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Bonds to play final home for Giants

Sep 26, 2007 - 1:40 PM San Diego (86-71) at San Francisco (70-88) ,10:15 pm EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - Barry Bonds and his Bay Area fans who supported the much-maligned and surly superstar through thick and thin, will say their final goodbyes when the San Francisco Giants play their 2007 home finale against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park on Wednesday.

Giants manager Brice Bochy said after Tuesday's loss to the Padres that Bonds, who has missed the last 10 games with a toe injury, will play in the home finale, just one week after the rebuilding club informed the Home Run King that they would not pursue the free agent for the 2008 season.

"I think everybody is still stunned because you see this guy hit for so many years and he really is the face of this franchise for so many years," Giants infielder Rich Aurilia said. "He really improved the status of this franchise and now he's going to be gone.

"But he understands that it's a business decision and we understand it's a business decision and hopefully he can move on, and if he still wants to play and we know he can still hit, god bless him I hope he does well."

Bonds has hit 586 of his 762 home runs as a member of the Giants and many of them have set off furious canoe races in McCovey's Cove over the right field fence.

However, Wednesday will be the last chance for those fans to retrieve a souvenir.

"I was a little surprised it happened when it did," Giants outfielder Randy Winn said. "The organization said it will go in a different direction using the younger players so I guess it's not entirely surprising.

"I've been here two full seasons, one when he was going for 715 and this one going for 755. As far as I know I'm not near either of those records so we'll probably see fewer players (like him). He can still hit home runs and he has a tremendous on-base percentage. That alone is unbelievable."

While the focus will be on Bonds, the Padres are the ones who have something to play for. They are one game in front of Colorado (85-72) and Philadelphia in the National League wild card race.

Brian Giles launced a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the Padres to a 6-4 win. With momentum, the Padres send ace Jake Peavy (18-6, 2.36 ERA) to the mound. A leading candidate to capture the NL Cy Young Award, Peavy could be making his final start of the regular season.

Peavy leads the majors in ERA and strikeouts with 233 and is first in the NL with 18 wins.

Peavy will be opposed by Giants starter Pat Misch (0-3, 2.75), who surrendered two runs and seven hits over five innings during his last start against the Padres on August 4. The 26-year-old lefthander did not factor into the decision, as the Giants suffered a 3-2 setback.