Bonds feels at ease as he nears history

Slugger is 15 home runs from equaling one of the game's grandest accomplishments.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published April 25, 2007

LOS ANGELES - He sat on the bench at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday perched on the edge of history, 15 home runs from equaling one of the game's grandest accomplishments.

But Barry Bonds isn't ready to start counting.

"I don't even want to talk about that," Bonds said. "I just play with my teammates and have fun. You guys can count it down on your own. I'm not going to."

After a five-homer barrage in a nine-game span and six overall for the season, Bonds went into play Tuesday with 740 homers. With each step closer to Hank Aaron's record of 755, the level of conversation - and potential controversy - is going to increase.

But, for now anyway, Bonds is playing it cool.

He was pleasant, though superficial and a bit contradictory, talking with reporters for about 10 minutes, trying to steer the conversation away from his accomplishments and on to the success of the team, which had won five straight. "I don't want to talk about me anymore," he said.

But just in case, he held his own digital recorder "so I can tape everything and play it back on my Web site (BarryBonds.com) word for word, so if you write the wrong story you'll be posted."

Bonds, of course, will be the story for much of the summer. He is three months from 43, but according to teammates and manager Bruce Bochy, has been playing like someone much younger, specifically because his troublesome right knee, which required three surgeries in 2005, is healthy.

"You know how good he is from the other side," said Bochy, who spent 12 seasons in San Diego. "But when you watch him on a daily basis, you appreciate the gifts and talent this guy has. I've never seen anything like it."

Bonds was more interested Tuesday in marveling over Alex Rodriguez's spectacular start.

He went on about how he can tell from watching on TV - "As players, we're able to pick up little things you guys aren't able to," he said - how focused the Yankee slugger is and encouraging him to keep it up.

And if that means eclipsing some of Bonds' records, such as his single-season mark of 73?

"I'm so happy for him. It's great. It's phenomenal to watch. I hope he hits 100, I really do," Bonds said. "I'm happy with me."

One of the most intriguing angles to Bonds' record chase is how much it will be celebrated, given the speculation about steroid use, his myriad legal issues and years of boorish behavior.

Aaron has already said he won't be anywhere close when Bonds breaks the record and told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "I might send him a telegram, and that would be the extent of it." Commissioner Bud Selig has spoken volumes by refusing to commit to being on hand for the historic moment.

Bonds said he took neither potential slight personally - "I have a lot of respect for them, and that's how I leave it"- nor has he given much thought to how fans will react (though the boos during pregame may be an indication).

"I don't get concerned about anything except my 16-year-old daughter who dates, my son who has a girlfriend, and my 8-year-old who has a crush on some little second-grader," Bonds said. "That's about it."

[Last modified April 25, 2007, 01:14:47]