Football
Associated Press 18y

Bonds out of Giants' lineup with sore back

MIAMI -- A day after saying health will be one of the keys
to whether he plays long enough to have a chance to break Hank
Aaron's career home run record, Barry Bonds was scratched from San
Francisco's lineup because of a sore back.

Left Field
San Francisco Giants

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2006 SEASON STATISTICS
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The slugger told Giants manager Felipe Alou about three hours
before Tuesday night's game against the Florida Marlins that he had
some tightness in his back, though Alou didn't get the sense the
injury was serious.

"I don't think it's a big deal," Alou said, adding he thought
the problem likely was related to the cross-country trek the Giants
made to South Florida late Sunday after Bonds hit his 715th homer
to move past Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time list.

Despite the long flight that landed here in the wee hours, Bonds
played for the fourth straight game Monday night. He went 1-for-4
with a single, but Alou said Bonds appeared to be struggling in his
last at-bat.

"I could see him suffering," the manager said.

Before sitting Tuesday night, Bonds had started 17 of San
Francisco's previous 19 games and 40 of 51 to start the season.
Alou already was planning to give him Wednesday off in hopes of
resting him for the start of a weekend series that begins Friday in
New York.

"I was looking to give him two days off. Now it might turn into
three," Alou said.

The manager did not rule out the possibility of Bonds being
available to pinch-hit Tuesday night.

Bonds said Monday that if he remains healthy and feels he can
still be productive that he'd likely return next year for a 22nd
major league season. He's 40 homers shy of Aaron's mark of 755.

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