Another Bonds book focuses on steroids, By: Chris Haft
March 16, 2006, Knight Ridder Newspapers
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The Giants' world almost always revolves around Barry Bonds. Tuesday, he seemed to be at the center of the entire baseball universe.
Consider the events of Bonds' day:
_Another excerpt from another damning book was released, this time on ESPN.com. According to "Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero" by Jeff Pearlman, Bonds indicated to Ken Griffey Jr. before the 1999 season that he planned to use steroids.
_The manager for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Buck Martinez, said he might ask Bonds to join the roster as a replacement for Johnny Damon, who has an injured left shoulder.
_Giants owner Peter Magowan, in his first comments since excerpts of the first Bonds book were made public, said the team would celebrate home run Nos. 714 and 715, tying and surpassing Babe Ruth, if Bonds hits them at AT&T Park.
_By the way, Bonds homered and laid down a sacrifice bunt - he has four in his career - while going 3-for-3 as the designated hitter in a 3-2 exhibition victory over the Texas Rangers.
Before the game, Giants executive vice president Larry Baer lamented that so little attention has been paid to the rest of the team: "One of the melancholy feelings I have is that 24 other guys are going to San Francisco with Barry ... I wish that piece wouldn't be lost."
When days like this unfold, it's impossible to focus on much other than No. 25.
According to the Pearlman book, Bonds visited Griffey's home near Orlando after a family trip to Disney World and said, expressing a desire to increase his home-run prowess, "I'm just gonna start using some hard-core stuff."
Griffey defended Bonds at a Team USA workout in Fullerton, saying: "The conversation that supposedly happened, I don't remember happening."
Bonds refused to answer questions about the book, which will be released in late May. It comes on the heels of "Game of Shadows," the recently excerpted book by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters that details Bonds' alleged steroid use.
"Can we just talk baseball? Please?" Bonds said.
He had just as little to say about playing in the World Baseball Classic: "I have to get a phone call first to be able to answer that question." Bonds withdrew from WBC consideration in late January, intent on protecting his surgically repaired right knee.
Earlier Tuesday, Baer affirmed that Bonds surpassing Ruth is "not something that's going to go unnoticed or unrecognized," despite the perception that Bonds' 708-homer total has been tainted by allegations of steroid use.
Magowan declined to address a "Game of Shadows" excerpt that said the Giants launched unofficial background checks on three of Bonds' trainers in 2000. That trio included Greg Anderson, who allegedly provided Bonds with performance-enhancing substances. But the book added that although the probe uncovered rumors of Anderson's involvement in steroid trafficking, the Giants decided not to banish him from the clubhouse for fear of alienating Bonds.
"I can't comment on any of this," Magowan said, citing legal and professional reasons, including Commissioner Bud Selig's ongoing investigation into the matter.
Baer said that the club is "talking quite a bit more than normal" with the commissioner's office regarding Bonds.
On the field, Bonds hiked his spring average to .714 (5-for-7) despite facing three left-handed pitchers. He delivered his second spring homer leading off the fourth inning against Texas' John Danks.
"I still have a whole bunch of cobwebs to work out down here," Bonds said. On a first-inning double by Lance Niekro, Bonds went only from first to third. "I have to be careful right now."
Bonds' bunt came in the sixth inning, and he punctuated it by pointing playfully at Texas Manager Buck Showalter. "Just to show him I have more to my game than just swinging," Bonds said.
