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| Barry Bonds still wants to play in 2009, and his agent Jeff Borris has suggested the power-starved Giants should sign him, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. |
Our View: The chances the Giants resign their former mercurial slugger and screw up their team chemistry are between none and none. By all indications, everyone in San Francisco is thrilled with Tim Lincecum being the new face of the franchise, and any renewed Bonds involvement could only be bad for the club. The 45-year-old Bonds has almost certainly played his last game.
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| The White Sox are not interested in Barry Bonds, according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. |
Our View: The Sox could use more depth in the outfield, but Bonds is apparently not on their radar. He would likely generate solid power numbers at launching pad U.S. Cellular Field if they change their mind.
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| According to the Associated Press, the Twins want nothing to do with Barry Bonds. GM Bill Smith politely stated he "doesn't think (Bonds is) a very good fit for us right now." The Nationals, Reds and Pirates have all balked at Bonds as well. |
Our View: This shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Bonds will have very few suitors, if any, this season. He made his bed though, so no one is feeling sorry for him. Except Barry of course.
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| USA Today reports that Barry Bonds' agent will contact all 30 teams in hopes of signing a contract for 2008. He apparently is not very "optimistic" about his odds of getting a deal done. |
Our View: Bonds' perjury trial is indefinitely delayed and wouldn't likely havea physical effect on this season. However, not many teams are looking for a DH, with possibly Baltimore being the only exception. Don't count on him turning up on a major league roster any time soon.
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| Barry Bonds' perjury trial will be delayed until at least July, according to the SportsTicker. That is when the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will begin to decide whether the alleged positive drug tests vaguely linked to Bonds will be admissable. The tests had been ruled inadmissable by the initial judge of the proceedings. Should the appeal extend to oral arguments, then this portion of the case could extend into the fall. |
Our View: If nothing else, this seems to indicate that a decision in this case will not be reached at any point during this season. Bonds has remained adament that he is not retired, but it would be an extremely bold move for a team to sign him with so much legislation hanging over his head. Assuming the original judge's decision regarding the inadmissability of the drug tests stands, the prosecution does not figure to have a very strong case in court.
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| Due to the fact that Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, has refused to testify, a federal judge has barred prosecutors from using three positive steroid tests in his upcoming trial, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Anderson's refusal to testify continues to help Bonds avoid being found guilty in his upcoming trial.
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| The Associated Press reports that federal prosecutors intend to contact Barry Bonds' personal shopper to testify at the slugger's trial next month that she witnessed Bonds' trainer inject him with performance-enhancing drugs. Prosecutors are also seeking to have Bonds' former teammate, Bobby Estalella, testify that he recalls Bonds talking to him about using illegal substances. |
Our View: Bonds' former personal shopper, Kathy Hoskins, is expected to testify that she saw trainer Greg Anderson inject Bonds with a syringe. Whether or not Hoskins believes the syringe contained steroids is unclear.
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| Several IRS agents have been cleared of any wrongdoing in an investigation of Barry Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: $600 disappeared from more than $60,000 that was collected from the home of Anderson in 2003. The investigation, conducted in 2004, could not identify the culprit.
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| Newly unsealed documents in the perjury case against Barry Bonds show that Jeff Novitzky, the lead agent in the investigation, believes that former BALCO vice president James Valente falsified records to cover up drug tests, according to Yahoo Sports. |
Our View: Legal experts feel that this will help Bonds. Valente has been presented to the court as a credible witness but this information casts a doubt on his honesty.
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| The Associated Press reports that a federal judge in the Barry Bonds case says she may consider tossing out the results of three positive steroids tests supposedly taken by Bonds between 2000-01. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said unless the urine samples can be directly linked to Bonds, the test results may be rendered useless without any supporting testimony. |
Our View: A crushing blow to the prosecution. Illston's ruling, if carried out, could leave those attempting to convict Bonds to rely on the testimony of the slugger's former trainer, Greg Anderson. Illston did say, however, that she would allow into evidence a recorded conversation between Bonds and personal assistant Steve Hoskins, in which the two men discuss injecting steroids.
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| The prosecutors in the Barry Bonds trial indicate that the slugger tested positive for steroids five times between 2001-03, according to the AP. |
Our View: The samples are anything but smoking guns, as three of them did not have Bonds' name on them and the other two originally tested as negative. Those two samples came up positive a year later after being retested by the government. Bonds' perjury trial starts on March 2. His immediate future is anything but a fantasy.
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| Barry Bonds' urine tested positive for performance-enhancing substances, according to the New York Times. Bonds gave the sample as part of the anonymous testing that baseball conducted in 2003. |
Our View: The Bonds saga continues as evidence is being gathered for his perjury trial, which begins March 2.
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| According to grand jury testimony given by a drug-testing expert in 2003 and a lead BALCO investigator in 2004, the performance-enhancing substance tetrahydrogestrinone (THG)—or the Clear, as it has come to be known—was not categorized as a steroid in the federal criminal code, nor was it ever proven to have improved muscle growth, Yahoo! Sports reports. Furthermore, the testimony also states that the Clear, a product made infamous by its most noteworthy consumer, Barry Bonds, was not deemed a steroid by the Justice Department until January of 2005, after BALCO had been shut down. |
Our View: This latest development in baseball's steroids scandal figures to be a major shot in the arm for the defense of Bonds, who is facing multiple counts of perjury and a single count of obstruction of justice. Presumed to be dead in the water, Bonds' chances of evading incarceration just improved exponentially, but only if his defense can prove that federal prosecutors, fully aware that THG was completely legal, in 2003, asked Bonds ambiguous questions about his use of the substance. Bonds' trial is scheduled for Mar. 2 in San Francisco.
