All over for Bonds?
Even if Barry Bonds avoids jail time, his indictment essentially slams the door on his baseball career, club executives and agents said Thursday.
“He’s done,” said one player agent who asked to be unnamed. “There’s no chance whatsoever that he plays again.”
“This smashes his legacy,” said ESPN analyst and former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips. “I don’t think this is anything he ever recovers from. He will be the poster boy for the steroid era in baseball.”
Even if Bonds reiterates a desire to play next season, Major League Baseball could intervene by suspending him. Commissioner Bud Selig, who was a dispassionate observer on the night Bonds tied Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record in August, issued a statement in which he left open the possibility of discipline.
“I have yet to see the details of this indictment and while everyone in America is considered innocent until proven guilty, I take this indictment very seriously and will follow its progress closely,” Selig said. “It is important that the facts regarding steroid use in baseball be known, which is why I asked Senator (George) Mitchell to investigate the issue.
“I look forward to receiving his report and findings so that we can openly address any issue associated with past steroid use.”
It’s possible Selig might use the indictment in tandem with Mitchell’s report as license to eradicate Bonds’ statistics from the record book, including his 762 home runs.
Giants outfielder Dave Roberts said he would be saddened if Selig acted to erase Bonds’ accomplishments.
“I’m just a player, but in my opinion it would be very unfortunate,” Roberts said. “The justice system has already intervened and will do what’s right. Due process needs to take place.”
Roberts said the indictment wouldn’t change his view of Bonds or his accomplishments.
“We in the game realize how hard it is to accomplish what he did, regardless of what people feel he did in the past,” Roberts said. “It doesn’t change my opinion. He’s a great player and accomplished a lot in his career. It’s just unfortunate this will be dragged out further.”
Roberts said he hoped teams won’t blackball Bonds in the wake of the indictment.
The market for Bonds figured to be limited even before the indictment. Many baseball officials, including a few with the Giants, figured there was a good chance he would not find a team and salary to his liking.
Several clubs thought to be a destination for Bonds – including Seattle, Detroit, Texas and St. Louis – already stated publicly that Bonds was not in their plans.
“We’ve been in a ton of discussions with clubs,” said an agent who represents another free-agent outfielder. “He wasn’t even on the radar with any club.”
Bonds concluded his 15-year era in a Giants uniform in September, playing in the club’s final home game. A week earlier, managing partner Peter Magowan informed Bonds that the club would not bend to his wishes for another one-year contract – a decision that appears especially prescient now.