As soon as I'd convinced my wife to turn to the green and gold, the one player she liked, Swish, gets traded. And now to add Bonds on that? That'll compel me to keep the A's as one of those "my hobbies only."

Overall, I just don't care anymore.  At best, Bonds will be a carnival sideshow that helps us win a few more games, generates publicity, and sells tickets both in the short term and in the long term. At worst, Bonds will be a clubhouse cancer, limit playing time for players that deserve at-bats (Denorfia, Sweeney), and cause the A's to lose hard-core fans that they may never get back while the casual fans move on after Bonds leaves.  We aren't going to make the playoffs in 2008 either with or without Bonds, so I'll leave it up to the A's to weight the other issues.

I would say, though, that the A's are stupid if they sign Bonds with the idea to flip him at the deadline for prospects.  Bonds is radioactive throughout the league, and if any other team wanted him than the A's wouldn't be considering signing him.  The A's also have to consider that Bonds would likely refuse to go anywhere else if he were traded.  Bonds has lived his entire life as if he is Will Smith in "I am Legend," and he is not going to do the A's any favors at the trade deadline.  

If the A's sign Bonds, they need to consider all the ramifications, and they need to make their decision based on the assumption that Bonds is untradeable.

Just tarp the second deck.  That way it will make the Coliseum feel even more intimate and will drive up demand for the remaining 5000 seats.  Actually, let's tarp the whole place except for the sections behind home plate.  Think of the money the A's will save on security guards and janitors!  Then there will be no need to sign Pumpkin Head.

is what I would like to term the "Rich Aurilia" effect.  The person who hits front in Bonds will see his fair share of fastballs and may indeed have a career season like Rich's 2001 (obviously unlikely to be THAT good).    If we put a good fastball hitter there (mayhaps our own mid-20s SS?) we could then try to take advantage in this increase in value.  

Then again, I have no proof that would actually happen, but I'm now just dreaming of new ways to unload BoCro.

from guys we want in the long run. cust will be an OF/DH (bonds doesn't play every day). barton stays at 1B. bonds also probably helps us win a few games cuz dude can hit a ton. DJ spells barton at 1b from time to time, and bonds/cust at DH, but since he isn't in our long-term plans, it doesn't matter that much. having bonds also helps us not rush up young guys before they're ready - i want gonzalez to spend most of the year in AAA getting his batting eye better. if he does really well, yeah, we can spin him off for some good prospects at the trade deadline. also, he almost certainly helps chavez (protection in the lineup), so he enhances his trade value as well if we really want to unload at the trade deadline. all in all, i suspect, like chavez, that if bonds plays in '08, it'll probably be in oakland.

and then gutted the team.  How about some bargain packages for those of us who are willing to come for a Tuesday night vs. the Royals?  I'd hate for it to be just me and the parents.  Still a no vote on Bonds, BTW.

much out of the "clubhouse cancer" thing.  Look, Bonds the Giant chasing the HR record is not the guy who will be signed by the A's.  Does anyone doubt that if Beane were to sign him that he wouldn't spell out his role for him very clearly?  There's room for only one alpha ego on the A's....and it sure as hell isn't going to belong to Barry Lamar Bonds.  I can't imagine there is anyone in baseball who doubts that Billy Beane will do exactly what he says he will do with his team.  If Barry acts the fool he will be out the door in short order with nowhere left to go in baseball.  Bonds knows this, and more importantly, Billy knows this.

Bonds could very well be a tremendously positive influence on a core group of young hitters.  Does anyone doubt that he is the greatest hitter of his generation....maybe the best in all of baseball.  I'm okay with Bonds on the A's, as long as it's on Beane's terms.  

You're an idiot

I have supported the A's since 68 and I have been there for the good, bad and the truly ugly. I will go and suppot the A's no matter what their season looks like; but if BB signs Bonds, I will not go to one game! He is a cancer! The A's are like the little train that could. That has been their appeal. Signing Bonds puts them into the slimeball category. You should be at the forefront of what the A's are about, instead you are putting us into the gutter! Integrity matters.