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| The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Barry Bonds has recently undergone hip surgery and will not be fully healthy come spring training. |
Our View: Bonds continues to state that he has not retired and is still reportedly seeking a contract. The hip surgery will certainly make the likelihood of that happening a long shot at best. Then there's the matter of his perjury charges.
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| TMZ.com has video of Barry Bonds repeatedly claiming that he is still not retired. He is facing 10 counts, including perjury charges. He will go to court on March 2. |
Our View: Bonds has quite the uphill battle against him and retirement may end up being forced upon him.
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| Federal prosecution dropped four counts of lying against Barry Bonds on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Bonds still has 10 counts facing him and will likely still see a two-year prison sentence if convicted.
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| The judge in the BALCO case has ordered that documents in the case will be unsealed, according to Sports Illustrated. Barry Bonds' medical lab results are included under this order. |
Our View: Bonds could be convicted for perjury if it comes out that he knowingly took steroids, as he previously denied these allegations while under oath.
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| Barry Bonds has had a few of the charges against him stemming from the BALCO case dropped, according to the AP. |
Our View: Bonds will still go to trial on numerous perjury charges in March. The exact charges which were dropped were not listed.
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| A federal judge gave six months of home confinement, and not prison time, to a bicycle racer named Tammy Thomas who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice concerning the BALCO case, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The news is seen as a positive sign for Barry Bonds, whose trial will be under the same judge. |
Our View: Judge Susan Illston said that putting the Thomas in prison for the prosecution's recommended 30 months would be unfair considering that Victor Conte got just four months.
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| Barry Bonds, or actually, his lawyers, have asked a judge to drop 10 of the 14 charges against him in his perjury case, according to the AP. The lawyers are arguing that the questions asked of Bonds were far too ambiguous. |
Our View: Bonds is scheduled to go on trial on March 2 to answer to the charges. No word on if that would change should some charges be dropped.
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| Barry Bonds won't be signing with the Rays or any other team anytime soon, and his agent is blaming major league baseball. "With (Carl) Crawford and (Evan) Longoria going down simultaneously, I thought I'd make one last vain attempt to reach out to Tampa Bay, and to no avail," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris told FOXSports.com. "That's because major league baseball has been successful in their pursuit in blackballing Barry out of the game." The players union is investigating possible collusion against Bonds, but a grievance is unlikely. |
Our View: Despite Borris' claims, you can't blame any team unwilling to take on Bonds' baggage. He won't play this year, and his career is likely over.
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| Despite losing Carl Crawford, outfielder Barry Bonds still isn't on the Rays' radar, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The team is also without Evan Longoria right now, but the team is confident they can keep winning, and Eric Hinske said, "Shoot, we don't feel like we're going to start losing a lot because they're gone. We're going to miss them, for sure, but we'll be fine."
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Our View: The team will compensate by giving Willy Aybar most of the playing time at third base, with Ben Zobrist and Eric Hinske chipping in. They will also platoon in left and right field, with Justin Ruggiano, Rocco Baldelli, Hinske, and Gabe Gross.
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| The AP reports that co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner acknowledged he’d mention Barry Bonds during high-level meetings with Yankees officials on Thursday. "I’ll mention it. We’ll cover everything," Steinbrenner said before the meetings began. "No stone will be left unturned."
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Our View: With Matsui and Posada possibly gone for the season, the Yankees could use some more offensive fire power.
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| The New York Yankees may consider pursuing Barry Bonds in light of the news that Hideki Matsui. may undergo season-ending knee surgery, according to the Associated Press. "I would caution everybody to not misunderstand that since I'm not saying no to it, that that means, 'Oh, my gosh, that that might be happening down the line,'" said Yankees GM Brian Cashman. |
Our View: This isn't close to happening, but the speculation is interesting. Even with all of their stars, the Yankees need a bat, and there is little doubt Bonds can still hit. He would certainly have fantasy value, even if he only played three or four times per week.
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| Barry Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, commented that his client could get into game shape quickly if signed by a team, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Borris said, "Barry is in shape right now. He's not in game shape, so he'd have to have the chance to hit off live pitching. But he's told me that he would be ready in a very short period of time. He thinks he can be ready 10 days, two weeks."
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Our View: Borris has previously said Bonds would be willing to play for a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum, and donate his salary to buy tickets for kids.
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| Barry Bonds' agent (Jeff Borris) stated that there’s little chance his client will play this year, according to the AP. Bonds also noted that his prospects look bleak.
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Our View: According to Borris, the news that the Mets, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks are interested in Bonds is not true.
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| Barry Bonds only needs 10 days to get ready, and he would be able to play in the major leagues, according to ESPN.com. "Give him 10 days to hit off live pitching, and he'll be ready," said his agent, Jeff Borris. |
Our View: This does not mean he's coming back to play, as no team has expressed much interest, but if he does return, he would certainly help fantasy teams. His on-base percentage was .480 last year, and he hit 28 home runs in just 340 at-bats.
