Bonds says he might work out with Giants next week

NEW YORK (Reuters) – San Francisco Giants slugger Barry
Bonds says he might work out with the team next week when the
Giants play in Los Angeles.

The 41-year-old has not played this season. He underwent
three surgeries on his right knee and has been rehabilitating
the knee in the Los Angeles area since June.

“If things look good and Dr. (Lewis) Yocum and Clive
(physical therapist Clive Brewster) are satisfied in terms of
how my knee is responding, then there’s a good possibility I
might be taking a few workout swings with the team when they
come to Los Angeles next week,” Bonds said on his Web site.

He recently took batting practice at the University of
California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and has held out the
possibility of playing for the Giants before the season ends.

“During the past 15 days, my knee has been feeling great,”
Bonds said. “I was out on the track doing sprints, agility
movements, throwing and exercises to help increase my stamina.
Even with some fluid remaining, my knee has been handling the
pressure and I’ve been able to work through it.

“My workouts continue to be positive and I feel that I’m
getting closer to my goal of joining my teammates this season.”

Giants general manager Brian Sabean said he was pleased
with Bonds’s progress but urged fans to be cautious about his
return.

Bonds holds Major League Baseball’s single-season home run
record of 73 and ranks third on the all-time career list with
703 home runs. He trails second-placed Babe Ruth by 11 home
runs and is 52 behind all-time leader Hank Aaron (755).

He is under contract to play for the Giants through the
2006 season and has said he would consider returning in 2007 if
he was within reach of Aaron’s all-time record.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina)