Bonds accepts arbitration

No place like home -- Bonds stays with Giants; Gonzalez, Park face deadline

Posted: Wednesday December 19, 2001 6:52 PM
Updated: Wednesday December 19, 2001 7:07 PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Barry Bonds will stay with the San Francisco Giants, deciding Wednesday to accept the team's offer of salary arbitration.

Bonds, who became a free agent after hitting a record 73 home runs, could wind up with a one-year contract worth at least $20 million. He would prefer to sign a multiyear deal, said his agent, Scott Boras.

[CubFan7125]

It hasn't been a good winter for Scott Boras, maybe Johnny Damon will get a free agent offer. Does this mean Barry can be a free agent next year?

I'm not too familiar w/arbitration, but if it's a 1-year deal and arbitration either disallows a multi-year deal or one simply isn't offered (as Barry indicates he'd prefer), then I guess he'd be a FA then.

If he can got .330 / 60 / 130, I'd say he could be scooped up for a 2- or 3-year deal given that he doesn't maintain his "me, myself and I" ways of doing things for which he's infamous.

[Xanadu Dragon]

No way he wants a one year deal - - he's way too old to take that risk.

No way he gets a long term next year when he's a year older.

If I'm SF, I call his bluff. See ya at the tables - - - it's a risk 'tho, no one has ever had a year like his 2001. There's nothing you can say bad about it.

[willyg]

I can see Bonds getting 20 mil in arbitration.

Highest paid outfielder in baseball in Manny Ramirez, he makes (an average) of 20 mil. Now naturally Manny's contract is heavily backloaded so lets just say he mads about 14 or so last season.

I really think Bonds will get whatever the highest paid outfielder is making next year plus a few extra bucks.

A-Rod made 21 mil last year. Bonds put up better numbers.

20 mil on a one year deal is not out of the question for Barry.

If I am the Giants I really have no problem with this. Sure in any contract I would have signed Barry to he would not have gotten 20 the first year, but I would have had to commit at least 4 years.

Instead of 4 years at nearly 80 mil, I would rather 20-22 for one year.

I think in arbitration, they tell the player how terrible he is and how many mistakes he's made, all his weaknesses just to lowball it. That may seem hard in his case but ya never know.

He'd better win that arbitration since if he gets a "measly" $18M per, he may have a very tough time getting more than this unless he hits at least 50 jacks into the water by Pac Bell. Win or lose arbitration, he' taking a big chance in accepting this 1-year deal. Repeat his 2001 performance, even with 60 dingers, 1.200 OPS, 100 BB's, I'd say he'd had a great year. If he flops, his price drops tremendously.

Even if he didn't accept and waited for a suitor, most teams are trying to improve offensively and defensively, and $20M on one player rather than 2 or 3 still leaves a few gaping holes. Any thoughts on this?

[sweaver]

I think it's great for the Giants. They get Barry for another run, and they will likely be the division favorites, without having to commit to a long-term deal in case of the worst. That means that Boras didn't have any 5-year deals in his pocket, as he said, otherwise Barry would never have gone for this. And the Giants now have sole rights to negotiate for the next year.

[Xanadu Dragon]

All these guys going for the one-year big money deal better hope there's no work-stoppage.

Originally posted by Xanadu Dragon
All these guys going for the one-year big money deal better hope there's no work-stoppage.

They better hope there's no production stoppage in their dingers, ribbies, OBP and whatever stats everyone uses. If so, the ka-ching will stop ka-chinging next November!