While admitting that Barry Bonds in a SF uniform does make for a compelling story (“sort of like a really massive crash makes the Indy 500 more memorable,”), the SF Chronicle’s Bruce Jenkins considers the Sultan of Surly’s return to the former PacBell, “amongst the most cowardly, gutless baseball decisions of the post-war era.” (link swiped from Repoz and Baseball Think Factory)

It’s astonishing to think that the Giants expect Bonds to stay healthy and skate through the mine fields of the federal government, the IRS and the Major League baseball investigation, all the while hitting 45 homers, leading the team to glory and being a really cool teammate. It’s a little bit frightening, actually. Meanwhile, here is management’s message to new manager Bruce Bochy: Screw your first season. Suck it up. Sheer idolatry will get Bochy through the first couple of months, but then some very harsh reality will set in.

Despite the pathetic bleatings of his agent, nobody else wanted Bonds.

That’s your 2007 Giants, a team with no plan – and worse yet, no pride. See you in fourth place, with a very unhappy superstar making everyone miserable.

Hmmm. I guess this means you’re not signing Barry Zito, then?