All Time Home Run Champion Barry Bonds has told the media that he hopes to rejoin his old team, The San Francisco Giants in some capacity. Team President Larry Baer also admitted that he had spoken to Bonds about a possible role he could fulfill within the organization.
Baer was quick to point out that all they have had were discussions and that nothing was actually imminent.
Baer said to the San Francisco Chronicle,
“He approached us about doing something in an official capacity in the organization. We had a cordial conversation. Right now, there are no plans.”
The Chronicle says that Bonds is interested in being an instructor ad possibly with helping the team make improvements during Spring Training.
There is reportedly some controversy over a reported 10 year personal services clause in his contract which pays his personal charity, Bonds Family Foundation, $100,000 annually but the San Francisco Chronicle noted the team’s ownership will have the final call on his personal services clause because of “the magnitude of the hire and person.”
Bonds was a seven-time NL MVP, eight-time Gold Glove winner and 14-time All-Star. He played 15 of his 22 major league seasons with the Giants. Bonds last played in the majors in 2007 with the Giants, hitting .276 with 28 homers, 66 RBIs and an NL-best .480 on-base percentage. It was during the final season of his career that he hit home run number 762 which made his the all time leader in the history books.
Bonds is better known for the scandals that he was involved in that ended his career. Bonds has been accused of using anabolic steroids during most of his stint with the Giants. In December, he was sentenced to two years of probation, 250 hours of community service and 30 days of home confinement for misleading grand jurors in the BALCO steroid trial.