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| Updating an earlier report, it now appears the Arizona Diamondbacks are not considering the addition of outfielder Barry Bonds , according to MLB.com. |
Our View: According to sources for MLB.com, the D'backs had internal discussions about signing Bonds, who remains unsigned after the Giants elected not to re-sign him following the 2007 season, as it had about several potential free agents and possible trade acquisitions, but decided to move forward. GM Josh Byrnes had issued comments that led many to believe that Arizona was interested, but now he has proclaimed those talks are dead. Bonds aside, Byrnes continues to work the phones to try and get some help for his team before the trade deadline. While the team has struggled offensively, Byrnes didn't rule out also seeking a pitcher.
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| Barry Bonds could be on the D-Backs' radar, according to the Arizona Republic. GM John Byrnes did not shoot the idea down of signing Bonds, and said, "He and maybe a couple of others are sort of sitting out there. I don't want to talk about him specifically but, believe me, we've considered a lot of options. There is sort of no one obvious option right now, but there are a lot of considerations."
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Our View: Arizona is only one game ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West, and could use Bonds' power in the outfield, especially since it looks like Eric Byrnes could be done for the season.
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| Peter Gammons reports that the Red Sox have had discussions about bringing Barry Bonds to Boston. |
Our View: The Sox maintain that a workout would be unlikely. They are still uncertain of David Ortiz' wrist injury and would want another bat in case he cannot get back to 100% this season.
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| Barry Bonds wants to play again, but he will not play for any independent minor league teams, according to the Associated Press. “He doesn’t need to go to an independent team and hit two home runs a night hoping to get attention to prove that he still has the skills that would warrant him playing at the major league level," agent Jeff Boris said. "His performance in 2007 demonstrates that he’s capable of playing at the major league level for the 2008 season.” |
Our View: As much as we deplore Bonds, Boris is right that Bonds can still be a quality major league hitter making it surprising that no team has given him a chance to hit the field.
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| Barry Bonds has pleaded not guilty to 15 federal charges of misleading a grand jury, this according to the AP.
Bonds pleaded not guilty to similar accusations in December, but a judge ordered prosecutors to rewrite the slugger's indictment to fix legal infirmities in the document. The new indictment includes no new allegations.
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Our View: Bonds was re-arraigned today on 15 felony counts of lying under oath. This obviously won't help him secure a job in the next two months, but it's still not out of the question he could catch on with a postseason hopeful in need of a left-handed bat.
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| Barry Bonds has been charged with 14 counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice on Tuesday, according to ESPN. This is basically just a reworking of the charges that had previously been charged to Bonds in November of last year. |
Our View: If your name is Roger Clemens you have got to be pretty nervous about this news. Given the furor that will surround the Bonds camp due to this news, it would appear likely that no team will take a chance on signing Bonds now, even if he still can hit.
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| Barry Bonds is not on the Royals' radar, according to the Kansas City Star. GM Dayton Moore stated, "We’re always examining opportunities, but right now, we’re committed to the players we have. We feel we need to find out what we have not only for this year but for the future."
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Our View: As of Wednesday, the Royals were ranked last among American League teams in runs, total bases and slugging percentage, but Bonds is considered damaged goods from a PR and press perspective, and the Royals don't feel like he is worth dealing with to boost their offense.
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| Barry Bonds still remains on the sidelines waiting for an offer to come, and given the fact that no offers have been put forward, the whispers are growing that the owners might be colluding to keep him out of the game, according to Sports Illustrated. "No team has made an offer at any price at any time. That's a simple fact,'' Bonds' agent Jeff Borris. "At this point in time, no club has even offered the minimum salary." |
Our View: Look, there is no disputing that the man can still hit and help every single team in the majors with his bat. The question is, does any team want to take on the PR nightmare that would follow? At this point, it seems like no one is willing to take that risk.
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| Barry Bonds could possibly be on the Rangers' radar, according to the Star Telegram. Rangers GM Jon Daniels commented that Bonds will likely end up being a DH somewhere by mid-season due to injuries and other circumstances, and it might even be in Texas. He added, "If he's healthy, I'm not sure there's a club that his bat wouldn't help. As for us, we've just made an organizational decision not to pursue him at this time. It just doesn't fit what we're trying to do right now. It wouldn't surprise me if a club tries to sign him at some point. There are a lot of positives in that regard, not the least of which is there's no need to trade young talent to acquire him. It comes down to how you value all of the elements. What effect it has on the clubhouse, the acquisition cost, your expectations of his performance, and the organization's appetite and ability to handle the media and fan reaction."
