Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the Poor-Pitiful-Me Award winner for the 2005 baseball season.

I realize that the baseball season has not officially begun yet, however, the person who is being presented this award can't be topped.

Barry Bonds, who is within a chalk-line of breaking Hank Aaron's home run record may be sidelined until the 2006 season because of problems stemming from his postseason knee surgery.

"I really don't have much to say anymore," said Bonds. "You guys (the media) wanted to hurt me bad enough, you finally got there. You wanted me to jump off the bridge, I finally have jumped. You wanted to bring me down, you've finally brought me and my family down. From everybody, from all of you. So now go pick a different person. I'm done."

Bonds cited that he was mentally and physically drained. But look at the climate of baseball and what's going on around Barry. The League is looking at stiffer policies on testing for performance enhancing drugs. To steal a line from Alanis Morrissette, but "isn't ironic" that the man with so much to gain in one month of the Major League season is looking at taking a hiatus because of "the media's impact on his life?"

By a show of hands, who will be surprised if Bonds doesn't come back next season smaller.

It's that simple.

Griffin Pritchard is the sports editor of the Greenville Advocate. He can be reached by phone at 382-3111 ext. 122 or via email at griffin.pritchard@greenvilleadvocate.com.