The signing of Bengie Molina late on Wednesday night gave the Giants their 2007 lineup, minus one. The minus one was surely going to return all along and return he did late on Thursday night when it was reported that Barry Bonds had agreed to a one-year deal, worth $16 million. Bonds never really had a legitimate alternative to the Giants and after losing out on Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee, then seeing Boston?s ransom for Manny Ramirez was utterly absurd, the franchise that has propped up Bonds as their face since 2003, had no alternative either. The marriage, in the words of William Blake, has truly been one of ?Heaven and Hell.? Every success of the Peter Magowan-era Giants is a direct result of Bonds, but it has produced more than its fair share of scandal and frustration. The Giants insisted on keeping the length of the new deal to one season, even though it meant a richer deal. Many people hoped that the winter of 2006 would become the A.B. (After Bonds) cutoff, but it will be delayed one more season before making a run at a Vernon Wells. There is only a 5% chance Bonds returns to the Giants in 2008, which is because of two reasons: 1. If Bonds hits less than 23 home runs, then his performance will not warrant an additional year. 2. If Bonds hits more than 22 home runs, the record will be his and he can finally move on, which is what he wants to do at this point, possibly more so than the Giants. Will this offense put enough runs on the board to support a pitching staff with an average ceiling and a realistically scary basement? Below is how I would structure their lineup, though I wouldn't be married to it and neither will new manager Bruce Bochy: 1. CF, Dave Roberts: Since 1997 (Matt Williams trade), speed at the top of the Giants lineup has been an unwelcome asset. Occupied bases for Bonds? at-bats were the only way pitches would be seen, so there was little reward to the risk. With Roberts, the Giants have a guy who stole the most famous base in history and has been an elite stolen base artist over the last decade. With San Diego last season, Roberts was 49 for 55 when trying to steal a bag. He will have the green light at all times this season, as the intentional walk is no longer a fear. 2. SS, Omar Vizquel: 2006 was one of Vizquel?s finest offensive season, as he is proving to be as ageless offensively as he is with the glove. Vizquel?s OBP was .361, his best since 2000. 3. 2B, Ray Durham: Durham was a terror from the right side of the plate last season, going deep once for every 13.6 at-bats. Throughout the length of his first contract with the Giants, Durham has put up impressive numbers and the only disappointment has come from being injury-prone, but he has reached triple-digits in games played in each season. Like Marquis Grissom when he joined the Giants, Durham is now 36 and they hope he becomes a similar kind of third place hitter. 4. LF, Barry Bonds: Giant fan who said ?Let him go,? was looking at beginning the rebuilding phase instead of his production. He finished the season one percentage point short of a 1.000 OPS and hit much better in August and September than in May, June and July. Many people forgot that he went on a tear during Spring Training before he begun having problems with his elbow. If the surgery he underwent after the season was a success, another 1.000 OPS and 40 home runs would not be at all surprising. 5. 1B, Rich Aurilia: During the first seasons of the Giants? new ballpark, Aurilia was the most universally beloved player on the team. He nearly played his way into an early retirement, but he reclaimed his form last year in Cincinnati. Aurilia had the best season of his career in 2001 when he hit second, directly in front of Bonds, but I would bat him fifth during his return stint with the franchise. Nothing masks the fact, however, that the Giants are significantly below average at this slot in the lineup. 6. RF, Randy Winn: There was never a chance that the 2005 Winn would be able to continue that kind of production, but 2006 was clearly a disappointment. With the addition of Roberts, he will not bat lead-off again this season and will therefore be more suited to the strengths he displayed in 2005. 7. C, Bengie Molina: Molina makes the switch to the senior circuit after seven full seasons in the AL and assuming the adjustment is swift, he will be one of the best offensive catchers in the league. His numbers have been consistent over the past four seasons and will be an upgrade from last season. 8. 3B, Pedro Feliz: Feliz was once the Wily Mo Pena of the Giants' organization. A free-swinging slugger just waiting to bust out if he can ever learn the strike zone. If Feliz was to ever learn how to hit a breaking ball that will be a strike or hold off on the ones that will be out of the strike zone, he would have done so already. Not surprisingly, he struck out 112 times, but he did drive in 98 runs. Christopher Reina is the Executive Editor of RealGM can be reached via email at [email protected]