At this point, the Barry Bonds baggage actually can be a good thing. Really.

The Rays need a power left-handed bat. Bonds can DH.

The steroid stuff is so tired and old. We all know he's going to prison for perjury next year. So, he has six weeks to help a cinderella team win the pennant.

It's all good PR. And Bonds can help the Rays.

Since the steroids are a given and we know he has to be clean, the controversy on this point is moot. Barry is at St. Pete to play ball and win the pennant so who can doubt that each day the focus wll be on the team and the win, not so much on Bonds. And since everyone knows the baggage situation, nobody is going to care all that much. And if Bonds does deflect some attention, that's good too, since it takes media glare off other players who can relax and play loose.

It's surprising this hasn't taken place as of Aug. 15.

I predict it will happen...

(And speaking of which in a strange paradoxical thought pattern that popped just in my brain now: What about Dale Berra?)

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The U.S. baseball team really choked against South Korea the other day -- or was it night.

They rebounded against the Dutch, ha-ha.

Davey Johnson looked sick to his stomach in the Korea loss and with good reason. Surely, these guys can respond better to pressure. Unfortunately not, as they did a redux against Cuba the other night/day.

Can you say sayonara? The Japanese team is loaded with top pros and the Cubans are the Cubans, despite half their real team now playing in the U.S. 

But who cares, I got a badminton match to watch. What's the birdie over/under on Malaysia-Sri Lanka?