Now That Barry Bonds is Away...
...his ex-teammates are glad to talk, their problems with Bonds, they no longer need to allay:
"[Barry] Zito told San Francisco reporters that a lot of players weren't "comfortable in their own skin" around Bonds, including himself.
"I'm excited," Zito said. "People will be allowed to be who they want to be, not who they think they have to be because there is such a heavy presence in the clubhouse, such a superstar."
Even Giants GM Brian Sabean is twisting a bit of a knife:
"General manager Brian Sabean knows there's something to the talk about a "freer" clubhouse. "The players are excited to, on one hand, be themselves, and on the other, branch out a bit," Sabean told the San Francisco Chronicle. "We all know ... Barry was bigger than life on the field and in the clubhouse. He was a very dominating personality."
Oh, and the double standards are gone as well, go Tyler Walker:
"That meant that since Bonds' arrival from Pittsburgh in 1993 there generally have been two sets of rules -- one for Bonds and one for everybody else. Walker says it will be great to be rid of the double standard Bonds created.
"I just had some preliminary conversations with Randy Winn about keeping everyone on the same level," Walker said. "If stretching is at 4 o'clock, you're out there or it's a fine, so nobody feels [there's] preferential treatment."
He's still available, by the way, for some lucky team in 2008. Anyone looking for clubhouse anthrax? Anyone? Hello? Is this thing on?