Why Bonds isn't playing

Leyland on Bonds: There was no Jim Leyland-Barry Bonds reunion.

"I was hoping to see him out here, but someone said he was down watching Tiger (Woods at the U.S. Open)," said Leyland, Detroit's manager who managed Bonds in Pittsburgh.

Leyland wouldn't guess whether Bonds' career is over.

"I knew he wasn't coming back here," he said of San Francisco. "People said he'd be a natural to play (for the Tigers). I would've been interested, but we had Gary Sheffield (as a DH). All I know is, he could still hit."

Sheffield, sidelined since May 27 with a strained oblique, was to begin his rehab assignment Monday and could return in a week.

c'mon we're DONE with making any more BAD contract moves!

I'd rather have Barry than Sheffield

Barry is left-handed and lead the NL in OPS last year. Gary is right-handed and can't slug his weight.

WE WANT BONDS!

Players' association says teams acted in concert to not sign Bonds

NEW YORK -- The baseball players' union says it has found evidence teams acted in concert against signing Barry Bonds but it reached an agreement with the commissioner's office to delay the filing of any grievance.

The union expressed concern in May about the lack of offers to the home run king. Filing a grievance would trigger proceedings before arbitrator Shyam Das.

Union general counsel Michael Weiner confirmed the deal with Major League Baseball, which was first reported by murraychass.com.

"There were numerous things that occurred that made me believe that the clubs were acting in concert," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, said Thursday. "When I testify as a witness in the case, I will delineate each and every one of them."

Bonds was indicted last Nov. 15 on charges related to 2003 grand jury testimony during which he denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. No team signed Bonds when he became a free agent after the 2007 season.

"We have the agreement about the timing of a potential grievance," Weiner said. "Our investigation revealed a violation of the Basic Agreement. It's a violation of the Basic Agreement related to Barry Bonds and free agency."

Weiner said the section that had been violated was Article XX (e) of the collective bargaining agreement, which states, in part: "Players shall not act in concert with other players and clubs shall not act in concert with other clubs." Weiner would not say how long the agreement runs to allow the union to file a grievance.

Baseball attorneys repeatedly have denied that teams acted in concert against Bonds. Management lawyer Dan Halem said Thursday that MLB would have no additional comment.

Bonds pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of making false declarations to a federal grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice, and his trial is scheduled to start March 2. Any grievance is likely to follow the trial.

"The timing of the filing of the case is between the players' union and the commissioner's office," Borris said.

After spending a lot of time during the first half of 2008 trying to get Bonds signed, Borris has stopped his efforts.

"I am convinced based on MLB's actions in 2008 that they will never let him wear a major league uniform ever again," he said.

The players' association won three collusion grievances in which owners were found to have conspired against free agents following the 1985, 1986 and 1987 seasons. Management agreed in 1990 to settle those cases for $280 million and also agreed to a provision that future collusion would be subject to triple damages.

Like Bonds needs money


He made millions


Too bad if he gonna spend it all on Lawyers

Like OJ Simpson Did!

Bonds got indicted for steroids by the Government

No team is gonna sign Bonds to a contract; especially a multi year contract.

Bonds has hip surgery
Outfielder says he still wants to play

(12-31) 21:26 PST -- Barry Bonds said he still wants to play baseball. But if he gets back on the field, he first must recover from hip surgery.

Seven hundred and sixty-two times Bonds rotated his hips, he hit home runs - a record that's widely considered the most recognized in sports. He had no significant hip issues during his career with the Giants, but The Chronicle learned he underwent a recent procedure that could delay his comeback.

If he does come back.

A source familiar with the operation said it was conducted by Dr. Arthur Ting and that Bonds won't be 100 percent before spring training but that he could be recovered by Opening Day.

Both Ting and Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, refused to comment. The source said Bonds underwent the surgery, which wasn't considered major, with the intent of playing in 2009.

Bonds hasn't played since Sept. 26, 2007, and hasn't hit a home run since Sept. 6, 2007. Despite the fact he sat out 2008 and is 44 years old, Bonds recently reiterated that he still wants to play, telling the celebrity site TMZ.com, "I'm not retiring. No, not at all. I'm not retiring."

The particulars of Bonds' surgery weren't known.

Boston third baseman Mike Lowell had arthroscopic hip surgery Oct. 20, one day after the Red Sox were eliminated from the playoffs, to repair his hip labrum. He's expected to need three to four months to recover.

For arthritic hips, procedures are done to alleviate pain by smoothing the bone surface.

Even if Bonds signs with a team, which is considered a long shot even as a designated hitter in the American League, he is due in court in the middle of spring training.

He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court on March 2 on charges of lying under oath when saying he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs and obstruction of justice in connection with his 2003 testimony before the grand jury investigating his ties to BALCO.

Bonds needs 38 home runs to reach 800, 65 hits to reach 3,000 and four RBIs to reach 2,000. He's 69 runs scored from breaking Rickey Henderson's record and 38 extra-base hits from breaking Hank Aaron's.

So close to 3000 hits

catbox_9 wrote:

So close to 3000 hits

But so far from playing in MLB again

Barry Bonds: “I just haven’t retired”

Barry Bonds is here at AT&T Park to watch a rivalry game with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was in town attending a charity function with the Dalai Lama (more on that later) and decided to attend the game. They introduced him to a standing ovation just prior to the second inning.

A camera crew and three beat writers caught up with Bonds outside the Giants clubhouse, where he spent time visiting with Willie Mays and Willie McCovey. Bonds reiterated that he hasn’t retired, but told the camera guy that he had to go because he “didn’t want to be in the spotlight again.”

Bonds was in very good spirits, joked and laughed a lot, and even said he was glad to see the beat writers. That’s a first.

Here’s the back-and-forth:

Q: Did you speak to the team?
A: I was just saying hello to the guys. I saw Willie and Mac, and (clubhouse manager Mike) Murphy was important. We go back a long ways.

Q: What are you up to?
A: I’m enjoying myself.

Q: Working out?
A: A little bit.

Q: Still thinking of playing? What’s your status?
A: I just haven’t retired. That’s the only status I have. The only interest I have is to go to my seats and watch the Giants beat the Dodgers.

Q: No interest in getting back to the field?
A: I am. I’m going right over here to Section whatever and I’ll be sitting in my seats.
I’m going to work my way over to those seats and enjoy the game.

Q: Are you enjoying being out of the spotlight?
A: I’m not. That light is killing me. You guys just brought it back. I was doing good.

Q: We heard you had hip surgery.
A: No I did not have hip surgery. I popped my quad. It wasn’t hip surgery.

Q: How are you feeling?
A: I feel good. (Bounces up and down.) I’m walking and off crutches and I’m not in a wheelchair right now.

Q: Glad to be back?
A: Yeah, I like it here. It’s always good coming home.

Q: Will we see you often?
A: As often as Larry (club president Larry Baer) and them want me to come back. I don’t want to miss that first pitch. That’s important.

Q: Your agent says it’s clear nobody will sign you.
A: Me and my agent, the only thing we talk about is when we’re going to meet for lunch. I’m enjoying myself and now I want to enjoy a baseball game.

Q: Why is it important for you to say you’re not retired?
A: Important? No, that’s not important. It’s important to see you again and it’s important to turn that light off because I don’t want to be in the spotlight again. It’s good to see you guys, gotta go.

Bonds was in town as a guest of Christopher Laub, a young boy he befriended several years ago. Christopher, who has battled cancer, was one of 49 recipients of the Unsung Heroes of Compassion award that the Dalai Lama bestowed on people from 13 different countries Sunday.

Bonds should just give it up