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, is 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 website, 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. It's an unfortunate ending to a storied career."
Bonds hasn't technically retired, and has said he won't, making it possible a team could still hire him.
The 45-year-old slugger last played in 2007, when he led the National League in on-base percentage (.480), walks (132) and intentional walks (43).
Bonds hit .276 with 28 homers and 66 RBIs, but didn't get any job offers for 2008 while under an indictment accusing him of lying to a federal grand jury about never knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonds' 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," he said.
In 23 seasons, Bonds had 762 homers. He passed Hank Aaron's cherished record of 755 homers on August 7, 2007. Bonds also set a single-season homer record with 73 in 2001
Copyright 2009  AFP Global Edition
