Rob Manfred would like Barry Bonds to be 'engaged with the game'
New commissioner Rob Manfred believes Barry Bonds should be "engaged with the game." The commissioner sat down with the Associated Press Sports Editors, telling them he believes prominent players should remain a part of baseball, according to the Sporting News.
“I think that it’s important for former players, quality former players, to be engaged with the game,” Manfred said in a meeting with the Associated Press Sports Editors. “People develop hero worship for great players like Barry. I think, in terms of keeping fans engaged, it’s important to keep those players around.”
Upon leaving the game in 2007, Bonds remained away from the spotlight for quite some time. He's emerged more recently, attending games, serving as a spring training instructor in Giants' camp and creating a Twitter account. There's even been talk about Bonds joining the San Francisco Giants in an expanded role.
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While Manfred appears to be on board with Bonds being a prominent ambassador for the game, it's unclear whether the fans will embrace him. Bonds still receives support from a fair amount of Giants' fans, but he's universally loathed around the game for being a "liar" and a "cheater." He's no longer a convicted felon, but that's unlikely to change the public's opinion.
Fans remain upset with Bonds because they believe he's a bad guy and that he cheated in order to break records. They hated him then, and they still hate him now.
What's weird is that there's a sense among many of the same fans that Pete Rose deserves to be allowed back into the game. In their defense, Manfred seems to agree, at least somewhat, allowing Rose to take part in the 2015 All-Star Game in Cincinnati. Among these fans, there's a sense that Rose has served his time.
Bonds has not, apparently. Though Rose broke a clearly defined rule, and knew the consequences, fans are clamoring for his reinstatement. Bonds admitted to unknowingly using "the cream" and "the clear" in leaked grand-jury testimony. All of this happened at a time when Major League Baseball was still trying to set rigid guidelines for steroid use. Bonds never failed a test once they were made mandatory by the league.
None of that matters, of course. It didn't matter when Bonds somehow didn't get a job after hitting .276/.480/.565 in 2007, and it doesn't matter now. Bonds remains a pariah among the vast majority of fans.
There are many who would prefer Bonds remain far away from the game. They don't want to be reminded of his "tainted" accomplishments.
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The truth is, having Bonds involved in baseball is good for the game. Regardless of how he compiled his numbers, we're still talking about one of the greatest players of all time. Hearing him talk about his approach at the plate, or the way he studied opposing pitchers would be a treat for both players and fans. We're talking about one of the most technically-sound and patient hitters ever. Surely, players can benefit from that type of teaching.
Conveniently ignoring Bonds is about to get a lot more difficult. You can still hate him all you like, but you're not the commissioner. Manfred believes Bonds should be around, and his opinion is the only one that matters.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
