Why Barry Bonds Wouldn’t Be Welcome in Cleveland

I grew up in Toledo. This means I enjoyed going to the games of the Toledo Mud Hens. This also means I followed the Cleveland Indians throughout most of my youth. The most memorable moments for me occurred during the mid to late 90s. I was able to get to the Jake Progressive Field nearly every year with my dad. We had a somewhat strained relationship, but sports always seemed to bring us together. In 2001, my dad died, and I lost interest in just about everything sports related, because everything seemed to remind me of him.

Seven years later and having spent five of those living in mid-Michigan, I have renewed my passion for baseball. My interest is more in the Detroit Tigers, a team I’ve accepted wholeheartedly as mine in my adult life. I still have a place in my heart for the Indians, just as long as they aren’t playing my Tigers, who I have accepted because they’re the MLB extension of the Mud Hens. Still, I wish only the best for Cleveland. I have many fond memories as an Indians fan. That’s why I’m writing this article.

Now that you know the background info on my interest in the Cleveland Indians, I should explain what this article is all about. I often browse through the sport section of Yahoo (as well as ESPN and other similar sites). Among the articles, I happened to notice this headline: ‘Why the Cleveland Indians should sign Barry Bonds’. This article was written by a fellow who goes by the name of Kevin Kaduk or Duk for short.

I didn’t even have to read this article to know it was going to piss me off. The last thing Cleveland needs is a lying, dishonest, wannabe record holder like Barry Bonds. There is a reason he’s unemployed. From the responses by fans in the comment section, I’m glad to see I’m not alone. Still, Kaduk was contacted by Cleveland fan, Scott Sargent of Waiting for Next Year, who helped present the argument for bringing Bonds to Cleveland. The primary argument is that fans in the 90s accepted Albert Belle, but I don’t remember fans being particularly fond or accepting of Belle. We just tolerated him because he could perform. That being said, Belle also made the Indians look moronic with his erratic behavior and comments.

Does Cleveland really want a jerk-off loser like Bonds in a team full of winners? Ignoring the Tribe’s current slump (remember how they took off after the All Star Game last year? - have faith Cleveland fans) the players on the Tribe team are some of the nicest, most respectable players in baseball. I mean, there’s Grady Sizemore. He’s charming and personable. There’s also Travis Hafner, Cliff Lee, Kelly Shoppach, Victor Martinez, and Jhonny Peralta to name a few. You never hear of them out causing a ruckus, swearing at reporters, or refusing interviews. Albert Belle may have been a good player when it came to playing the game, but he made people uncomfortable, fans included, and he wasn’t a team player.

In this respect, Bonds is like Belle’s twin and he would stick out on this team of ‘group players’ like a sore thumb. He’s in it for himself and Cleveland needs players in it for the team effort. That’s why I like the current lineup. They remind me of the Tigers. They all seem to care about one another and whether they win as a team, as opposed to playing for their own personal victories. If they lose they lose, but whatever they do, they do it together. I’d like to see Cleveland up with the Tigers at the head of the AL, but signing on Bonds isn’t the way to do it or the way to keep fans coming to games.

Bonds just needs to call it quits. His career should be over. It’s bad enough he’s down in the record books over Hank Aaron. He doesn’t need to do anything else to disparage Hammerin’ Hank other than what he already has. I say good riddance and forget about the Barry Bonds Job Watch. I think Kaduk should just focus on writing about his retirement instead.

Technorati Tags: Cleveland Indians, Barry Bonds, Baseball, MLB, fans, Kevin Kaduk, Scott Sargent, Waiting for Next Year