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| Barry Bonds is not ready to hang up his cleats. "I'm not going to retire. I don't think that's going to happen," Bonds tells MLB.com. "I'm working out, I'm training. If my phone rings, it rings, if it don't, it don't. I have a cell phone. I have a Blackberry. They work. If something comes up, I'm sure they'll let me know. I'll come back in July if I have to. It depends on the circumstances." |
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| Not only is Cardinals' skipper Tony La Russa interested in Home Run King Barry Bonds , the Rays seem to have at least an eye on the ex-Giant as well, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The report notes that team officials have recently talked internally about Bonds and have weighed the merits of other remaining free agents, such as Mike Piazza and Kenny Lofton. In Bonds' case, the team would have to find a way to interest the slugger, and even then would be be accepted anywhere outside of the Bay Area? Don't expect to see Bonds in a Tampa uniform, even if they were to offer him a Florida pardon. |
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| Skipper Tony La Russa reportedly asked the Cards front office to inquire about the availability of Home Run King Barry Bonds, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. La Russa confirmed on Sunday that he did in fact take the idea to general manager John Mozeliak and team owners for a second consecutive year. And for a second straight winter, the idea died in committee. Though Bonds became famous for demanding indulgences from the Giants, La Russa also believes the Cardinals' clubhouse dynamics would smooth some of the outfielder's rougher edges.
"I believe that we have a very strong clubhouse ethic about what we do as a team," La Russa insisted. "I'm not saying it's perfect. I'm not saying there aren't some disgruntled guys here and there and that we don't have issues like families." The chances of Bonds playing this year decrease with each passing spring training session. |
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| Barry Bonds won't be signing with the Cardinals, but he might be if it were up to Tony La Russa. The Cards manager acknowledged Sunday that he recommended to club brass this offseason, as well as last offseason, that they sign the all-time home run king. "What I've said each of the last two years is that when you're looking for somebody dangerous to hit behind Albert [Pujols], Barry was a guy that I thought," La Russa said on MLB.com. "And for whatever reason, at the general manager or ownership level, they didn't agree that he would be a guy that they thought we should add. I understand. Organization chart - they're my bosses. That's exactly what happened." Bonds has reportedly kept himself in good shape over the offseason, but no one has been beating down his door to offer him a contract. |
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| Barry Bonds lawyers will argue that the perjury case against him has been compromised by the inaccurate report that was leaked last week that he had failed drug testing in 2001 according to the AP. After the report broke, it was learned that the report was the result of a "typo" and that at no time had Bonds failed a test. Bonds is still hoping that some team will take a chance on him this year, but for now he awaits at home for that call to come. |
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| Barry Bonds is still unemployed, but that hasn't kept the all-time home run king from staying in shape. "The only thing he hasn't done is face live pitching," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris told the Mercury News. "He's doing all the baseball drills he normally does as he works to get in shape for spring training. His legs are as solid as ever." Bonds is under federal indictment on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from his testimony in the Balco case. A trial won't be held anytime soon, perhaps not even before the upcoming season concludes, but it doesn't appear any team is interested in gambling on the slugger. |
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| Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids in November 2001, according to The Star. The positive test came just one month after the home run king hit his record, 73rd, single season home run.
The allegation was published in a legal filing for the upcoming steroid perjury case against Bonds. If this report is on the up-and-up, then Bonds' request for a dismissal scheduled for Feb. 29th in Federal Court will be denied. |
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| It may not be getting much media attention, but Barry Bonds is still a free agent and remains adamant about wanting to play in 2008, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. "He is unequivocally not retiring," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, said. Bonds is under indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice. He asked a federal judge last week to dismiss the charges. |
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| Reports on Friday indicated that Oakland would almost surely sign Barry Bonds, but GM Billy Beane has said that the reports are completely made up. "I'm not going to justify something that somebody wants to make up because they talked to somebody who thinks they know what we're doing," Beane said in the Mercury News. "It's a complete waste of my time." Despite Beane's comments, the A's do appear to be the lone team that may have an interest in Bonds, though the smart money would still be on the slugger not playing at all next season. |
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| Despite the legal trouble, the A's are still thought to be the team that will eventually sign Barry Bonds, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "There is no doubt in my mind that Oakland will sign Bonds," one major-league executive said Thursday at the winter meetings. "I'd be shocked if it didn't happen." Bonds has reportedly received interest in two other clubs, but it's unclear who they are. And if he does return, he'll likely wind up in the American League so he can DH on regular basis. |
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| Barry Bonds' arraignment is scheduled for Friday in San Francisco Federal court, but the slugger has made it clear he'd like to play in 2008, according to ESPN.com. "He's training currently and he'd like to come back in 2008 to put a World Series ring on his finger," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, told MLB.com. "Barry definitely wants to continue playing. So I'm actively pursuing jobs for him from teams that are committed to winning." Borris has stated that Bonds' legal situation will not conflict with the 2008 season, but it still seems like a longshot that a team would want to take on that kind of baggage. |
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| Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. The indictment culminates a four-year federal investigation into whether he lied under oath to a grand jury, according to the AP. "During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes," the indictment reads. We'll give you more details about Bonds' situation when more is known, but obviously this will affect how teams pursue the free agent outfielder. |
