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After several years of physical ailments, slugger says he’s feeling fine.
Bonds
SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds sat down in the dugout to address the media swarm for opening day, then realized he’d forgotten his own tape recorder and ran back to the clubhouse to retrieve it.
“Can you all wait?” he said with a smile Tuesday before the San Francisco Giants hosted the San Diego Padres. “You all got some patience? I’ll be baaack!”
He needed the device in case he decided later to post anything from the interview on his Web site, www.barrybonds.com.
Bonds was light and breezy before the game on a glorious Bay Area day that perfectly matched the slugger’s mood. Bonds had a single, stolen base, walk, groundout and fly ball to the warning track during a 1-for-3 showing in the Giants’ 7-0 loss.
The 42-year-old star — cheered loudly during pregame introductions, when he waved and tipped his cap in every direction — begins the season with 734 homers and needing only 22 to pass Hammerin’ Hank’s career mark of 755. Bonds mentioned his kids and how they know about Aaron and what could happen, saying “Oh, yeah, my kids know.”
“I’m going to have fun this year,” Bonds said. “Enjoy each day — or try to at least.”
For Bonds, holding an impromptu news conference before an opener was quite a change. He insists that being healthy to start a season gave him more to talk about from the get go in 2007. He was limited to 14 games all in September during the 2005 season after three operations on his troublesome right knee — and even last year wasn’t at full strength to start the year.
“I wasn’t playing the year before,” Bonds said. “Last year I was still coming off injury. Not a lot to talk about aside from injuries. … I was hurt. It wasn’t fun, not the best of times. I thought I could do more.”
New Giants manager Bruce Bochy plans to communicate regularly with Bonds about when the slugger might need a day off to rest, but Bochy has said there will be times Bonds plays in day games following night games — not always Bonds’ practice in previous years when he was ailing.
Bonds appeared in 130 games in 2006 and isn’t ready to say whether he will be on the field more often this year.
“I don’t know if I have to,” he said. “Do I have to? Let the year dictate that. … I’m 42, not 22. I will get out there if my body allows me.”
Bochy has no plans to limit Bonds now, especially considering the way the seven-time NL MVP was running the bases and chasing down balls in left field all spring without problems. He had a productive winter of workouts at UCLA.
“He’s fine to go nine innings,” Bochy said. “His legs feel good. This isn’t spring training anymore.”
As far as the nasty treatment Bonds is sure to receive on the road all season, he says he doesn’t care a bit. It’s been happening for years and even more so now as he faces accusations about his alleged steroids use and the possibility he could be indicted by a federal grand jury on perjury charges.
“The crowds, that don’t bother athletes,” he said. “Not doing your job bothers athletes. … I’m glad they’re supporting, whether they’re booing or cheering.”