Baseball Guru
03-15-2006, 09:26 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AhbqNG0fNSGMhR_JPjd4ibsRvLYF?slug=ap-giants-bonds&prov=ap&type=lgns
By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
March 15, 2006
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Nine at-bats into spring training, Barry Bonds has shown the San Francisco Giants have nothing to worry about when it comes to his swing.
Now, it's just a question of whether his surgically repaired right knee is ready for the daily rigors of playing in the field.
Bonds, in the lineup on back-to-back days for the first time this spring, homered for the second straight day and made a brief appearance in left field in the Giants' 10-6 victory Wednesday over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Despite being hounded by allegations of steroid use in two upcoming books and slowed by his knee, Bonds is in midseason form at the plate. He is 7-for-9 with three home runs and a double in four games.
"It's pretty impressive to come in like that and do what he does," Giants starter Brad Hennessey said. "One swing of the bat with him up there can change the game."
Bonds played in left for the second time this spring, leaving after his homer in the bottom of the second inning. After getting no chances in four innings in the field Sunday against San Diego, Bonds got a ball hit his way in the first inning.
Geoff Jenkins hit what appeared to be a routine fly, but Bonds struggled with the bright sun and caught the ball while falling to one knee. He flipped the ball up in the air and back into his glove after the inning-ending catch and then threw the ball into the stands for a souvenir.
Bonds, who didn't speak to reporters Wednesday, had said the previous day: "I'm trying to stay out of the way. But it might be fun to get out there and misplay one so you guys would have something to write about. 'He's slowed down now, his legs aren't underneath him.' I might do that this spring, just for the attention."
With the Giants able to use the designated hitter in only six games this season, Bonds will need to get plenty of time in left field if the team is going to compete in the NL West.
"He hasn't had much to do yet," manager Felipe Alou said. "The ball was hit right at him. There are going to be some tests down the road as he stays longer in games."
Bonds is still moving gingerly on his right knee, which underwent three operations last year. In his first at-bat against Doug Davis, Bonds hit a fly ball to left-center that fell in because center fielder Gabe Gross was shifted toward right. Bonds jogged into second base without a throw for a double and came around to score after two more singles.
All he needed to do was trot following his second at-bat, a three-run homer off Davis.
"Doug struggled with his command from the first pitch on," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He hung a curveball. He tried to bounce a curveball, that shows you how much Doug was struggling, and hung it down the middle. Same old Barry."
Bonds was able to drive the ball into the patio beyond the right-field fence even though he was far in front of the pitch.
"It's amazing that someone could be out in front like that and still hit it as far as he does," Hennessey said. "It looked like he was a little out in front of that curveball but he's still strong enough to hammer it. It's nice to have a guy like that in your lineup who pretty much has the potential to go up top every at-bat."
The way Bonds is hitting this spring, it might not take him long to move past Babe Ruth into second place on the all-time home run list -- that is, if teams pitch to him when the games begin to count.
Bonds has 708 home runs in his career, seven shy of passing Ruth and 48 away from breaking Hank Aaron's career record of 755.
The Giants aren't in a rush for Bonds to play a full game in the field this spring. He will not make the trip Thursday to Surprise to play Texas but is expected back in the lineup Friday at Scottsdale Stadium against the Cubs.
"One day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time," Giants trainer Stan Conte said. "That's how we're going to do it all year. We're not going to try to look too far ahead. Each day he's going to come in and tell us how he's coming along."
The Giants opened the game with six straight hits off Davis, including a three-run homer by Steve Finley and an RBI single by Ray Durham that scored Bonds. Bonds' homer made it 7-0 in the second.
Notes
Hennessey allowed two runs, four hits and three walks in 3 2-3 innings. He threw 77 pitches. ... Davis allowed seven runs, eight hits and three walks in three innings. He threw 58 pitches. ... Prince Fielder homered and Bill Hall had two triples for Milwaukee. ... Brewers 2B Richie Weeks did not make the trip as he is slowed by a slight strain of a muscle on his right side. ... Giants closer Armando Benitez had a cortisone injection in his swollen left knee Tuesday and won't be able to throw off a mound for a few days.
By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
March 15, 2006
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Nine at-bats into spring training, Barry Bonds has shown the San Francisco Giants have nothing to worry about when it comes to his swing.
Now, it's just a question of whether his surgically repaired right knee is ready for the daily rigors of playing in the field.
Bonds, in the lineup on back-to-back days for the first time this spring, homered for the second straight day and made a brief appearance in left field in the Giants' 10-6 victory Wednesday over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Despite being hounded by allegations of steroid use in two upcoming books and slowed by his knee, Bonds is in midseason form at the plate. He is 7-for-9 with three home runs and a double in four games.
"It's pretty impressive to come in like that and do what he does," Giants starter Brad Hennessey said. "One swing of the bat with him up there can change the game."
Bonds played in left for the second time this spring, leaving after his homer in the bottom of the second inning. After getting no chances in four innings in the field Sunday against San Diego, Bonds got a ball hit his way in the first inning.
Geoff Jenkins hit what appeared to be a routine fly, but Bonds struggled with the bright sun and caught the ball while falling to one knee. He flipped the ball up in the air and back into his glove after the inning-ending catch and then threw the ball into the stands for a souvenir.
Bonds, who didn't speak to reporters Wednesday, had said the previous day: "I'm trying to stay out of the way. But it might be fun to get out there and misplay one so you guys would have something to write about. 'He's slowed down now, his legs aren't underneath him.' I might do that this spring, just for the attention."
With the Giants able to use the designated hitter in only six games this season, Bonds will need to get plenty of time in left field if the team is going to compete in the NL West.
"He hasn't had much to do yet," manager Felipe Alou said. "The ball was hit right at him. There are going to be some tests down the road as he stays longer in games."
Bonds is still moving gingerly on his right knee, which underwent three operations last year. In his first at-bat against Doug Davis, Bonds hit a fly ball to left-center that fell in because center fielder Gabe Gross was shifted toward right. Bonds jogged into second base without a throw for a double and came around to score after two more singles.
All he needed to do was trot following his second at-bat, a three-run homer off Davis.
"Doug struggled with his command from the first pitch on," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He hung a curveball. He tried to bounce a curveball, that shows you how much Doug was struggling, and hung it down the middle. Same old Barry."
Bonds was able to drive the ball into the patio beyond the right-field fence even though he was far in front of the pitch.
"It's amazing that someone could be out in front like that and still hit it as far as he does," Hennessey said. "It looked like he was a little out in front of that curveball but he's still strong enough to hammer it. It's nice to have a guy like that in your lineup who pretty much has the potential to go up top every at-bat."
The way Bonds is hitting this spring, it might not take him long to move past Babe Ruth into second place on the all-time home run list -- that is, if teams pitch to him when the games begin to count.
Bonds has 708 home runs in his career, seven shy of passing Ruth and 48 away from breaking Hank Aaron's career record of 755.
The Giants aren't in a rush for Bonds to play a full game in the field this spring. He will not make the trip Thursday to Surprise to play Texas but is expected back in the lineup Friday at Scottsdale Stadium against the Cubs.
"One day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time," Giants trainer Stan Conte said. "That's how we're going to do it all year. We're not going to try to look too far ahead. Each day he's going to come in and tell us how he's coming along."
The Giants opened the game with six straight hits off Davis, including a three-run homer by Steve Finley and an RBI single by Ray Durham that scored Bonds. Bonds' homer made it 7-0 in the second.
Notes
Hennessey allowed two runs, four hits and three walks in 3 2-3 innings. He threw 77 pitches. ... Davis allowed seven runs, eight hits and three walks in three innings. He threw 58 pitches. ... Prince Fielder homered and Bill Hall had two triples for Milwaukee. ... Brewers 2B Richie Weeks did not make the trip as he is slowed by a slight strain of a muscle on his right side. ... Giants closer Armando Benitez had a cortisone injection in his swollen left knee Tuesday and won't be able to throw off a mound for a few days.