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| Barry Bonds played in his last game as a member of the Giants Wednesday. It was the team's final home game, and Bonds, who is nursing a toe injury, will not play this weekend against the Dodgers, according to the Mercury News. |
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| It's doubtful that Barry Bonds will be in the starting lineup on Monday, according to the Contra Costa Times. It's possible that Bonds, who hasn't played since Sept. 15 due to a sprained toe, could appear as a pinch-hitter, though. |
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| We'll have to wait until next week to see if Barry Bonds will return to action this season. He will not play on Sunday, according to the Contra Costa Times. Bonds, who will not be back with the Giants next season, is nursing a sprained toe. |
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| The Giants announced on Friday that they will not be bringing Barry Bonds back for the 2008 season, according to Sportsticker. "No one is more aware of what Barry has meant to the Giants and San Francisco than I am," owner Peter Magowan said in a statement. "He gave our ownership group instant credibility when we bought the team in 1993 and he helped transform the Giants into a consistent winner. For the first 11 years that he was here, the Giants had the third-best record in baseball, and Barry was a huge part of that success. Most importantly, Barry helped San Francisco become a baseball town again. I will forever be grateful for all of the success, excitement and memories that he created for our fans. However, all good things must come to an end, and now seems like the right time to move on." Although Bonds hasn't made any comments about where he'd like to play next year, it would be wise for him to move to the AL so he could DH on a regular basis. |
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| Barry Bonds (toe) could play two of the four games against the Reds and also in two of the final three games at home this season next week against San Diego, according to the AP. "It would be good for the fans," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I know Barry would love to get out there for his fans." |
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| Manager Bruce Bochy said he hopes Barry Bonds will play "a game or two" in the four-game series against the Reds that begins today. Bonds has not taken swings since spraining the big toe on his right foot Saturday, according to the Mercury News. |
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| Barry Bonds may have his sprained right big toe re-examined when the club goes home on Thursday, manager Bruce Bochy told the AP. "There's a chance, if he doesn't feel better when we get back, we may have to get it looked at," Bochy said. With the Giants long removed from playoff contention, use Bonds at your own risk. |
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| Barry Bonds could miss as much as a week of action due to the sprained right big toe he suffered on Saturday. "It swelled up quite a bit," manager Bruce Bochy said in the San Francisco Chronicle. "He jammed it pretty good." |
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| Barry Bonds left Saturday's game in the third inning because of a strained right big toe, the AP reports. Manager Bruce Bochy said X-rays were negative and that Bonds would likely be out two-to-three days.
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| Barry Bonds left Saturday's game in the third inning with a toe injury. We'll see what the club says after the game. |
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| Barry Bonds was not in the starting lineup Friday, but was scheduled to play Saturday, according to the AP. Manager Bruce Bochy said he wanted to use Thursday's travel day and Friday's game to give Bonds a two-day break. He wouldn't commit to any kind of schedule for his slugger for the remainder of the six-game road swing. "If he feels good, he's going to be out there," Bochy said. |
Our View: Now that his chase for the homer record is over, Bonds will get several days off in September with the Giants being out of the playoff race.
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| Barry Bonds is not expected to start either game of Monday's doubleheader. Manager Bruce Bochy said that Bonds' leg problems have "flared up a bit," according to the Contra Costa Times. That and a busy travel schedule has left the Giants playing it cautiously with Bonds, who could at least appear as a pinch-hitter Monday. |
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| Even though Barry Bonds finally broke Henry Aaron's home run record, manager Bruce Bochy plans to use Bonds in the same manner he has all season. "We'll keep going and stay with the same thing," Bochy told the AP. "He'll probably get day games off. He's still our go-to guy, our main clog. He's still the guy teams fear, and walk or pitch around. When we get to the end of the year, he'll probably play in more games than I anticipated. He's still got a lot of life in that bat." Bonds has 22 homers on the season and should be able to add on to that while playing most of the time through September. |
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| Barry Bonds became the new Home Run King on Tuesday, hammering his 756th home run off of Washington's Mike Bacsik in the fifth inning, according to the AP. "Thank you very much. I got to thank all of you, all the fans here in San Francisco. It's been fantastic," he said shortly after crossing home plate. The homer came on a 3-2 pitch and went over the right-center field wall. |
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| Barry Bonds, who blasted his 755th home run on Saturday, will not play on Saturday against the Padres, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He should be back in the lineup against the Nationals on Monday, when the Giants begin a 7-game homestand. |
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| Barry Bonds was held out of the lineup Wednesday after playing 13 innings the previous night, the AP reports. He'll likely be back in the lineup Thursday. |
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| Barry Bonds was out of the starting lineup for the series finale against the Brewers on Sunday, according to the AP. "He's fine. Just give him a day today," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Nothing more than that." Bochy did say that Bonds would be available to pinch-hit, if needed. |
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| Barry Bonds might play Sunday at Milwaukee after all, Bruce Bochy conceded after Saturday's game. Bonds is still at 753 homers after an 0-for-2 game Saturday, and the Giants would love to see him catch and pass Hank Aaron during the seven-game homestand that starts Monday. |
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| Barry Bonds made up for missing three games with sore legs and broke out of his worst batting slump in six years on Thursday. Bonds hit two home runs, numbers 752 and 753 for his career, leaving him just two jacks shy of tying Hank Aaron's record. The only real question now is whether he can break the record before or after his 43rd birthday on Tuesday. |
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| Barry Bonds was out of the starting lineup for the third consecutive day on Wednesday to rest his sore legs, according to the AP.
"The plan is to play tomorrow," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's just getting another day. I will use him off the bench. He's fine. He's feeling better. I think he's all set to go tomorrow barring all setbacks." Bonds is currently mired in an 0-for-21 slump. |
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| Barry Bonds was held out of the starting lineup Tuesday for a second straight night, as Bruce Bochy wanted him to rest his sore lower body, the AP reports. Bonds pinch-hit in the eighth inning and lined out to left, stretching his batting funk to 0-for-21. |
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| Barry Bonds was scratched from the starting lineup on Monday in order to rest his aching legs, according to the AP. Bonds, currently stuck in an 0-for-20 slump, hasn't homered since July 3. |
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| With the Giants in a stretch of playing 48 games in 48 days, manager Bruce Bochy said he'll have to monitor how much time he gives to Barry Bonds, the AP reports. Bonds played all 12 innings Saturday, going 0-for-5 with a walk. "He's going to need his days," Bochy said. "I don't know how many. It's a rough schedule. We're going to be in some hot weather. We'll see where he's at as we go deeper into this." |
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| Barry Bonds pinched a nerve in his hip while swinging during Thursday's series finale at Cincinnati, according to the AP. He had his back adjusted during the game to alleviate the problem and reported feeling "good" on Friday. Bonds could play all three games this weekend against the Cardinals before the All-Star break. |
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| Barry Bonds was back in the lineup on Thursday after sitting out the previous game with sore legs. He remains stuck at 751 home runs after going 1-for-4 in his return to the lineup. He could see his at-bats limited this weekend, but his sore legs don't appear to be anything serious at this point. |
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| Barry Bonds was held out of Wednesday's game due to sore legs, the AP reports. It's not clear if he'll be able to go for Thursday's series finale with the Reds. |
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| Barry Bonds was given a routine day off Wednesday, the AP reports. |
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| Barry Bonds will not start Wednesday's day game against the Brewers, even though the Giants have an off day Thursday, Bruce Bochy told the AP. |
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| The Giants plan to use Barry Bonds at DH all weekend at Boston. He was given Wednesday's game off, though he appeared as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and struck out.
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| Barry Bonds, who hit the 747th homer of his career on Monday - just his second homer since May 8 - is not expected to be in the starting lineup on Wednesday, according to the AP. Bonds frequently sits out a day game following a night game, so this doesn't have anything to do with the shin splints that bothered him last week. |
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| Barry Bonds returned to the starting lineup Thursday after missing the first two games of the series with shin splints, the AP reports. "I'm feeling a lot better," Bonds said before batting practice. He finished the night 2-for-5 with an RBI. |
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| Barry Bonds, who has missed the past two games with shin splints, has stated that he will not be going on the disabled list. "I'm not going on the DL. Don't count on me seeing the DL at all," Bonds told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Ever. Ever. Like I said, ever." He added: "Because I won't let myself. I'll work hard. I'll do what I have to do to make sure I don't go there ... unless I get hit by a truck. I'll play through it." Bonds expects to return to the starting lineup tonight. |
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| Barry Bonds was held out of the starting lineup for the second straight game Wednesday due to shin splints, the AP reports. He was able to pinch hit in the ninth, drawing a walk. |
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| The Giants played Tuesday's game without the services of Barry Bonds. He was held out of the game due to shin splints, according to the AP. "Barry's legs are really sore right now. He has shin splints in both shins," said manager Bruce Bochy, who didn't rule out that Bonds could pinch hit. "He needs a day. He's going to get a day. We'll see how he is tomorrow. ... I'm not overly concerned. Again, we're talking about a 42-year-old man. He's played a lot of baseball. We knew there were going to be times like this during the season." Bonds also is dealing with sore knees. At this point, consider him to be day-to-day. |
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| Barry Bonds will likely get Sunday off then return to the lineup Monday, according to the AP. |
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| Not surprisingly, manager Bruce Bochy said Barry Bonds will likely be the DH for the entire series against the A's this weekend, according to the Mercury News. That should give Mark Sweeney or Ryan Klesko a chance to start in left field. |
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| Barry Bonds will likely play all three games of the Houston series, Bruce Bochy told the AP. Bonds went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks Tuesday. "He feels great, he's in great shape," Bochy said. "That's allowed him to play much more this year." Bonds skipped Sunday's series finale in Colorado after playing the first three games; he's been in 33 of 37 games so far this year. |
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| Barry Bonds is scheduled to have a day off Sunday, the AP reports.
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| Barry Bonds took a scheduled day off Sunday, ultimately getting one at-bat as a pinch hitter. He walked in the plate appearance, the sixth time he received a free pass from the Diamondbacks in the series. |
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| Barry Bonds hit his eighth home run of the season on Saturday night - a two-run blast in the first inning of a loss to the Diamondbacks. He now has 742 round-trippers and is within 13 of the all-time record. |
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| Bruce Bochy won't commit to playing Barry Bonds in each game of the Los Angeles series, preferring to gauge the cleanup hitter's physical condition day-by-day, the Giants official site reports. Bonds started Tuesday's game, went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks, then got the last two innings off.
