By: Barry Bonds says he plans to retire after this season, even if he doesn?t break Hank Aaron?s home run record.
The San Francisco Giants star was limited to 14 games last year following three knee operations. He has 708 homers, trailing only Babe Ruth (714) and Aaron (755).
?I?m not playing baseball anymore after this,? Bonds was quoted by USA Today in a story posted on its Web site Sunday.
However, the Web site for Major League Baseball, mlb.com, reported Sunday 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.
"I'll play this year and I'm not sure about 2007," Bonds said.
But Bonds told USA Today: "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 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.
He will be 42 on July 24.
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