Loss of Bonds dulls season for San Francisco Giants

By Leonard Anderson

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The Barry Bonds buzz is missing
this term at SBC Park, the cozy bayside home of the San
Francisco Giants.

The 41-year-old outfielder is sidelined, rehabilitating his
surgically-repaired knees, and his pursuit of home run sluggers
Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron is on hold until he is regains health.

With 703 home runs in the bag, Bonds is third on the
all-time list. Aaron holds the record with 755 followed by Ruth
on 714.

This was the season when San Francisco fans were expecting
Bonds to overtake Ruth, but they will have to wait a little
longer.

Even the BALCO steroid scandal and embarrassing revelations
that Bonds may have taken steroids unknowingly did little to
diminish Giants fans’ anticipation for plenty of trademark
towering “splashdown” home runs into the waters of McCovey Cove
this season.

However, his creaky knee scuppered those hopes. He has had
surgery three times since January and has not played this
season.

San Francisco were the early favorites to win the National
League West this year but, in the absence of Bonds, the team
lies fourth in a weak five-team division with a losing record
in their home park, their first since 1996.

Bonds has kept the Giants guessing as to whether he will
return to action this season or delay his comeback until 2006.
He posts regular “Hello Fans” updates on his medical and
training rehabilitation on his personal website.

“There is a good possibility that I could be back in
September with the team, but, if not, I will definitely be in
the 2006 line-up,” Bonds wrote in his most recent report two
weeks ago.

TOP DRAW

The Giants and Bonds are among the leading attractions in
baseball, selling out almost all of their home games and
drawing more than 3.2 million fans a year since their new
privately-built park opened in 2000.

There has been speculation in San Francisco, however, that
the seven-times National League Most Valuable Player may be
traded to an American League team where Bonds could continue
his home run assault without having to play in the field.

He is under contract to the Giants next season for $18
million.

“I don’t think the Giants would trade him because the
business of going after the home run record may be the only
thing that sells tickets next season,” said Art Spander, a
veteran Bay Area sports writer for the Oakland Tribune.

“The Giants don’t want to see Bonds breaking the home run
record in the uniform of another team.”

Bonds remains a big part of the Giants’ plans, their
executive vice president and chief operating officer Larry Baer
said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

“Bonds is making good progress and returning this season is
possible. There is no reason why he won’t be on the team in
2006,” Baer told Reuters.

“We see him as our left fielder but how much he plays will
be a question of his condition,” he said, adding that the
Giants have not talked to any American League teams about a
Bonds move.

Baer said the loss of the slugger and injuries to other
leading pitchers has hurt the Giants but HE would not rule out
a late-season rally: “We have 39 games to play and we’re only
six games out of first place.”