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| Giants manager Bruce Bochy moved Barry Bonds back into the cleanup spot Tuesday night in an attempt to jump-start the offense, according to the AP. Bonds had been batting in the No. 3 spot since the start of the season. Rich Aurilia batted third instead. |
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| Barry Bonds might rest Saturday, a day game following a night game, the Giants official site reports. |
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| Although Barry Bonds says he's feeling stronger this spring (he even stole a base Tuesday), he doesn't anticipate playing substantially more than the 130 games he got in last year, the Contra Costa Times reports. "I'm 42, not 22," Bonds said. "I'll get out there if my body allows me to get out there. If it doesn't, I'm not. That's just life." Bruce Bochy appears to be on the same page with Bonds, saying "I don't want to run him into the ground." |
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| Barry Bonds hit two home runs against Oakland in the spring finale Sunday, giving him a total of seven in all. Bonds hit .333 for the spring. |
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| Barry Bonds is expected to hit third for the Giants this year, with Ray Durham hitting cleanup, according to the Mercury News. The move is due to the fact that with Dave Roberts, the Giants have a legitimate leadoff hitter that they haven't had in awhile. "For me to hit third, I need somebody who wants to run," Bonds said. "Me and Dave have got to get out on the field together first, (but) there's a lot of open doors in that situation." |
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| Barry Bonds returned to camp on Monday after missing two days of workouts with the flu, according to the AP. Manager Bruce Bochy isn't sure if Bonds will play on Tuesday against the Angels. |
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| Barry Bonds missed workouts for the second straight day on Sunday due to the flu, according to the AP. He's not expected to play until at least Tuesday. |
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| Barry Bonds finally signed his $15.8 million, one-year deal with the Giants Thursday, the AP reports. The deal was also approved by the commissioner's office. |
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| The recently signed contract between Barry Bonds and the Giants hit a snag Wednesday because of controversial provisions, according to the Contra Costa Times. The club revised the contract a day after the commissioner's office rejected the $15.8 million, one-year deal because of a personal-appearance provision that violated the collective bargaining agreement, but Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, has said that the slugger wouldn't sign the new documents the Giants sent him Wednesday. Giants officials are still optimistic that the deal will get worked out. |
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| The Giants have the right to terminate Barry Bonds' new contract if the slugger is indicted, according to the AP. The provision protects the team in case Bonds is charged in the federal government's steroids investigation.
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| On Monday, the Giants and Barry Bonds finalized the one-year, $15.8 million contract the two sides initially agreed upon nearly two months ago, according to the Mercury News. "I'm just glad to be on the team, glad things worked out," Bonds said. Bonds will earn a base salary of $10 million this season, with the remaining $5.8 million deferred. He will have the opportunity to earn an additional $4.2 million in incentives, which means the deal could grow to an even $20 million. |
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| A lawyer on Barry Bonds' side of contract negotiations with the Giants has told the New York Times that they suspect the Giants could be looking for a way to get out of the contract that was agreed upon (but not yet signed) last month, according to the Mercury News. When an official on the Giants' side of negotiations was asked if the deal could fall through, he responded: "It's possible." The contract was reportedly $15.8 million for one year. |
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| The New York Daily News reports that Barry Bonds failed a test under Major League Baseball's amphetamine policy last season. He initially blamed it on teammate Mark Sweeney, saying he took a substance taken from Sweeney's locker. He didn't appeal the positive test and will now face an additional six drug tests over the next six months. A second failed test would result in a 25-game suspension. |
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| According to MLB.com, Barry Bonds and the Giants agreed to a one year, $16 million contract on Thursday. The 42-year old Bonds enters 2007 with 734 home runs, 21 behind the all-time record set by Henry Aaron. |
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| Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty has denied reports that the team was planning to meet with Barry Bonds, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A report on ESPN.com stated that the Cardinals may be interested in signing the slugger. |
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| The Giants are interested in bringing Barry Bonds back in 2007, despite other reports saying they don't want him back, according to the Arizona Republic. "I don't know where the story line came from that we didn't want him back," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said Monday at the winter meetings. "We've had a long-standing conversation and offer out there that we've adjusted a number of times. Because we were pursuing other players didn't mean we weren't interested in Barry. We're trying to put the best team on the field and sign other people also. I guess it was misconstrued the other way." |
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| The Red Sox have denied that they have interest in Barry Bonds, according to the Boston Globe. And for what it's worth, Bonds told the paper several years ago that he had no interest playing in Boston.
