Football
Associated Press 18y

Beckett and Weaver struggle in debuts with new teams

More detailed accusations of steroid use by Barry Bonds were revealed Tuesday. The slugger and his Giants teammates still weren't talking, though.

According to an upcoming book written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters, Bonds used a vast array of performance-enhancing drugs - including steroids and human growth hormone - for at least five seasons beginning in 1998.

An excerpt from "Game of Shadows," which lays out extensive details of Bonds' alleged doping program, appears in the March 13 issue of Sports Illustrated.

"I won't even look at it. For what? There's no need to," the San Francisco star said after a workout in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Giants said Bonds would not comment further.

"No, no, no, I don't want to talk about Bonds. I'll see you later," manager Felipe Alou said after a 12-3 win over San Diego in Peoria, then bolted aboard the team bus.

The 41-year-old Bonds, who testified before a California federal grand jury investigating steroid use by top athletes, has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

"I've read what was reported," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, told The Associated Press. "Barry is looking forward to playing this year and the improved health of his knee, and being as productive as he's ever been."

Baseball did not ban performance-enhancing drugs until after the 2002 season, though there has long been suspicion that players took steroids to gain an edge.

"It wasn't illegal," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said in Florida. "The thing we all worry about is the fact that people discount the fact that you put some numbers up. When you put things like that in jeopardy and in doubt, it's not good for the game. ... You wonder about the stats. But we don't know how many did it. Maybe everyone did."

Bonds enters this season with 708 homers, seven shy of passing Babe Ruth and 48 from breaking Hank Aaron's career mark.

Authors Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, who led the newspaper's coverage of the BALCO scandal, recount in remarkable detail the specifics of Bonds' drug regimen, which they write started in 1998 with injections of Winstrol, a powerful steroid also linked to Rafael Palmeiro.

According to the book, the seven-time NL MVP was using two undetectable designer steroids, informally known as the cream and the clear, plus insulin, human growth hormone and other performance enhancers by 2001, when he hit 73 home runs to break Mark McGwire's single-season record of 70 set in 1998.

"I read it, man. I was lost. I didn't even know there were that many kind of steroids," said Cubs manager Dusty Baker, Bonds' former skipper in San Francisco. "I've never even seen steroids. I didn't even know what kind of steroids are steroids other than the kinds you use to fight allergies. ... I was quite surprised with the detail that was in there."

Elsewhere around spring training, players, managers and coaches remembered Kirby Puckett, the effervescent Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer who died Monday after a stroke.

In Tampa, Fla., Torii Hunter and the rest of the Twins stood in front of the third-base dugout, their heads bowed.

The flag pole in center field was at half-mast, and the public address announcer asked fans to rise for a moment of silence as a picture of Puckett from the 1991 World Series was displayed on the scoreboard.

One day after Puckett's death at age 45, the Twins made the 2 1/2-hour trip from Fort Myers to play the New York Yankees. Hunter and Brad Radke were told they didn't need to go, but they wanted to.

"He'd say: `Get up there and go play this game. Forget about it. Just have fun and keep playing this game that I taught you," Hunter said before the Twins' 5-0 loss.

Hunter, who knew Puckett for a dozen years, went 1-for-2 with a second-inning triple, sliding headfirst into the bag. Radke allowed two runs in three innings - on a two-run homer by Jorge Posada in the first.

Puckett had been in the Twins' thoughts since Sunday, when the Hall of Famer had a stroke at his home in Scottsdale.

Minnesota's clubhouse was subdued before the game.

"Everybody was quiet, pretty much kept to themselves," Radke said.

In other spring training games:

At Phoenix, Felix Hernandez allowed three runs, including a two-run homer, in his first spring start for Seattle.

Ichiro Suzuki arrived at Mariners camp in Peoria, Ariz., to practice with Team Japan and acknowledged he aired complaints about the team's direction to manager Mike Hargrove after last season.

And that discussion - reports of which caused winter ripples on two shores of the Pacific Ocean - has left him refreshed and optimistic for 2006.

"We've talked about this over the offseason," Suzuki said through a translator. "And for me, rather than keeping something inside, it's better to get things out in the open.

"Now that things are out in the open, I feel really good right now, ready for the next season."

Hargrove acknowledged the meeting last month. He called it productive for both him and Suzuki.

The Mariners finished last in the AL West last season with a 69-93 record.

At Mesa, Ariz., Greg Maddux threw two scoreless innings but was uncharacteristically wild during his spring debut for Chicago. Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in Los Angeles and was expected to rejoin the team Wednesday.

At Fort Myers, Fla., Manny Ramirez lined his first pitch of spring training for a single, then added a two-run single and a sacrifice fly for Boston. Red Sox catcher John Flaherty retired, ending his 14-year career.

At Dunedin, Fla., Roy Halladay pitched three scoreless innings and Shea Hillenbrand hit a three-run homer.

At Bradenton, Fla., Brad Eldred, Jose Bautista and Nate McLouth homered for Pittsburgh.

At Lakeland, Fla., C.C. Sabathia was much better in his second spring training start, allowing one earned run in three innings for Cleveland.

At Viera, Fla., Matt Cepicky hit a grand slam and Florida took a 17-0 lead before winning a slugfest.

At Jupiter, Fla., Brett Tomko allowed one run and three hits in three innings for Los Angeles.

At St. Petersburg, Fla., Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer.

At Port St. Lucie, Fla., Steve Trachsel tossed three shutout innings and Kaz Matsui hit a two-run triple.

At Surprise, Ariz., J.P. Howell, trying to earn a spot in Kansas City's rotation, gave up one hit and struck out four in three scoreless innings.

At Tempe, Ariz., Brandon Webb pitched three hitless innings for Arizona. Orlando Hudson, Shawn Green and Tony Clark each hit their first homers of the spring.

At Tucson, Ariz., Paul Konerko hit a go-ahead homer and an RBIs double. Chris Widger hit two solo shots, and Mark Buehrle retired his first 10 batters before allowing four runs - one earned - in the fourth inning.

^ Back to Top ^