A Case for the Royals Signing Barry Bonds

We've heard that Barry Bonds doesn't want to play for an independent league team but would he be willing to sign with the Kansas City Royals? The difference may seem negligible at times but these Royals are a little different. It's been under just about everyone's radar but they've won 10 of 11 games and are kinda, sorta still breathing in the AL Central race.

Their pitching staff has shown surprising friskiness through the good stretch but they don't score enough runs. Signing Bonds would make a huge impact says Joe Posnanski.

If you plug in fairly conservative Barry numbers in the Royals lineup - say .450 and .550, which is still down from last year - the Royals lineup that was scoring 4.91 runs per game is suddenly scoring 5.34 runs. As many readers pointed out, that really is a huge, huge difference.

Indeed it is a big difference. Posnanski's entire argument is long but well worth reading. He mentions all the negatives about signing Bonds, including the circus that would result but comes down firmly in support. As the signing of Jose Guillen makes clear, the Royals aren't adverse to players with baggage and the Royals could benefit from a bit of a circus. More fans, more money and more pressure to find out about the mettle of their young players.

How likely is it? I wouldn't bet the mortgage. Royals owner David Glass has always been one of Bud Selig's staunchest allies and there is clearly a wink-wink, nod-nod deal going on to keep Bonds out of baseball this season and beyond. There's also a chance Bonds wouldn't want to come to K.C. but if he's sincere, unlikely but play along, about his desire to play it's a really good spot for him.

If he came to the Royals, played the good soldier and helped the team into a pennant race, it would do a lot for his image. There would still be those that despised him, of course, but other steroid tainted players still get the chance to play and haven't suffered nearly as much as Bonds. No one has run away with the AL Central, the Royals shouldn't ignore a chance to play a role in how the division plays out.