Report: Bonds retiring after 2006

[nitetrain8601]

He's a great player without them in my mind. I don't know if he did or didn't and I personally don't care because he never played for the White Sox.

[SSH2005]

More comments from Bonds:

 

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11450068/

"I can't even tell how you may pain pills I am on or how many sleeping pills I'm taking," Bonds told USA Today. "I don't have a choice. I can't even run that much anymore. How can I run? I don't have any cartilage in that knee. I'm bone on bone.

 

"But I can still hit. I can rake. I can hit a baseball."

 

"I love the game of baseball itself, but I don't like what it's turned out to be. I'm not mad at anybody. It's just that right now I am not proud to be a baseball player."

 

"I'm clean, I've always been clean," Bonds told USA Today. "But it never ends. It seems like every reporter from last season to this season has reported and opened up a new can of (expletive). And I haven't even been to spring training. At least let me get to spring training and (expletive) up before you crucify me.

 

"Thank you for all of your criticism. Thank you for dogging me. The latest thing is that ESPN says that Barry is still big. They say I didn't lose weight. Well, you know what? I am still big. I'm fat (6-2, 230 pounds). I can't do much. I can't train like I used to. So the weight stays. I'm just not a skinny person, dude, I'm not. I never will be.

[whitesoxfan101]

I hope the f***ing chemistry product gets hurt and doesn't even pass Ruth, he doesn't deserve it. I think the real reason he's doing this though is to pass the "evil white legend" Babe Ruth, and finish 2nd all time to Hank Aaron, so hey doesn't have to hear about being the chemistry product with the record, but he'll still be ahead of Ruth.

[Milkman delivers]

If you say that you believe Bonds didn't take steroids, you're probably lying.

Edited February 19, 2006 by Milkman delivers

[whitesoxfan101]

If you say Bonds didn't take steroids, you're probably lying.

 

And your definitely naive.

[YASNY]

I hope he can't play in '06. He's a piece of s*** as far as I'm concerned.

[whitesoxfan101]

I hope he can't play in '06.  He's a piece of s*** as far as I'm concerned.

 

I wish I could have enough class to only say that much about him. Must suck to be a mod at times like this.

[SSH2005]

I hope he can't play in '06.  He's a piece of s*** as far as I'm concerned.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[YASNY]

I wish I could have enough class to only say that much about him.  Must suck to be a mod at times like this. 

 

Sometimes, a few words are all that are necessary.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I think Bonds would've been a great player regardless. He was a multiple MVP award winner long before anybody thought about steroids. Steroids don't give you the sick plate discipline/eye he has. But, yeah, his overall career will always have a ? over it.

[aboz56]

Here are some of my favorite Bonds moments:

 

"I'm tired of my kids crying. You wanted me to jump off a bridge, I finally did. You finally brought me and my family down. ... So now go pick a different person. ” — Barry Bonds on March 23, 2005

 

On Crutches

 

With another fraud, Gretzky

 

Doing one of his favorite things to do, lie to the media about his steroid usage

[samclemens]

Barry's real comments:

jesus, thats an open admission of steroid use. if he ever gets into the hall of fame, i will seriously cry.

[SSH2005]

jesus, thats an open admission of steroid use. if he ever gets into the hall of fame, i will seriously cry.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Kalapse]

jesus, thats an open admission of steroid use. if he ever gets into the hall of fame, i will seriously cry.

You can't be serious.

[samclemens]

The quote wasn't real.  You make all these cute nicknames and fabricate all this stuff.  For example, that Timo story from a couple weeks back. 

 

It's hard to believe if you'd have an opinion on anything if Rotoworld didn't exist.

 

s***. disregard my post above this one. whos bright idea to fabricate a post? that was s***ty.

 

i hate bonds. if he breaks the record, damn will it be a shame.

