Bonds' career and Hall of Fame chances seen over

By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Baseball writers called Barry Bonds a cheater and a liar who might never hit another professional home run nor enter the Hall of Fame if he is convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice.

A San Francisco grand jury indicted Major League Baseball's all-time home run leader on Thursday, accusing him of lying under oath about using steroids, further rattling a sport that has yet to come to terms with past use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds, 43, has repeatedly denied using steroids and his lawyer promised a vigorous defense, but columnists have cited Bonds' late career power surge and increasing bulk as circumstantial evidence against him.

"This day never had to come for Barry Bonds. He could have avoided yesterday's indictment by parceling out just enough truth to satisfy a grand jury," columnist George Vecsey wrote in Friday's The New York Times.

"Americans love a good confession. But the truth is not in Barry Bonds," Vecsey wrote.

The New York Post headline read "LIAR" and the Daily News called Bonds the "Lyin' King."

After years of watching players bulk up while hitting more and more home runs, Major League Baseball began testing for steroid use in 2003.

Bonds passed Henry Aaron's career home run record of 755 this year and ended the season with 762, then became a free agent when his contract with the San Francisco Giants expired.