Barry Bonds, whose links to the BALCO steroid scandal made him a lightning rod for controversy as he marched to baseball’s home run record, has finished playing, his agent told the San Francisco Chronicle.
In a story from Major League Baseball’s winter meetings in Indianapolis, posted on the Chronicle’s Web site, agent Jeff Borris told the newspaper that it was clear Bonds wouldn’t play again.
“It’s two years since he played his last game, and if there was any chance he’d be back in a major-league uniform, it would have happened by now,” Borris said. “When 2008 came around, I couldn’t get him a job. When 2009 came around, I couldn’t get him a job. Now, 2010 ... I’d say it’s nearly impossible.”
Bonds hasn’t technically retired, and has said he won’t, making it possible a team could still hire him. Bonds has been accused of lying to a federal grand jury about never knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. His trial on those perjury charges is still pending.
Borris told the Chronicle he believed Bonds could still be among the game’s top hitters.
“But Major League Baseball will never give him that chance,” Borris said.
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