Bonds, Thomas, Garciaparra file for free agency

[BAMAPHIN 22]

San Francisco's Barry Bonds, Oakland's Frank Thomas and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Nomar Garciaparra headed 59 players who filed for free agency Saturday on the first possible day.


Five players filed from the New York Mets: outfielders Cliff Floyd and Ricky Ledee, pitchers Orlando Hernandez and Steve Trachsel and shortstop Chris Woodward.


Five players also filed from Philadelphia  catcher Mike Lieberthal and pitchers Arthur Rhodes, Rick White, Randy Wolf and Aaron Fultz  along with five from San Diego.


Three players filed from the New York Yankees: infielder Miguel Cairo, reliever Octavio Dotel and outfielder Craig Wilson.


Approximately 200 players are eligible to file for free agency by the Nov. 11 deadline. Under new rules this offseason, free agents do not face any deadlines to re-sign with their former teams.

http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2006/10/28/bonds-thomas-garciaparra-file-for-free-agency/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsfgate.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Farticle.cgi%3Ff%3D%2Fn%2Fa%2F2006%2F10%2F28%2Fsports%2Fs145116D14.DTL&frame=true

 

[Ray Finkle]

No real surprises.

My predictions: I think Nomar will be on the Angels playing 1st next year. Thomas will go whoever offers him the most money. Bonds will be a Giant, Oriole or sitting at home.

 

[muscle979]

Maybe nobody will sign Bonds, that would be beautiful. Probably not realistic though.

 

[WarriorWelker83]

I'd imagine someone would sign him just because of the fact he'd sell a lot of tickets. I think he'll end up as a DH with like the Angels or Oakland. They'll spend the money on him, they want to win and they think he can still hit or get on base (which he can) and ticket sales probably couldn't hurt.

I'd like to see the Phillies go after Nomar and stick him at 3B. We definetly need a respected 3B as a hitter this season. I'd prefer Aramis Ramirez who we can stick behind Ryan Howard and make them pay for the walks he'll be getting. But i dont know if he's going to leave Chicago.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Maybe nobody will sign Bonds, that would be beautiful. Probably not realistic though.

There are some rumblings that the Giants are going to really low ball Bonds with a contract just to look like they're trying to resign him because they know others teams won't sign him (a possible black listing of Bonds).

 

[djfresh47]

Buster Olney predicted nobody would sign Bonds in ESPN the mag. Although he also said reuniting with Jim Leyland would help the Tigers. Teams probably won't want the circus that will come along with Bonds as he chases the record. He can still hit though and is still as feared as any hitter.

 

[RWhitney014]

Buster Olney predicted nobody would sign Bonds in ESPN the mag. Although he also said reuniting with Jim Leyland would help the Tigers. Teams probably won't want the circus that will come along with Bonds as he chases the record. He can still hit though and is still as feared as any hitter.

Teams wouldn't want it? Not that he'd sign with either of these teams, but you don't think Kansas City or Tampa Bay would want the attendance boost when he's chasing the Babe for the singlemost glorious record in American sports? The Marlins love situations like this, but they just don't have anywhere to put him, obviously, for the 90 games he'd have to sit out because he probably can't play defense every day.

 

[djfresh47]

Teams wouldn't want it? Not that he'd sign with either of these teams, but you don't think Kansas City or Tampa Bay would want the attendance boost when he's chasing the Babe for the singlemost glorious record in American sports? The Marlins love situations like this, but they just don't have anywhere to put him, obviously, for the 90 games he'd have to sit out because he probably can't play defense every day.

I don't think they want everything that comes along with Bonds. He can help a team with his bat. If Bonds went to the AL to be a DH I think he'd put up big numbers. I think he'd be able to atleast get the same numbers Frank Thomas did this year. Teams want his production they just don't want the bad publicity that they're going to get with the fans.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I don't think teams want to deal with the headaches he causes. Anywhere Bonds goes there's going to be problems. He's a cancer in the clubhouse and although he would help sell tickets for teams like FL, TB, KC would you really want the young kids being around Bonds for 162 games? Plus whatever team signs him runs the risk of him quitting the day after he hits HR #756.

 

[Perfect23]

all those players best years are behind them except for Nomar

 

[Ray Finkle]

all those players best years are behind them except for Nomar

I think even Nomar's best years (when he was in Boston hitting over .350) are behind him. He'll never be healthy for a whole year which will hurt his stats. The guy played in 122 games this year and drove in 93 RBIs, the guy is a hitting machine and I could see him going to an AL team to play 1st and DH.

 

[finswin56]

I think even Nomar's best years (when he was in Boston hitting over .350) are behind him. He'll never be healthy for a whole year which will hurt his stats. The guy played in 122 games this year and drove in 93 RBIs, the guy is a hitting machine and I could see him going to an AL team to play 1st and DH.

Yankees?



























I kid
I kid :tongue:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Yankees?

I kid
I kid :tongue:

Nah. The team doesn't have any use for him. Plus Nomar has came out and said (when Damon signed with the Yankees) that eventhough his Red Sox career ended bad he'd always be a Red Sox and he would never wear Yankee pinstripes.

 

[King Felix]

nomar goes to seattle so when his little bro gets called up they can play together....

 

[UCFinfan86]

Nah. The team doesn't have any use for him. Plus Nomar has came out and said (when Damon signed with the Yankees) that eventhough his Red Sox career ended bad he'd always be a Red Sox and he would never wear Yankee pinstripes.

Do you think Nomar is hall of famer??