Prompted by Cheat-class boredom over all the inactivity and speculation, as well as Bonds' showing up at the Winter Meetings to beg for a job, I pose the following question: Would you support the Sox' signing of Barry Bonds assuming the contract was not an issue (say, 1 year, $5 mm plus incentives with protection for us if he is indicted)?  Note that I'm not saying there is any chance of this happening.  I'm just curious what the community would think of the idea.

On the positive side, he's far and away the best hitter available.  Even in last season's haze of injuries and controversy, he hit .270/.454/.545 in 130 games.  Although he looks slow and fat, he's still a tolerable left-fielder; not good, of course, but he won't kill you.  Plus, since the Giants didn't offer him arbitration, we could acquire him without giving up and draft-picks.  I think signing him would make the Sox the instant favorites to win the Central.

On the negative side, he's Barry Bonds.  He's a flaming jerk who is likely to be unpopular with his teammates and the media.  He would be the number one story about the Sox, everyday, all season.  As he caught and surpassed Aaron, the pontificating and attention would be stiffling.  Plus, he's a rule-breaking cheat.

So, what do you think?  For myself, I'm torn between my contrarian desire to stick a finger in the eye of conventional wisdom (plus, I really like winning) versus my severe distaste for the man and the idea that it just wouldn't be as much fun to be White Sox fan next Summer if we have to deal with the Barry Bonds Show all the time.