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| The San Francisco Chronicle cites a source that said Barry Bonds probably won't sign with the A's this offseason. A's GM Billy Beane has had discussions with Bonds' agent about possibly joining the team to replace Frank Thomas as their designated hitter. |
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| A's GM Billy Beane has had talks with the agent for Barry Bonds about possibly signing the slugger to a free agent contract, according to the AP. The A's want him to replace Frank Thomas, who left for Toronto, as their designated hitter. The Giants want him back, and the Padres reportedly have expressed interest, too. |
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| Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports reports that the Padres are interested in signing Barry Bonds. However, GM Kevin Towers would not confirm or deny the team's interest in the slugger. "I'm not going to comment on any of the free agents that we're in discussion with," he said. |
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| Barry Bonds has not been involved in any contract negotiations with the Giants, and he plans to file for free agency the first day he's eligible, according to the AP. "The only thing that would stop Barry from filing for free agency would be if a deal was in place from the Giants," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, said Friday in a phone interview. "Since there has been no dialogue up to this point, I have no reason to believe he would do anything but file for free agency." The AP speculates that Bonds may be interested in gauging the interest of the Dodgers and Angels. |
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| Barry Bonds underwent successful elbow surgery on Wednesday, according to the AP. "I feel great," Bonds said. "It's amazing, there really isn't any swelling. They took out a few little chips and one big one that could have locked up the elbow completely if it got caught in the joint." He will begin a two-week rehab period. |
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| Barry Bonds will make his last two appearances of the 2006 season on Friday and Saturday against the Dodgers. "Provided he's all right," Alou told the San Jose Mercury News. Bonds is expected to have arthroscopic surgery on his elbow after the season ends. |
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| Barry Bonds missed his second straight game Wednesday as he battles a sore left elbow, according to the AP. Bonds will undergo arthroscopic surgery soon after the season ends. |
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| Barry Bonds has stated that he plans to return in 2007, according to ESPN.com. "Barry's going to play in 2007," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris said. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders." Contract talks with the Giants could begin next week. Bonds is currently 21 home runs behind Hank Aaron. |
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| Barry Bonds plans to play sparingly in the season's final week and wasn't in the lineup against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, one day after the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention, according to the AP. "I'm done. My elbow hurts," Bonds said. "I will play in the L.A. series." He said he would likely also take Wednesday's day game off, then play Friday night in the series opener with the rival Dodgers and perhaps a few innings on Saturday. |
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| After the season wraps up for the Giants, Barry Bonds plans to have another surgery, according to the Contra Costa Times. This one would remove bone chips from his left elbow, and he should be healed in a few weeks. |
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| Barry Bonds is expected to sit out Sunday's game against the Cardinals, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. When asked if Bonds would play, Giants manager Felipe Alou said "definitely no." |
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| Barry Bonds is considering offseason surgery to have bone chips removed from his left elbow, particularly if he decides to continue playing in 2007, the San Jose Mercury News reports. "It depends on what my role is going to be, what I'm going to be doing," said Bonds, noting that the Giants' training staff has advised him to have surgery sooner rather than later if he plans on playing. |
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| Barry Bonds will probably sit out Saturday's game against the Reds, according to the AP. "He's pushing himself," manager Felipe Alou said of Bonds' and his playing time. |
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| On Sunday, Barry Bonds discussed the possibility of becoming a DH in the AL next year, according to the AP. "There's a big difference between the DH and standing out in left field every day," he said. "I can relax in the locker room between at bats; even lift weights if I wanted." This statement comes on the heels of a comment that he would like to finish his career with the Giants, so it's hard to determine exactly where Bonds' career is headed after this season. |
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| Barry Bonds made it clear on Sunday that he wants to finish his career with the Giants, according to the AP. "My choice is not to leave San Francisco," he said. "I'm going to wait though, do some things. I'll let you guys know, and I'm pretty sure (the Giants) will let you know, too." Bonds, who is hitting just .235 with 16 homers this year, is currently dealing with an ailing back. |
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| After the Giants fell behind by 10 runs last night, they pulled Barry Bonds from the lineup in the second inning, according to the LA Times. He probably will sit out of today's game to rest a sore back. "He had a little bit of a back problem," Giants Manager Felipe Alou said. "He did not look good in the first at-bat [Saturday]." |
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| Barry Bonds returned to the Giants lineup on Friday after missing Thursday's game with an irritated left elbow, according to the AP. Bonds said that his elbow was fine. |
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| Barry Bonds, who left Wednesday's game with an irritated left elbow, is expected to sit out on Thursday, according to the Giants website. However, Bonds could return to the lineup as soon as Friday. |
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| Barry Bonds was forced to leave Wednesday's game in the sixth inning due to an irritated left elbow, according to the AP. On the upside, he hit the 724th home run of his career in the second inning. |
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| Barry Bonds missed his second straight game Wednesday due to his swollen right knee, according to the AP. Giants manager Felipe Alou said he was optimistic that Bonds would be back in the mix after the Giants' day off Thursday. |
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| Barry Bonds was held out of the starting lineup Tuesday against the Nationals due to swelling in his right knee, according to the AP. "He came in and told me he'd rather not play," manager Felipe Alou said. "He's hurting. We'll see how he is tomorrow." Bonds is hitting just .200 over his last 40 at-bats. |
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| Barry Bonds was out of the starting lineup on Thursday after mildly straining his hamstring in the ninth inning of Wednesday's game, according to the AP. The move is precautionary, and Bonds is expected to play on Friday. |
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| Barry Bonds was forced to leave Wednesday's game in the ninth inning due to a hamstring strain, according to the AP. Manager Felipe Alou said Bonds wanted to stay in, but, "We took him out as a precaution. I don't think he'll play (Thursday), either way." Bonds was replaced in left field in the bottom of the ninth by Mark Sweeney. |
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| Federal prosecutors obtained the medical files of Barry Bonds as part of their investigation into whether he perjured himself when he said he never knowingly used steroids, according to the AP. The records are believed to include information about three operations Bonds had last season to treat his right knee, as well as a serious elbow injury that required surgery in 1999. |
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| Though Barry Bonds was not indicted on Thursday, he was not cleared of the charges either, according to the AP. Rather, the grand jury will continue to investigate. As a result, Bonds will not have to take a leave of absence to deal with legal problems and will be able to continue playing. |
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| In an effort to try to get his slugger hitting again, Giants manager Felipe Alou moved Barry Bonds back to the third spot in the batting order for the first time nearly three years on Saturday, according to the AP. The move didn't payoff, however, as Bonds went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. |
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