The Boston Red Sox may soon need to enlarge their clubhouse. It might be the only to way to squeeze the colossal egos of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Manny Ramirez into one room.
Don’t laugh. The Sox seriously would like to sign both Bonds and Clemens ASAP.
The lowdown: The San Francisco Giants are just about fed up with Bonds and his contract demands and may withdraw their one-year, $20-million US (with incentives) offer. The Giants believe it is their right to back out of a verbal deal because of a precedent set recently by catcher Rod Barajas, who reneged on a verbal agreement to sign with the Blue Jays.
Clemens, meanwhile, fully intends to keep pitching and plans to join one of three interested clubs — the New York Yankees, Houston Astros or Boston.
“There’s something quite appealing about the best offensive player and best pitcher in history on your side at the same time, even if they are both 40-something and in the twilights of their careers,” a BoSox source told me. “Money isn’t a major concern for us. We’ll pay luxury tax if need be.”
The source said Bonds would alternate between DH and left field for Boston while Ramirez would move to right on some days.
“These guys are volatile and moody,” the source acknowledged, “but they’d give us an edge, even at their age.”
Two words of advice to Boston fans: Brace yourselves.
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