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Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
Barry Bonds remains unsigned since the San Francisco Giants decided not to make him an offer last year and he became a free agent. The Seattle Mariners, who rank last in the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, would be a logical destination for Bonds.
BILL SHAIKIN / ON BASEBALL

Seattle would be logical destination for Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds
Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
Barry Bonds remains unsigned since the San Francisco Giants decided not to make him an offer last year and he became a free agent. The Seattle Mariners, who rank last in the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, would be a logical destination for Bonds.
His agent says he has not received an offer from any team, and union is looking into the possibility of collusion.
May 8, 2008

This is the press release we would love to see: "The Seattle Mariners announce they have offered Barry Bonds a one-year contract worth $5 million."

Bonds can take it or leave it, but the Mariners would be better off if he took it. And the public announcement would dampen the suspicion of the players' union that Bonds does not have a job because all the owners got together and decided not to offer him one.

 
The Mariners, in a win-or-else season, are 7 1/2 games behind the Angels in the American League West, tied for last place with the Texas Rangers.

Seattle talked with Frank Thomas after the Toronto Blue Jays released him, but Thomas signed with the Oakland Athletics, saying the Mariners already had a veteran designated hitter in Jose Vidro. Within a week, the Mariners put Vidro on the bench anyway and called up Jeff Clement, who has struck out nine times in his first 20 major league at-bats.

The Mariners' designated hitters have two home runs, and they rank last in the league in on-base percentage (.275) and slugging percentage (.317). Bonds might be 43 and rusty, but his on-base percentage was .480 last season, and his slugging percentage was .565.

He isn't going to be the attendance draw he was last summer, when he matched Hank Aaron's all-time home run record of 755, then extended it to 762. Then again, the Mariners announced an attendance of 15,818 on Tuesday, lowest in Safeco Field history.

Bonds might consider $5 million too low, but he really wants the 65 hits he needs for 3,000. And, according to baseball-reference.com, his career earnings exceed $188 million.

Jeff Borris, the agent for Bonds, said he has not received an offer at any salary since Bonds became a free agent last fall. Bonds was indicted on perjury charges in November, but any trial is not likely to start until after the season.

The players' union said it has not filed a collusion grievance but is investigating whether to do so, although the charge would be difficult to prove.

Commissioner Bud Selig has said any team is free to sign Bonds. In the meantime, Bonds remains the only player named in a federal indictment and in the Mitchell Report, although Roger Clemens and Miguel Tejada remain under federal investigation and could be indicted.

And Jose Guillen, whose suspension for performance-enhancing substances was waived as part of the new drug agreement, is hitting .165 and making $12 million with Kansas City.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com





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