Why doesnt anyone like Barry Bonds.??

[pibb55]

because if you look at the lineup behind him, hes gonna get walked 200 times this year. As bad as the lineups been in the past years, it even got worse. I dont see him hitting more than 45 HRs tops, and am expecting 40 out of him, I wouldnt waste a first round pick on him

[fishingmn]

Went 6th and 11th overall in the 2 live drafts I've done.

[stumpak]

1) He is old--the risk of him losing his eye increases every season. Injury risk increases too. No one wants to be left holding a high-value guy who suddenly falls apart, like Johnson last year.

2) Horrible, horrible, horrible line-up. They will pitch around him every time time, worse than in the past, and he will get nothing to swing at. I am envisoning him shattering his own BB record if he stays healthy. Even if he hits 50 bombs (which I think is quite unlikley), I bet he has less than 90 RBIs. The guys hitting around him are Grissom, Snow and Alfonzo, its a disgrace. From a 5-cat perspective, there are a number OFs who will provide a lot better total value than Bonds.

[cards_fan_8537]

because if you look at the lineup behind him, hes gonna get walked 200 times this year. As bad as the lineups been in the past years, it even got worse. I dont see him hitting more than 45 HRs tops, and am expecting 40 out of him, I wouldnt waste a first round pick on him

Exactly, he as NO protection in that dreadful lineup this year, so if your league counts walks for tons of points I wouldn't take him in the first or second really.

[Madison]

Quite simply he just won't get enough "official" at bats in most people's opinion. I've already predicted that he will break his own walk record this year along with his own intentional walk record this year. The lineup around him is just too weak for anyone to bother pitching to him.

Then there's the steroid issue along with the home run record chase. Lots of pressure on him right now.

Personally, I'd still take him toward the end of the first round, but I'd be praying that they actually pitch to him.

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Consider the fact that a few days ago he had 9 hits and 6 hrs in ST. Thats just amazing - especially for a guy whos clean (not saying he never did, but most assume he stopped if he did at all because of the scrutiny - very few people still think he is on them).

I agree with a lot of people in here that he will simply get pitched around - honestly, if you were a major league manager would you even debate whether to pitch to him or not?

If he gets pitched to, the likely hood that he gets a hold of it is greater than anyone in the game. If he was protected in the lineup he would simply be a top 3 fantasy player all day.

Thats a lot of ifs however. I still take him in my top 10.

[Amazinz]

When is this guy going to give out? I think that's running through people's minds when compiling their cheat sheets this year. This steroid scandal seems the perfect opportunity for a bad year (compared to the standards he's set). I wasn't comfortable drafting him in the first round this year but would have grabbed him in the second. He was already gone in all of my drafts.

[Yikes]

Bonds is still a good player but he's got several strikes against him:

1) They walk him too much (he didn't break 100 rbi's last year)

2) Who does he have as protection this year? Why Edgardo Alfonzo, of course! (Means even more walks)

3) Some believe all the steroid speculation is either gonna affect his focus on the game or get him some suspension.

4) He's getting up there in age (only played in 130 games last year)

After summing up just these main points (leaving out minor points such as no more double-digit SB, probably no more 50-hr), you come out having guys like Beltran, Sheffield, Guerrero and Pujols pushing him beyond the first round.

I have him in the Sammy Sosa, Preston Wilson territory now but if you feel he's still first round material, consider yourself lucky that you can get him in the second round by now.

[GiantFan666]

Bonds is still a good player but he's got several strikes against him:

1) They walk him too much (he didn't break 100 rbi's last year)

2) Who does he have as protection this year? Why Edgardo Alfonzo, of course! (Means even more walks)

3) Some believe all the steroid speculation is either gonna affect his focus on the game or get him some suspension.

4) He's getting up there in age (only played in 130 games last year)

After summing up just these main points (leaving out minor points such as no more double-digit SB, probably no more 50-hr), you come out having guys like Beltran, Sheffield, Guerrero and Pujols pushing him beyond the first round.

I have him in the Sammy Sosa, Preston Wilson territory now but if you feel he's still first round material, consider yourself lucky that you can get him in the second round by now.

I agree with most of these points.. The 130 games from last year was also partly because of his father.. w/o his father he still probably would have only played in 145 or so though.. The only leagues I grabbed bonds in this year were my 2 points leagues where BB's count for stats.. and both of those leagues I got him at the bottom of first round/ 11th overall and the middle of the 2nd round 19th overall

[Guest]

I think people are waiting for him to hit that age/injury wall like McGwire did a few years ago