Barry Bonds will work with the Giants as a special instructor in spring training next month, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. Bonds has not had an official relationship with the Giants since 2007, his last season in the big leagues, so his presence could make quite an impression in Giants camp. Here are more notes from around the big leagues.
- The Indians will "soon make a serious push" to extend second baseman Jason Kipnis, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer writes. Kipnis is eligible for free agency following the 2017 season, and Pluto notes the Indians would likely try to sign Kipnis to at least a five-year deal, picking up at least one free-agent season. MLBTR recently suggested Kipnis could make $30MM-$35MM over the course of a five-year deal.
- The Brewers will likely have a team-record payroll, and owner Mark Attanasio expects to win this season, Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel reports. "We’re at the point now where we’re well into the top half of payrolls in the major leagues. We have more pitching depth than we’ve had, really, in 10 years. As I’ve explained to everybody, as investors you wouldn’t make that decision to lose," Attanasio says. "The ownership group felt like this was the year to invest (more) in the team. I think we’re going to surprise people this year." After an offseason that featured the high-profile addition of Matt Garza, the Brewers have $86MM committed to 12 players, which could give them a higher payroll than they had in 2012, when their opening-day figure was $101.2MM.
- The signing of Ubaldo Jimenez has had a dramatic impact on Orioles fans, MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski writes. The Orioles' offseason had been very quiet, but suddenly they've landed Jimenez and now have Nelson Cruz as well.
- Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is happy with his two-year, $24MM contract, and isn't concerned about the recent Homer Bailey extension, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Zimmermann and the Nationals tried to negotiate a long-term deal, but ultimately couldn't find enough common ground. "They came to us with a two-year deal. Let's get this out of the way, so we don't have to worry about arbitration for the next two years," Zimmermann says. "We felt it was right, and I think it was fair for both sides, and we got the deal done."
- Arbitration-eligible players received an average raise of 117 percent this offseason, with their average salaries rising from $1.78MM to $3.86MM, the Associated Press reports. The heftiest raise went to Freddie Freeman of the Braves, who went from $560K in 2013 to a multiyear deal with an average salary of $16.875MM.
Of course Zimmermann isn’t concerned with Bailey’s extension. Why would he be concerned about finding out the floor for an extension with the Nats is 6/$105?
6/105 for Bailey is way to much. This puts Zimmermann in Hamels/Lee extension tertiary.
C’mon Indians! Lock up Kipnis!!
I’ve heard he could approach Freddie Freeman money… what’s more likely? A deal like Freeman, or something more like what was suggested in this article?
$30-$35 mil over 5 is a slap to the face, no way its that cheap
I would think that, given it’s a premium position, maybe $7-8 mil/yr avg., covering 5 years. Add in an option year at $10 mil. Remember–this is the Cleveland organization we are talking about. Hopefully Kip wants to be here bad enough to not break the bank. GO TRIBE!!
Whether you like him or not, Bonds has a ton that he can teach hitters. He is one of the best of all time. Not just HOFer territory, but one best batters ever.
Barry Bonds was already in HOF territory before he left for the Giants. But the truth is his biggest sin is he put himself before the game.
Yea how to cheat
He already had HOF stats when he started juicing in 1998. He is one of the best pure hitters in history, with or without drugs. He can teach kids some good stuff.
Do we KNOW that he started juicing in 1998? I mean, does someone have a ton of old Walgreen’s receipts? How do we know he didn’t start in 1997 or 1995 or whenever?
He said it was 1998, but yeah, his word don’t mean much.
Just find his year to year hat size changes.
He’s still a cheater. It doesn’t matter if he did it before or after he cheated. Hall of fame and Bonds should not go in the same sentence. He ruined pitchers careers, that played the game clean.
Really would be interesting if Milwaukee was bigger. The fans really support that team, just like the Packers the city is really small, but the team somehow finds a way to keep the fans coming.
It’s because people in Wisconsin only like football. I know many people there and they could care less about the Brewers, but they live and breathe football. I think some places are just like that. It’s sad.
Brewers always has fantastic attendance compared to their metro area size. I think they do a really good job of supporting their team. It is that they have by quite a bit the smallest population.
