SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Barry Bonds was back on the field yesterday and back under the microscope.
The controversial Giants slugger laid low after allegations about his steroid use surfaced this week in a new book. Bonds emerged yesterday to play his first spring training game and field some questions.
Bonds talked with reporters at Scottsdale Stadium after two at-bats against the Angels 10 miles away in Tempe. He answered baseball questions, but refused to answer anything about the book, “Game of Shadows.” When asked if the latest revelations have affected his mindset, Bonds joked they haven’t caused him to commit homicide.
“I haven’t shot anyone yet,” Bonds said. “So that’s pretty good. I haven’t killed anybody yet or gone psycho.”
Whenever a reporter asked anything about the allegations that surfaced this week, Bonds responded, “Do you want to talk about baseball or not talk at all?” or something similar.
The 41-year-old outfielder saw his first action of the spring yesterday, going 1-for-2 with a strikeout in a 6-5 Giants loss to the Angels. Bonds left the stadium after his at-bat in the third inning, returning to Scottsdale. After saying earlier in the day he would not talk to reporters, Bonds agreed to discuss baseball back at the Giants’ spring training home.
Bonds enters the season with 708 home runs, six behind Babe Ruth and 47 behind Hank Aaron on the all-time list. He said the home run record is not on his mind.
“I ain’t playing for a record,” Bonds said. “You go out there and think about that stuff you’re going to have a bad year. I’m going to out there and try to win the World Series and play my ass off and then let everything else take care of itself. If I’m playing up to my ability, it doesn’t matter. Whatever’s going to fall is going to fall.”
One milestone that does seem to mean something to Bonds is 3,000 hits. He has 2,742 hits entering the season.
“That 3,000 is nice,” Bonds said. “That’s something I’d like to do pretty much more than anything else.”
Bonds returned to the Giants yesterday, a day after leaving the team to attend a custody hearing in Los Angeles. He arrived at the ballpark at 7:43 a.m., waved to a small gathering of autograph seekers and ducked into the clubhouse.
Members of his entourage shooed away reporters and a Giants public relations staff member stood in front of his locker. As the other Giants warmed up on the field, Bonds stood to the side talking with coaches and getting a hug from manager Felipe Alou. Bonds was not in the original lineup posted by Alou, but was put in the cleanup spot after Bonds let Alou know he was ready to play.
Bonds took batting practice, sitting on a stool between turns in the batting cage to rest his achy knees, which cost him most of last season.
He chatted with Ken Griffey Jr., who was at the stadium to practice with Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. Later in the morning, Bonds’ son, Nikolai, joined his father on the field.
Willie Mays, Bonds’ godfather, spoke with the slugger and Griffey in the clubhouse after the batting practice session. Mays joked that Griffey and his U.S. teammates should not be hogging the Giants’ facility. Bonds then said, “I’m glad you said that. They’d say I was jealous,” in a reference to the new book which alleges that Bonds began using steroids because he was envious of Mark McGwire.
Mays said he has not read the excerpts from the book and did not want to get involved. He did say he thought Bonds would weather the storm like he usually does.
“He’ll be all right,” Mays said. “He’s been through this before.”
Angels right-hander Hector Carrasco struck Bonds out on six pitches in the first inning. The boos outnumbered the cheers from 5,831 fans at Tempe Diablo Stadium when Bonds came to the plate. They gave a roar when Bonds whiffed. He singled to right in his second at-bat.
