Miami Marlins Hire Barry Bonds as a Hitting Coach

The Miami Marlins have hired Barry Bonds as their hitting coach. CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman first reported on Monday that the Marlins were interested in Bonds, 51.

The Marlins have been reworking their coaching staff under new manager Don Mattingly, who parted ways with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason. In order to make room for Bonds, the Marlins demoted hitting coach Frank Menechino to the position of assistant hitting coach.

This is the first time that Bonds has been hired for a full-time position since his retirement from Major League Baseball in 2007. Over the years, he has worked with the San Francisco Giants during spring training.

An executive from a rival team had commented before the hiring was announced, "While the idea of Bonds being a Major League hitting coach is intriguing, it sounds like people need to be reminded that job description entails the ability to build and maintain relationships. And the willingness to do it every day! Not just when you're in a decent mood or feeling good. I wish him good luck when he finds out that being a big league hitting coach is hard work and requires patience, focus and a willingness to make it about everyone but yourself."

Throughout his career, Bonds hit .298/.444/.607 and amassed 2,935 hits and 762 home runs. Bonds' 73 home runs during the 2001 season is the MLB record for a single season. He was also a seven-time National League MVP.

Despite his impressive statistics and resume, Bonds is also known for using illegal performance-enhancing drugs toward the end of his baseball career. During his testimony in relation to the investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, Bonds claimed that he did not know that the substances he took were illegal. Since the revelation, Bonds has been denied entry into the Hall of Fame.

"I know the game of baseball," Bonds had said to USA TODAY Sports earlier this year. "I know hitting. And I know it better than anybody.''

Giancarlo Stanton is happy to have Bonds on the coaching staff.

The power hitter said to TMZ Sports according to Larry Brown, "It's all about the bottom line. Controversies aside, the man was a genius. For that knowledge to watch us play every day and give us back that knowledge is what we need."

Mattingly also announced the return of four coaches and the hiring of four new ones.