Barry Bonds, who leads Major League Baseball as its all time home-run hitter, is stepping up to the plate in a new way with the team that made him famous.
The 52-year-old retired slugger will rejoin the San Francisco Giants as special advisor to the CEO Larry Baer. The team said in a press release that Bonds will represent the team at community events, and attend its Spring training camp in Scottsdale, Ariz. He’ll also work with players in the Giants’ minor league teams.
Welcome back, Barry!#ForeverGiant | #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/inJEm618ax
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) March 21, 2017
“San Francisco has always been my home and the Giants will always be my family,” Bonds said in a statement. “I look forward to spending time with the team, young players in the system as well as the Bay Area community.”
Bonds, who was National League MVP seven times, was not re-signed with the Giants after the 2007 season — the year he broke Hank Aaron’s all-time home-run record. He served as hitting coach last season for the Miami Marlins, but he was dropped from the coaching staff after the team failed to reach the postseason.
His career was not without controversy, however. He was indicted in the BALCO performance-enhancing drug scandal in 2007, but two counts of perjury resulted in a mistrial and a conviction on obstruction of justice was thrown out during a later appeal, according to USA Today.
“As one of the greatest players of all-time, Barry’s contributions to our organization are legendary. He joins Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda and other distinguished alumni who help advise the club and we look forward to working with him again.”
The Giants finished the 2016 season 87-75 in second place in the National League West, four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
