Bonds Says He's Ready for Home Run Mark; Ignores Investigation, By: Larry DiTore
February 20, 2007
Barry Bonds said he's looking forward to breaking Hank Aaron's career home-run record and is paying no attention to a federal steroid investigation that's followed him for 3 1/2 years.
Bonds, who needs 22 home runs to break Aaron's Major League Baseball mark of 755, spoke to reporters today at the San Francisco Giants' training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona. He took questions in the televised session for less than seven minutes on topics ranging from the team's new players and manager Bruce Bochy to the health of his knees.
``It's still a way's away,'' Bonds said when asked if he had imagined what breaking the record would be like.
Bonds, who signed a one-year contract with the Giants last week, said he was looking forward to hearing from Bochy and joked that he'd drag out the chase for Aaron's record, among the biggest in baseball, to keep the news media occupied all season.
When questions turned to the U.S. grand jury investigation of steroid use in professional sports that has focused on him since late 2003, Bonds said he wasn't following developments.
``It doesn't weigh on me at all, not at all,'' Bonds said. ``It's just you guys talking, it's just the media conversation. Let them investigate, they've been doing it this long.''
The seven-time Most Valuable Player also declined to answer questions about an offseason report that he failed a drug test last season under baseball's policy banning amphetamines.
Bonds repeatedly has denied using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonds, who has said he would play beyond this season if he doesn't break Aaron's record, has won two batting titles, eight Gold Glove Awards for his defense and been voted an All-Star 13 times during his 22-year career. He set the major-league single- season record of 73 homers in 2001.
Bonds has been limited to a total of 144 games the past two seasons because of knee and back problems. Last year, Bonds hit .270 with 26 home runs and 77 runs batted in, playing in 130 games.
