey Henderson might have jumped on, but you can count Bonds out with that idea.

The former Pirate, who would return to the area where he started his MLB career with the Pirates, said he is only interested in playing in the Majors and the Majors only.

Bonds told his agent Jeff Boras that he was only interested in getting a deal on the big league level and nowhere else. Bonds said that he wants to get career-hit number 3,000 and home run number 800 on his batting career chart.

Vecchio, thought he was sweetening things up a bit when he offered Bonds a king bed and a private suite when he traveled with the Wild Things. Bonds never reportedly looked at the offer and only said he's going to play in the bigs somewhere in 2008.

So far, no MLB team has made an offer to the unsigned free agent. Bonds declared free agency shortly after the 2008 season concluded. Last year Bonds went with his agent Scott Boras to Arizona to the winter meetings to shop around for a team that would sign him.

As March and Spring Training neared Bonds was signed to a one-year $16 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. Giants managing partner Peter Magowan and team Vice President Larry Baer were opened to the idea of Bonds hitting home run #756 and being the team representative at the 2007 All-Star Game, which he was.

That all changed after the season came to a close in September when McGowan and Baer had called Bonds into a closed office and said that he would not be returning. Vecchio said that this opportunity would give Bonds the chance to play again and he would get paid $1200 a month for signing on the ball club.

Boras said that Bonds would never reduce himself to that level when Bonds can play at the big league level and referred to Bonds as "the show". "This contract gives Barry the opportunity to play once again in western Pennsylvania as he continues his career," said Vecchio.

Boras indicated the most likely place that he would go is to an American League team from a team like the Yankees who are losing big names like Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte to losing manager Joe Torre who quit to join the L.A. Dodgers. The Yanks may need a drawing card.

The Royals and Rays have not made an offer but are looking to entertain offers for the new season or at least get a drawing card. But for right now Bonds has not had any offers whatsoever.

Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento.

 

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