[Flash Tizzle]

I'd like to see him hit one fewer than Babe Ruth's HR record, then have pitchers simply refuse to pitch him anything the remainder of the year. He'd cry racism, and we'd all have a good laugh.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Flash Tizzle

[samclemens]

I'd like to see him get one fewer than Babe Ruth's HR record, than have pitchers simply refuse to pitch him anything the remainder of the year. He'd cry racism, and we'd all have a good laugh.

 

that would be the awesomest thing ever

 

i hate you barry bonds

[Balta1701]

I think Bonds would've been a great player regardless.  He was a multiple MVP award winner long before anybody thought about steroids.  Steroids don't give you the sick plate discipline/eye he has.  But,  yeah,  his overall career will always have a ? over it.

You know, I'm even going to take some issue with that statement. It's never been backed up with the evidence of say, global warming or evolution by natural selection or something like that, but there are repeated reports out there that steroids may also have some significant effects on visual acuity. But, since they're quite illegal, and they have this habit of causing significant amounts of harm, no one's ever going to be able to perform a truly unbiased, double-blind study in a large population to see what each and every effect of each and every steroid is.

 

Hell, even if all they did was strengthen your wrists to the point that they could respond quicker, they'd have an effect on hand-eye coordination...your wrists could catch up faster.

[Kyyle23]

You know, I'm even going to take some issue with that statement.  It's never been backed up with the evidence of say, global warming or evolution by natural selection or something like that, but there are repeated reports out there that steroids may also have some significant effects on visual acuity. But, since they're quite illegal, and they have this habit of causing significant amounts of harm, no one's ever going to be able to perform a truly unbiased, double-blind study in a large population to see what each and every effect of each and every steroid is.

 

Hell, even if all they did was strengthen your wrists to the point that they could respond quicker, they'd have an effect on hand-eye coordination...your wrists could catch up faster.

 

I agree Balta. I dont believe that steroids can make a person who doesnt know how to hit suddenly learn to hit a homerun. But if some guy already has a perfect swing(ie. Bonds, Palmeiro) then you would think steroids would make hitting that much easier to them. Plus, Bonds knows the batting zone probably better than anyone not named Tony Gwynn. If the ball is in the zone, Bonds will most likely hit the thing, give Bonds a little more oomph in his swing, and you have a shot to McCovey Cove.

[3E8]

jesus, thats an open admission of steroid use. if he ever gets into the hall of fame, i will seriously cry.

laff

[SSH2005]

BOOO...

 

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/NASApp/...xt=.jsp&c_id=sf

Bonds clarifies retirement talk

Slugger says arthritic right knee will determine his future

 

Barry Bonds on Sunday qualified a story that appeared on USA Today's Web site that he intends to retire after the 2006 season whether or not he sets the all-time home run record.

 

"If I can play [in 2007], I'm going to play; if I can't I won't," Bonds told MLB.com in a telephone interview Sunday. "If my knee holds up, I'll keep on going. I'm playing psychological games with myself right now. I don't want to set myself up for disappointment if things don't work out this season. So I go back and forth. Back and forth every day. These are the things that are going through my mind. This is what I'm struggling with."

 

Bonds was quoted on USA Today's Web site Sunday as saying: "I'm not playing baseball anymore after this. The game [isn't] fun anymore. I'm tired of all of the [stuff] going on. I want to play this year out, hopefully win, and once the season is over, go home and be with my family. Maybe then everybody can just forget about me."

 

Bonds said he thought he was having a personal conversation with the USA Today reporter involved and was just trying to portray the state of his own mind on that particular day. He said he has been fitted with a knee brace to protect his thrice surgically repaired right knee and is beginning to feel secure as the Giants begin preparing for the 2006 season. Bonds heads into the season with 708 home runs, six behind Babe Ruth's 714 and 47 in arrears of Hank Aaron's all-time leading 755.

 

"The brace feels great, it's awesome," said Bonds, who will turn 42 on July 24. "Right now, I feel like I can play for another five years, another 10 years. It's given me a new lease on life. That's how I'm feeling today. I'm ready to get going."

