Bonds, Giants finalize $15.8M deal

Outfielder Barry Bonds finalized a one-year, $15.8-million US contract with the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

The deal includes an additional $4.2 million US in performance bonuses.

Bonds, 42, originally agreed to the pact on Dec. 7, but first had to pass a physical to finalize it, which he did Monday at AT&T Park.

"I was on a skiing vacation," Bonds said, laughing.

Both parties also wanted to clarify the contract's language should Bonds be indicted by a grand jury investigating whether he committed perjury in 2003.

Bonds testified during the BALCO steroid distribution case that he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

But the New York Daily News reported Jan. 10 that Bonds did fail an amphetamines test in 2006.

"I'm very excited and very happy we got it all done," Bonds said. "I'm just glad to be on the team and glad things worked out.

"I think we should be talking about team. We have got a good team that's got a chance to do something."

Bonds was paid $22 million US last season in the final year of a five-year, $90-million US deal he signed Jan. 14, 2002.

The controversial slugger overcame elbow problems and sore knees to hit .270 with 26 home runs, 77 runs batted in and 74 runs scored in 130 games.

Along the way, he moved past Babe Ruth into second place on the all-time homer list with 734 and to within 21 of Hank Aaron's major-league record of 755.

Bonds clubbed 73 homers in 2001 to eclipse Mark McGwire's single-season high of 70 set in 1998.

"Barry provides us with a proven, middle-of-the-order, run-producing bat," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said. "With his presence in our lineup and a one-year contractual commitment, we were able to avoid the temptation to trade away some of our valuable young pitching talent and were able to free up long-range funds to acquire a front-line pitcher [Barry Zito]."

Prolific slugger

Bonds is the most prolific slugger of this generation with a .299 batting average, 1,930 runs batted in and 2,152 runs scored in 2,860 games over 21 MLB seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Giants.

He's also stolen 509 bases and tops all major-leaguers with 2,426 walks.

Bonds has earned an unprecedented seven National League Most Valuable Player Awards, 12 Silver Slugger Awards, and eight Gold Glove Awards.

Yet all of his accomplishments are shrouded in a cloud of suspicion because Bonds is suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.

But Bonds remains a fan favourite in San Francisco, which is hosting the 2007 MLB all-star game and banking on him generating plenty of interest as he takes aim at Aaron's record.

"This is where I always wanted to play and always loved to play," Bonds said. "The city of San Francisco is what I love, the people of San Francisco are who I love.

"There's no better place for me to be. This is my history."