Spring training roundup
Bonds sidesteps questions about steriods Barry Bonds was surly as ever on his first day of spring training, angrily dodging questions about steroids and pronouncing himself ready to resume his pursuit of baseball’s home run record.
The San Francisco Giants slugger spoke Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., about a range of subjects he deemed more important than his role in the steroid scandal – such as drug and alcohol abuse. Citing legal restrictions, he had nothing to say about his grand jury testimony that was leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle and reported in December.
However, he did have harsh words for the media and fans still consumed by the circumstances of his record-setting home run binge.
“You guys are like re-running stories,” Bonds said to more than 100 reporters in attendance. “This is old stuff. It’s like watching ‘Sanford and Son.’ It’s almost comical, basically. … Are you guys jealous, upset, disappointed, what?”
The San Francisco Giants slugger has 703 homers, trailing only Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) on the career list.
Bonds had arthroscopic surgery on both knees since last season ended, including an operation on his right knee Feb. 1 that will keep him out of games until at least mid-March.
Bonds said he wasn’t sure if he’d be ready for opening day.
At Tampa, Fla., New York Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield resumed hitting after three days off because of soreness in his left shoulder, which was operated on during the offseason.
“I felt a little fatigued. I felt weak. So I just cut it back it for the last few days. I hit off the tee for two days straight. I probably rushed it,” he said. “The strength is not there yet. The soreness, I don’t feel that, the pain that I felt last year, so it’s a big difference.”
At Tempe, Ariz., AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero took his first swings of spring training, showing his thumb is healed.
The Anaheim Angels slugger, who hurt his right thumb playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic, lined a series of pitches from hitting coach Mickey Hatcher hard to the opposite field.
Manager Mike Scioscia doesn’t necessarily condone big league stars playing winter ball, but he understands it.
“You know how much Vladimir loves to play,” the manager said. “But you’re risking tens of millions of dollars from an investment standpoint.”
At Clearwater, Fla., Placido Polanco isn’t happy about being a backup to Chase Utley on the Philadelphia Phillies, and he hopes that he’ll be with another team on opening day.
“It’s a situation I can’t control,” Polanco said before the team’s first full-squad workout. “I don’t like to be in this situation. I hate to be in this situation, but I have to live with it.”
Polanco hit .298 with a career-high 17 homers and 55 RBIs in 126 games, but the Phillies plan to start Utley every day at second base, and use Polanco in a reserve role.
“You know I want to play every day,” Polanco said. “I want to be somewhere else where I can play. If I have to stay here, I have to be happy.”
At Mesa, Ariz., Aramis Ramirez said he’d like to complete a new contract with the Chicago Cubs before the season begins.
“Hopefully we’ll get something done. I haven’t heard anything,” Ramirez said before the Cubs first full-squad workout. “If we get something done, I hope we get it done in spring training.”
Ramirez signed a one-year, $8.95 million deal earlier this month, avoiding arbitration following his 36-homer, 103-RBI season that included a .318 batting average. But he would like a multiyear deal from the Cubs.
At Vero Beach, Fla., hotheaded Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley wasted no time asserting that he’s the team’s center fielder, despite the acquisition of J.D. Drew.
“I’m starting and I’m playing,” Bradley said after reporting a day early to Dodgertown. “My thoughts are, I’m the center fielder and that’s where I’m going to be playing.”
Bradley moved to right field last season when the Dodgers traded for Steve Finley for the playoff push, but he was told it was temporary. Manager Jim Tracy is considering making Drew a center fielder to help protect the oft-injured outfielder from going into the corners.
“There is not an opening day center fielder right now,” Tracy said. “We’re going to see all three guys (including left fielder Jayson Werth) in center field during spring training.”
At Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Baltimore Orioles reliever Jorge Julio has been sidelined with a strained right forearm, an injury that could force him to miss the regular-season opener and definitely hinders his chances of winning the closer’s job out of spring training.
Julio has inflammation of the flexor muscle and will be placed on a rehabilitative throwing program the next three weeks. The Orioles hope to have the right-hander back on the mound in the middle of their exhibition schedule, although there are no guarantees.
“This will set him back, but there’s still a fair chance at this point that he could be ready for Opening Day,” Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie said Tuesday.
At Lakeland, Fla., Detroit Tigers reliever Ugueth Urbina reported to spring training, less than a week after his kidnapped mother was rescued in Venezuela after five months in captivity.
Urbina didn’t speak to reporters upon his arrival, but was expected to Wednesday. He left the Tigers in September to travel to Venezuela following his mother’s disappearance.