Marlins Hire Bonds As Hitting Coach
The Miami Marlins announced on Friday that the team's new hitting coach will be former Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds.
The hiring came just a few weeks after the Marlins brought in Don Mattingly to be the head coach for the upcoming season.
This will be the first time Bonds has been on a coaching staff since his career ended in 2007. Baseball's career home run leader has spent the past few seasons helping the San Francisco Giants' hitters during spring training.
During his 22 year career, Bonds hit for a .298 average and 762 home runs.
His career numbers have been in doubt with the suspicion that the slugger took steroids in the late 90s and early 2000s.
Bonds has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 2012, but is yet to be voted in.
Bonds now joins Mark McGwire as the most notable steroid era hitters to become hitting coaches. McGwire, now with the San Diego Padres, has also been the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals.