Bonds loses collusion case against MLB

NEW YORK - An arbitrator has ruled against home run king Barry Bonds in a collusion case stemming from his final season in the majors.

Major League Baseball was informed this week that arbitrator Frederic Horowitz had ruled in its favor. The decision was first reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Bonds sought compensation by arguing to Horowitz that there was a concerted effort to keep him out of the sport following the 2007 season, when he hit 28 homers in 126 games with a MLB-leading .480 on-base percentage for the San Francisco Giants. The seven-time MVP never played another game.

From Heyman:

Bonds has long believed there was a concerted effort to keep him out of the game by baseball's powers. He waited to proceed with his case until his legal issues related to BALCO were resolved, and in April a US Court of Appeals reversed his 2011 felony conviction for obstruction of justice related to grand jury testimony in 2003, completely clearing him in that case.

The career home runs leader with 762, Bonds turned 43 during his last season. He later offered to play for the minimum major league salary but got no offers.

Bonds has worked as a guest instructor for the Giants in spring training since his playing days ended.

A month ago, after a steroids pursuit that lasted nearly a decade, federal prosecutors dropped what remained of their criminal case against Bonds.

Bonds, his agent Jeff Borris, and MLB representatives all declined to comment to CBS Sports.

- with files from theScore