FanHouse Larry Baer

While the Dodgers continue their laid back pursuit of the eccentric slugger, Manny Ramirez, the Giants aren't closing any doors. In fact, they are still discussing things exchanging phone messages with Manny's agent, Scott Boras. It's a tenuous situation, because the Giants are set to have their highest payroll in franchise history. On the flip side, their lineup could really use his bat. In fact, they'd probably be the front-runners in the NL West with him.

Not that Giants fans should start getting their hopes up, because even the Giants president, Larry Baer, seems to believe Manny's destined to remain a Dodger.

There was growing speculation that the Giants paid Hank Aaron to record a congratulatory video message that was played when Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756. Well, as SPORTSbyBROOKS advises us, the Giants have denied such a rumor. From the San Francisco Chronicle:

The Giants were surprised they had to defend themselves against rumors, repeated on talk shows Wednesday, that they had to compensate a reluctant Aaron for his 51-second message. Executive vice president Larry Baer said there was no compensation and no reluctance from Aaron.

The genesis of Aaron's message was a phone call from Baer in mid-May. The Giants had heard Aaron wanted nothing to do with Bonds' pursuit of the record, Baer said, but he decided he wanted to hear it from Aaron.

"When I spoke to Hank, I said I understood he didn't want to come to San Francisco and follow Barry around, that it would be burdensome, and he didn't want to answer questions about 756 and dredge up 1974," Baer said. "I said, 'If that's the case, how about sending a message to Barry and for baseball,' and he said, 'Absolutely, I'd be willing to do that.' "

You know what, I can buy that. Hank says he's as happy for Barry as anybody, and it is understandable that he couldn't travel around the country waiting for Bonds to hit home runs. Recording a video message seems like a reasonable solution, and I can buy that he wasn't bribed into doing it.

Previously at FanHouse:
Hank Aaron Leaves Video Tribute, Was Likely Asleep When Bonds Hit No. 756
Hank Aaron Speaks

As noted by SportsbyBrooks, the Giants front office will be touching on different story lines throughout the season, rather than solely pump up Barry Bonds' quest to break possibly the most hallowed record in all of sports, Hank Aaron's career 755 HR record. Giants Executive Vice President Larry Baer told the Washington Post

"There are a lot of themes, a lot of story lines for us this year,"
...
"Given that, you're not going to see us overdo [the celebration for Bonds], or overwhelm people leading up to it, or even when it happens. We just want to have a proper sense of proportion.

"We'd be shirking our responsibilities if this was all Barry, all the time. And I think the fans don't want that. The fans want to see this operate as a team. If we're perceived as distancing ourselves [from Bonds], so be it. That's not the way I read it."

While fans do come out to the park to see Barry perform, I agree with Baer that the fans don't want all Barry all the time. If that were the case, why was Bonds' show on ESPN hastily canceled? There's only so much Barry that fans can take, me being one of them.

But don't mistake this, had the San Francisco front office not wanted to see Barry break the record in a Giants uniform, they wouldn't have signed him. Don't forget that.

Previously at FanHouse:
Barry Bonds Is a Man on a Mission
Barry Bonds Will Have More Chances to Break the Record
Barry Bonds Goes Deep
Who Does Barry Bonds Think He Is, Rickey Henderson?