Much Ado About Bonds (advice)

[WharfRat]

So this Bonds mess has me trying to figure out my OF situation. Bonds was the only stud OF I had, and now that he's (apparently) out for some time, I need a replacement. The way I see it, I have two options: get a stopgapper on the wire, or trade. I have a pretty decent team, and I have some potentially nice starting pitching. What would you do with this:

P. Lo Duca (Fla - C,OF)
1B M. Teixeira (Tex - 1B)
2B M. Giles (Atl - 2B)
3B A. Ramírez (ChC - 3B)
SS K. Greene (SD - SS)
OF B. Bonds (SF - OF)
OF S. Podsednik (CWS - OF)
OF J. Bay (Pit - OF)
Util T. Hafner (Cle - 1B)
BNR. Sanders (StL - OF)
BN C. Wilson (Pit - 1B,OF)

SP R. Clemens (Hou - SP)
SP J. Peavy (SD - SP)
RP B. Ryan (Bal - RP)
RP M. Adams (Mil - RP)
P Ol. Pérez (Pit - SP)
P A. Burnett (Fla - SP)
P J. Bonderman (Det - SP)
BN M. Morris (StL - SP)
BN J. Piñeiro (Sea - SP)
BN W. Williams (SD - SP)

I'm definitely of the opinion that Bonds will be back sooner rather than later, and that the tirade was just steam. With that in mind, I'm leaning towards picking up an OF on the wire (Dye, Jenkins, Rocco, Millar, Bernie are all available) and rotating OFs based on who's hot/matchups until Bonds get back. I'm not big on the idea of trading an SP yet, since I don't think the value I'd get would be worth it at this point, unless there's something I'm missing. If one of my SPs gets off to an unreasonably hot start, of course, I could always try to pull a trade for a better OF down the road, if it looks like Bonds will be out longer. Any thoughts?

[George_Foreman]

go ahead and pick up jenkins. he'll be fine until bonds comes back.

but in general your staff is STACKED. if this is a 12 team league, you've definitely got enough depth there to trade away a starter and maybe hafner for another stud OF which, IMO, would make your team very strong even if bonds doesn't come back for a while.

[yort33]

just plug reggie sanders in for bonds. he usually starts the first 2 months on fire and he can help you out until bonds comes back . i drafted bonds the other day and got him rd 11 so i'm with you hoping he's back in later april but who knows. have you heard anything more about him? if he comes back i really think he will have a unbelivable year with alou behind him and vizquel and durham ahead of him

[LBJackal]

Pick up Jenkins and start him in Bonds' spot. Jenkins is a lot better than Wilson and Sanders. The only question with him is health and if he's not healthy for the first moth of the season he never will be.

[WharfRat]

Thanks for the advice fellas. Jenkins it is. My rotation will gain more value during the season if they start performing, anyway. Yort - I know about as much as you, but I'm definitely optimistic. I read he's already off the crutches, so we'll see, he's in great shape, juice or no juice. And I agree about the protection he's got this year, it'll be solid if/when all three are healthy.

[djack909]

I don't think Bonds will be back at least until June 15th. I had him on one team and felt he was not worth taken up my DL slot for 10 weeks. I dumped him and picked up Pat Burrel on waivers.

[RynMan]

I don't think Bonds will be back at least until June 15th. I had him on one team and felt he was not worth taken up my DL slot for 10 weeks. I dumped him and picked up Pat Burrel on waivers.

Dude I hope your joking.

[pokerplaya]

I don't think Bonds will be back at least until June 15th. I had him on one team and felt he was not worth taken up my DL slot for 10 weeks. I dumped him and picked up Pat Burrel on waivers.

June 15th is definitely a fair estimate of when he will be back, but dropping him was not a good move.

[go_jays_go]

You made a big mistake by dropping him He will be a king when he returns, and when hes killing the ball you'll be watchin Burell getting k'd up

[TheYanks04]

I fail to see why anyone would drop a first round pick to free up a DL slot, but to each his own. As to when Bonds will be back, you have to assume that since the sale of flaxseed oil in the bay area has not suddenly taken a dive, that Bonds will be back by the break.