 

Bonds said he expects to report to Giants camp this week in Scottsdale, Ariz., saying he had some personal business to attend to. Position players are supposed to report Monday and have their first full workouts Tuesday, but Bonds wasn't sure if he'd be in camp on time for that.

 

In various conversations during the past few weeks with MLB.com, Bonds said he is considering retirement, but needs to have those conversations later in the season with the people closest to him. Bonds has one year remaining on his multiyear deal with the Giants worth $18 million and can become a free agent after the season.

 

"All I can say is that I have a contract for this year, so as far as I know, I'm committed through this year," Bonds said. "If my knee doesn't hold up, then it's over. But if it does, I'll keep going. No one can predict what's going to happen. Even I can't speculate until I get out there. I'm going to be 42 years old. I've got to be realistic. Since I don't have a contract for next year, then this could be my last year."

 

Bonds underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee three times this past year and played in only 14 games, all in September, as the Giants made a late and unsuccessful run at the Padres for the National League West title.

 

Bonds told MLB.com weeks ago that the knee is his greatest concern about the future.

 

"I went to the Bahamas for a vacation and I was walking down the beach with my wife," he said. "I slipped in the sand and my knee swelled up for two days. That's the kind of thing I'm dealing with."

 

Bonds added that he had to change his rigorous training schedule this offseason, cutting down on his running and legwork. He said he spent another week in rehab earlier this month, but Giants general manager Brian Sabean noted last week that Bonds has been given full clearance by his physicians to play full time this season.

 

Though Bonds said near the end of this past season that he wanted to lose about 30 pounds to take pressure off his legs, in reality he said he'd lost only five pounds during the offseason.

 

"I'm a little leaner, but I can only do what I can do," he said.

 

Bonds missed the first five months of the 2005 season coping with the repeated surgeries and rehabilitation of his knee.

 

He rejoined the team at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 5 to resume batting practice and returned on Sept. 12 to hit five home runs in his first 36 at-bats. He finished 2005 with a .286 batting average (12-for-42), including a double, the five homers, eight runs scored, 10 runs batted in and nine walks, three of them intentional.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Feb 19, 2006 -> 09:03 PM)

I'd like to see him hit one fewer than Babe Ruth's HR record, then have pitchers simply refuse to pitch him anything the remainder of the year. He'd cry racism, and we'd all have a good laugh.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was thinking along those lines earlier, although I thought about mixing in some HBP's with those IBB's.

[Jordan4life_2007]

You know, I'm even going to take some issue with that statement.  It's never been backed up with the evidence of say, global warming or evolution by natural selection or something like that, but there are repeated reports out there that steroids may also have some significant effects on visual acuity.  But, since they're quite illegal, and they have this habit of causing significant amounts of harm, no one's ever going to be able to perform a truly unbiased, double-blind study in a large population to see what each and every effect of each and every steroid is.

 

Hell, even if all they did was strengthen your wrists to the point that they could respond quicker, they'd have an effect on hand-eye coordination...your wrists could catch up faster.

 

Honestly, I don't even know if I agree or disagree with you. But I'm not gonna take away his Pittsburgh days. I feel he was 100% legit at that time. Bonds always had a great eye. It's just from 00 on he had the incredible power to go with it. Of course, I doubt it was natural power.

[Balta1701]

Honestly,  I don't even know if I agree or disagree with you.  But I'm not gonna take away his Pittsburgh days.  I feel he was 100% legit at that time.  Bonds always had a great eye.  It's just from 00 on he had the incredible power to go with it.  Of course,  I doubt it was natural power.

I understand what you're saying, but I just can't convince myself that because we saw a transformation at a time when we know he was cheating, we know for a fact that beforehand he wasn't cheating. The same thing could have happened in 2000 from him switching steroids, and I just refuse to give an admitted cheater the benefit of the doubt when he says "Oh I wasn't cheating beforehand." If Pete Rose came out and said that he wasn't gambling on baseball before 1988 or something like that, would you believe him?