Bonds Will Not Compete In WBC

[nyboricua021]

"When my name was first announced for the WBC, my gut reaction was that I wanted to play. After much thought and discussion with my family I have decided to remove myself from the upcoming World Baseball Classic roster," Bonds wrote on his Web site, www.barrybonds.com.

"After the announcement I received a lot of criticism as well as concern from fans and my family and friends. The obvious objections were about my health and whether or not I would be ready to play," Bonds said. "In the end, I decided that I can't take any chances that might jeopardize my season."

I agree with him, I understand the pride that you have for your country, but you don't want to get injured and be out for a long period of time.

[runningshoes]

Pedro Martinez gave himself a clean bill of health Monday, stating he will pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic beginning March 3. "I am recovering very well, the foot is going well, and I have my mind on the World Baseball Classic.

Talk about a stark contrast.

[west coast orange and black]

stark contrast, indeed.

the injuries are very different. one has been treated many many times with success while the other is unique.

one was suffered by a man barely over 30 while the other by a player over 40, perhaps in his final season.

[west coast orange and black]

welcome to bb-f and to the giants forum, by the way, nyboricua021.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

"When my name was first announced for the WBC, my gut reaction was that I wanted to play. After much thought and discussion with my family I have decided to remove myself from the upcoming World Baseball Classic roster," Bonds wrote on his Web site, www.barrybonds.com.

"After the announcement I received a lot of criticism as well as concern from fans and my family and friends. The obvious objections were about my health and whether or not I would be ready to play," Bonds said. "In the end, I decided that I can't take any chances that might jeopardize my season."

I agree with him, I understand the pride that you have for your country, but you don't want to get injured and be out for a long period of time.

OK, but using Bond's logic he shouldn't play any spring training games either because he might get hurt. How is playing in the WBC any different than playing spring training games in terms of chances of getting hurt? He was going to be the DH for Team USA so he wouldn't have had to play the field.

I'm very disappointed in Bonds.

[west coast orange and black]

for bonds to earnestly and honestly compete for the usa in the world classic he would have had to speed up his training a bit. the classic begins about 10 days before the start of cactus league play. he would be going at full tilt once play began, baserunning included. evidently, he at first figured that he could do so without any problems.

cactus league ball is very different than that of the regular season, and i expect that it will be markedly different than world classic play. during the first couple'a weeks of march ball, the youngsters get the majority of the playing time, players don't slide hard into second, and the vets simply do not run as hard. also, a player can get lifted once reach base safely and be re-inserted back into the game, effectively becoming a designated hitter. there is a kind of subtle casualness in the air, and many veteran players are not going full-tilt.

bonds, specifically, historically does not play in most early march games. around mid-month he starts to play more games and appears in them longer than 3 or 4 innings.

i am disappointed that bonds is not leading our guys into the world classic. but consider bonds getting hurt and not being available 'til the hated dodgers roll into town on 19 may. bad enough, right. but maybe a bit worse if he was injured while sliding hard into second to break up a ground ball that enabled the winning run to score against venezuela, while in a game against the white sox he simply stops and gets tagged out.

bonds says that he feels great, but his knee injury is a unique situation, one without historical reference. let's say that an injury during early march wipes out his 2006 season.

maybe bonds would rather end play while in a giants uni than in any other.

[Nomtoc]

Good! Babo's steroid gimp excuse of a player will not mess up the semi and finals for me down in San Diego!

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

I don't think Barry Bonds can say anything without him being criticized about it. I know some of the fans are disappointed, but you can't get in the way of his recuperation. The man wants to recuperate and be ready for the real baseball season and I don't blame him.

[west coast orange and black]

well put, nomtoc. welcome to our corner.

[Nomtoc]

well put, nomtoc. welcome to our corner.

Thanks!

Maybe we need a WBC "party" thread for those of us making the trip to San Diego for the semis and the finals!

[west coast orange and black]

knock yerself out.

seems as if international forum is always needing new relevant material.
or maybe current events.

[west coast orange and black]

17 january was the roster deadline.
it was also the first possible date that out-of-competition testing of the wbc players could begin.

[runningshoes]

Mr. Bonds should make the results of any testing he had done public and shut us all up once and for all.

[west coast orange and black]

17 january was the roster deadline.
it was also the first possible date that out-of-competition testing of the wbc players could begin.

world classic officials, though, issued a standard "no comment" when asked if any players on the united states roster had already been tested as of the date that bonds announced that he would not participate.

curiously, a first positive result during world classic testing results in that player unable to participate in international competition for two years... with the protection of no names released to the public.

so... did bonds test positive and is that why he bowed out?

even if bonds was tested on the 17th, his announcement occurred on the 23rd - which is not enough time to procure a test result.

[west coast orange and black]

bonds has on several occasions told the public that he got tested.
under wbc rules, i believe, players are prohibited from making statements before wbc officials publicly comment.