Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964 in Riverside, California) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds, the godson of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, the nephew of 1964 Olympian Rosie Bonds, and a distant cousin of Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.[1] He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007. Bonds filed for free agency following the 2007 World Series.[2]
Bonds currently holds the all-time Major League Baseball home run record with 762, and is also the all-time career leader in both walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688). He holds numerous other records, including the single-season Major League record for home runs (73), set in 2001, and a record seven Most Valuable Player awards.
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On September 21, 2007, the San Francisco Giants confirmed that they would not re-sign Bonds for the 2008 season.[91] The story was first announced on Bonds' own web site earlier that day.[92] There is much speculation about where Bonds might play in 2008 andpossibly beyond. Experts have suggested nearly a dozen teams aspossible destinations.[93][92]
Bonds stated that he would like to sign with the New York Yankees as a designated hitter, but that since the team currently has twodesignated hitters on the roster, it would be unlikely they would signhim.[94]
Most talk is of Bonds signing just for the 2008 season as he needsjust 65 hits to reach the 3,000 hit mark. There is little discussion ofthe 800th home run or other milestones as motivation for continuingbeyond 2008. In addition to the hits, Bonds needs 20 more runs scored to move past Ty Cobb for second place, and 69 to pass Rickey Henderson to be the all-time runs champion; and 38 extra base hits to move past Hank Aaron as the all-time extra base hits champion. Bonds continues to talk of his quest for a World Series championship as motivation for returning in 2008.[91]
He filed for free agency status on October 29, 2007.[95]