There’s a lot of Wisconsin natives in the Chicago area, They go to Miller Park too.
You’re plain wrong. The Brewers draw very well. Brewer gear is worn all over the state. Wisconsin sports fans love their teams, all of them…well maybe not the Bucks so much. TV ratings for Brewers are very high.
If the Brewers got to the World Series, the entire state would go nuts. No different than the Packers
Bucks used to rule. They need to be just a wee bit more competitive.
100% wrong Fernando
Fernando, Brewers have some of the most active fan websites in the game. Check them out some time. Fans are informed and very passionate.
Not true at all. I’m from wisconsin and love my Milwaukee Brewers just as much as the Packers if not more. But i would agree that Wisconsin is more of a football state than Baseball.
That’s I guess what I was getting at. I know at least 10 people from Wisconsin and they have never talked about the Brewers, only about the Packers. In my (small) sample size it seems like people didn’t care much for the Brewers, but like I said it was a small sample size so maybe those people just don’t appreciate the national pastime. Apologies.
It’s a bit deceiving when comparing Brewers attendance to the Milwaukee population. With Miller Park not being down town, it’s pretty easy to travel to a game from surrounding counties being just off I94. Their attendance is also high because everyone goes there to tailgate and party. They’ve done a great job in making it the cool place to go and have fun, being a college student or with the family.
Somewhere there was a study on how far the average fan travels and I cant remember exactly but I think the Brewers were at the top or very close. I live 5 1/2 from Milwaukee and I know a handful of people that own 20 game packages!
The retractable roof is one of the reasons they draw so much. With a small metro area it gives piece of mind to everyone traveling long distances. It was pure brilliance that will make them millions upon millions over the ballparks life time.
I do think more teams should have retractable roofs. They are expensive, but they do really help the fans out. A large number of people don’t want to sit outside at 0 or 100 degrees.
Glad to see the Giants embrace Bonds, who despite all his history was a very important figure to their franchise. McGwire has been a good hitting coach and I hope Bonds is able to help in camp.
With how contracts are these days, I think a $30MM contract offer over 5 years for Kipnis would be an insult. You’re probably looking closer to a $10MM AAV contract, especially if they don’t get an extension done before the end of this season.
While I was fairly pessimistic about the Brewers a month ago, i’m starting to feel like they could see a playoff berth.
The rotation is going to be very solid in my opinion. Gallardo, Lohse, Garza, Estrada and Peralta could pan out to be very competitive all year. With Jim Henderson as the closer and K-rod as a set up arm…. I like what I see.
With the lineup, I feel like it should be above average also. Some factors –
Braun and what he can do steroid free
**If Gomez can do what he is suppose to do, I would hate to see him fall back to earth with a .250 avg and 15 homeruns. He is one of the best defensice CF’s in the game tho.
And need Aramis Ramirez to stay healthy for a full season.
“Here’s how to do it without getting caught.” – the first thing Barry tells each player
He had 374 homeruns before he started juicing, hes still really, really good.
Hey, you’re preaching to the choir. I remember predicting Barry would be the best player of our generation in ’94. But he’s unfortunately remembered for one thing and one thing only – juicing.
No he’s still remembered for being a great player too.
He is remembered by most as a Hall of Fame caliber players who let his ego lead him to the Hall of Shame instead.
I wouldn’t disagree with that being the thing he’s most remembered for, but to say that he’s remembered for only that would be inaccurate.
You ask the average person on the street about Babe Ruth and they thing two things HR’s and womanizing boozer. Most have no idea he was a fantastic pitcher and carried a .342 lifetime average. You ask the average person on the street about Barry and the will think two things HR’s and that he cheated to get them. He destroyed his legacy and most have know idea that he didn’t need to.
I find it interesting that people seem to be certain exactly when Bonds began juicing. Were you his supplier?
Melky never would’ve got suspended if Bonds was a ‘special instructor’ in 2012…
Man, getting sick of all this extension talk. Obviously its good to lock up your talent but Free Agency is terrible now. Every day it seems its extension rumor central
Attention Giants Players! If Bonds offers you a flax seed oil shake just say no…