The Final Score

Barry Bonds has asked the Players Association to consider filing a grievance on his behalf because he has been unable to sign a contract, according to MLB.com. So, we ask, has there been collusion among baseball owners to keep Bonds out of baseball?

ANTHONY: Yes. It's Bud's world and we're just all living in it

Bud Selig runs a tight ship in the baseball world. Any owner / GM who even thought about signing Bonds for 2008 probably got a call from one of Selig's henchmen, or was taken aside by Selig at an owners' meeting, or woke up to find a horse's head in his bed.

The message: Don't do it.

Selig doesn't want Bonds is his game and would do anything in his power to prevent that. You think teams couldn't use Bonds? Padres? Cubs? Rays? Cardinals?

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has a long history of ignoring steroid use by his players (allegedly). If Bonds showed up in St. Louis with his big bat and oversized head, La Russa would hold open the clubhouse door. St. Louis fans would probably cheer.

But even the Cardinals know it's not worth risking the wrath of Bud.

Will the union be able to prove this? Don't bet against it. All it takes is one leaked memo, one honcho with an axe to grind, one e-mail that ends up in the wrong hands. So Bonds could be sitting in prison and also be the winner of a big collusion judgment.

Only in America!

JIM: Collusion? No way! Bonds did this to himself

Certainly several teams sat down last winter and weighed the pros and cons of signing Bonds, and decided in minutes he wasn't worth it. Let's do the same thing, and I bet it won't even take 20 seconds...

Pros:
*Still a great slugger at 43 years old - 28 homers in 340 ABs in '07.
*Had a .480 on-base percentage last season.

Cons:
*Can't play the field.
*Can't run because of bad knee. Needs days off often.
*Was indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.
*Tons of evidence say he took performance-enhancing drugs.
*Well known poor presence in the clubhouse.
*Will bring unwanted attention every day.
*Surely wants a lot of money.

So basically the only team that would even have room for him would be an American League team without a designated hitter. That limits the field, don't you think? And, really, if you're a contender, would you want to bring this jerk on your team? There's too much of a risk, the reward of a .480 OBP and 20 homers isn't worth it.

Ken Davidoff, on his blog, said, "It's so ridiculously simple why Bonds is unemployed. Teams are reluctant to bring aboard an aging, selfish jerk who could face a federal trial at some point down the line. It is nothing of laughable for people to hint about collusion. Bonds colluded with his own demons to bring this fate upon himself."

Well said, Ken.

Collusion? Fat chance.

You did this to yourself, Barry.

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What do you think?