Second thoughts

Bonds tries not to get the big head

Barry Bonds certainly thinks he’s worthy of election to the Hall of Fame.

“Without a doubt,” baseball’s home run leader said Monday at the San Francisco Giants’ spring training camp in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he will serve as a hitting instructor for a week.

Bonds, 49, spent his last 15 major-league seasons with San Francisco, finishing in 2007 with 762 home runs.

But his final years were clouded by suspicions of performance-enhancing drug use, and the seven-time National League MVP was convicted of one obstruction count in April 2011 by a jury that found an answer he gave was criminally evasive during 2003 testimony before a grand jury investigating the distribution of PEDs. He didn’t even come close to election to the Hall in his first two turns on the ballot.

As far as his advice for the writers who have not voted for him?

“You guys are all adults,” Bonds said. “I have no advice for you.”

One topic he wouldn’t discuss was Alex Rodriguez, who is serving a season-long drug suspension. Bonds said he respects Rodriguez and will talk to him individually, “not in a press conference.”

Meeting with about three dozen media members for about30 minutes on a patio overlooking the left field area at Scottsdale Stadium, Bonds wanted to put the controversial past behind him.

“It feels really good to be back,” Bonds said. “It feels good to give back to the game that I love.

Hopefully, I’ll be a part of this longer. … I’m enjoying it.

“I am more nervous at this than I was playing, because it was only my mind and me. Hopefully I can bring good value to the ballclub. We’ll see how it works out. I don’t even know if I’m good at it.”

Looking about 30 pounds lighter than his playing weight of 230 and considerably more affable, Bonds wore an orange-and-black Giants cap, a black windbreaker and baseball pants, ready for the first day of work in a seven-day stay in camp.

After meeting with the media, Bonds watched catcher Buster Posey and others in the batting cage.

“The timing was right. That’s why it’s happening now,” Manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s good for Barry to see how it’s going to work for him. To me, he is one of the greatest minds in baseball.”

Would he perhaps like to manage some day?

“I want to try and get through these seven days first,” Bonds said with a laugh.

Good advice

Former major-leaguer Albert Belle hit 381 home runs in a 12-year career

Now, he’s giving golf advice to anyone who will listen.

“Rattlesnakes make great golf instructors,” Belle told BugsAndCranks.com. “You do not want to hit the ball into the desert and come up on a rattlesnake, because you think that if you get close to one they’re going to start rattling … So you want to keep the ball on the grass.” He said it

From Dwight Perry of The Seattle Times:

“Jacksonville’s NFL team has started a new initiative to enhance its season-ticket benefits, calling it Jaguars 365. Shouldn’t they try mastering Jaguars 16 first?”

“[New York] Giants QB Eli Manning hopped onstage at the House of Blues for an impromptu solo when Better Than Ezra performed there during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. He also threw some beads, but those got intercepted.”Quote of the day “If we’re going to win it, we’ve got to win four games. I plan on taking four suits.” Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson on the Razorbacks’ outlook for the SEC Tournament

Sports, Pages 18 on 03/11/2014

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