It's now official. Barry Bonds will be back with the San Francisco Giants this season. After signing a reported $15.8 million, one-year contract, the Juice Man himself will get yet another shot at cracking 22 home runs to finally surpass Hank Aaron's career record of 755. As everyone knows, Bonds has never admitted to knowingly using steroids, but it doesn't take a grand jury (which is already investigating him) to know that it wasn't flax seed oil he was rubbing on himself.
Barry had better sprint to the bank with his $15.8 million, because if there is any justice in the world, that will be the last contract any Major League baseball team offers this sham to the game. After the Baseball Writers Association of America declared its refusal to allow a known steroid user in the Hall of Fame with its rejection of Mark McGwire in this year's ballot, it would have been an incredible sign of integrity had San Francisco not signed Bonds. But he's a hitter, and whatever way he gets the ball over the fence - be it with or without steroids - it's hard to pass up on a player of his ability.
But if there is any sense of justice in the world, Hammering Hank's record will remain intact. And Bonds and McGwire and however many more juicers there are can inject each other for as long as their heart's content. Just make sure it's the hell away of baseball, and nowhere near defiling the memory of Aaron and all of baseball's other honorable players.
-by Andrew Bauld
