Bonds puts meter back on 'maybe'

By wire services
Published August 17, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds now says there's a good chance he could play for the Giants this season because his bad knee is doing better.

"Two weeks ago things didn't look too promising, but the past 10 days my rehab has taken a turn for the better," he wrote in a new entry on his Web site, www.barrybonds.com

"My strength and endurance have increased and my knee is feeling much better. I have been playing catch and in the next few weeks I hope to be in the cage doing some hitting. 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 lineup."

Giants manager Felipe Alou was cautiously optimistic as he looked at a printout from Bonds' Web site Tuesday.

"There's nothing new there," Alou said. "He says he's taking BP. I guess it's better than no BP at all."

PALMEIRO PROBE: Congressional staff members are reviewing the documents related to Rafael Palmeiro's failed drug test and don't expect to say anything about what they've learned until next week.

The House Government Reform Committee wants to know whether Palmeiro committed perjury when he testified under oath in March that he had never used steroids. With the Orioles slugger's permission, Major League Baseball turned over information related to his test last week.

OWNERS MEETINGS: The impending sale of the Washington Nationals and the steroids issue figure to be the most high-profile topics when owners hold their quarterly meeting today and Thursday in Pasadena, Calif.

Major League Baseball figures to be the big winner when the Nationals' sale goes through. The other 29 teams bought the then-Montreal Expos in 2002 for $120-million. The sale price could approach $450-million, far more than originally anticipated.

BELTRAN NIXES SURGERY: Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran decided he would not have surgery to repair a minimally displaced facial fracture he got last week in a violent collision with teammate Mike Cameron. Beltran will try to play, and the Mets will attempt to design protection, perhaps a mask.

STEROID SUSPENSIONS: Former major-league infielder Luis Ugueto, a Royals farmhand, was suspended for 30 games and Brewers minor-league reliever Nic Slack was suspended for 15 for violating the minor-league drug policy.

BRAVES: Left-hander Horacio Ramirez, sent to the bullpen when two injured pitchers returned to the rotation, will make his first start since Aug. 9 Sunday against the Padres.

CARDINALS: Catcher Yadier Molina took batting practice for the first time since breaking his left hand more than a month ago, and believes he'll be back in the lineup in two or three days.

RANGERS: Left-hander Justin Thompson returned to the majors six years and one day after his last big-league appearance when Texas purchased his contract from Triple-A Oklahoma. Thompson, 32, has had four operations on his pitching shoulder.

[Last modified August 17, 2005, 01:10:12]