Strangely leaving Peter Magowan and Brian Sabean off the hook, the New York Post’s Phil Mushnick suggests Mets ownership has wildly profited from the Sultan Of Surly’s (allegedly) PED-assisted run at the record books.
If all’s fair in love and war, then two fellows who certainly should be with Barry on the occasion of surpassing Henry Aaron – two men who should be right there to shake Bonds’ hand and pat him on his extra-large back – are Fred Wilpon (above) and his son, Jeff.
After all, the Mets were among the first to jack up ticket prices when Bonds and the Giants came to town. Even after the widespread, compare-for-yourself suspicion of Bonds’ chemically enriched body became the stuff that triggered congressional hearings and grand juries, the Mets couldn’t be shamed into change; they were still eager for the extra dough Bonds could provide.
Heck, it didn’t matter if Bonds would even play when the Giants arrived at Shea Stadium. And it didn’t matter if the Mets would intentionally walk him or pitch around him if he did play; the cost to enter Shea was raised – a Barry Bonds cover charge.
So it would only be right that those who profited the earliest and the most often from Bonds’ middle-aged home-run binge be there to thank him for all he did on behalf of their bottom lines. They don’t want to appear ungrateful, do they?
The Wilpons should be there to applaud Bonds as he circles the bases. And Bud Selig, the owners’ point man, should be right there with them. Selig, it was revealed this year, was paid $14.5 million for shepherding MLB in 2005. That’s a lot of money to look the other way.
Of course, there’s no possible way that Bonds’ exploits have increased newspaper circulations or generated advertising revenues for the Fox network or Fox’s Bay Area sports channel. I suppose we’ll have to wait for next week to read Phil’s column where he calls for his boss, Rupert Murdoch, to personally congratulate Bonds.