Mar 3, 2007 12:28 am US/Pacific
Brewers Pummel Bonds and Giants 21-2 In Catus Play
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) ―
-
-
Bonds laughed despite his admittedly poor performance.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Barry Bonds lost a fly ball in the sun and struck out swinging at a high pitch well out of the zone. Not the best spring debut for San Francisco's slugger. "Get all the good stuff out of the way early," Bonds said, laughing.
He went 0-for-2 with the four-pitch strikeout by Milwaukee prospect Yovani Gallardo, a 21-year-old right-hander who led all minor leaguers with 188 Ks last year, and grounded out on the first pitch he saw to end the first inning.
Bonds then described his day at the plate in the Giants' 21-2 loss to a Brewers split squad in Cactus League play by using a profane adjective.
Bonds, who said he would not play in Saturday's road game against the Brewers, spent most of his time running around in left field, but said he felt fine afterward thanks to his successful winter workout regimen. That's a far cry from the exhaustion he typically complains of all year long.
"I was actually excited to face him -- I wanted to face him," said Gallardo, likely to begin the year at AAA Nashville. "I just went up the ladder to see what happened and he chased it, so it worked out."
Bonds carefully adjusted his protective body armor and walked out to a loud ovation. The Brewers shifted their infield as most teams do and Bonds grounded out to second on the first pitch from Carlos Villanueva in his initial at-bat.
Bonds, who complained about the sun after the first inning, fielded Bill Hall's leadoff single in the second off one bounce. Bonds lost Mike Rivera's looping fly ball in the sun and dropped the ball, and the play was ruled a double.
"I couldn't see it," Bonds said. "I just lost it in the sun."
His teammates lined the dugout railing to get a glimpse of No. 25 when he stepped in for his second at-bat. Bonds drew ball one, then took two strikes before striking out _ disappointing the 7,380 fans who packed Scottsdale Stadium for the Giants' home exhibition opener.
The seven-time NL MVP did not play in the team's 9-2 win against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. Bonds had been slated for a third at-bat, but after the Giants fell behind big and spent long innings in the field, the plan changed.
"His knee feels good and he's excited about it," San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy said.
Matt Cain went 1-2-3 in the first inning, then struggled through the second only one day after agreeing to a $9 million, four-year contract.
Hernan Iribarren hit a three-run homer and Ryan Braun hit a solo shot, his third long ball in two days after connecting twice in a win over Oakland on Thursday. JD Closser added a two-run homer as Milwaukee finished with 24 hits. Left fielder Geoff Jenkins got hit in the groin late in the game, but it wasn't considered serious.
The Giants' list of ill players not at the ballpark decreased from eight to four Friday, with first baseman Rich Aurilia and right fielder Randy Winn returning to work but not playing in the game.
"It certainly looked like we all had it today," Bochy said.
Still sick were right-handers Armando Benitez, Osiris Matos and Tim Lincecum, and catcher Todd Jennings.
Bonds, too, was fighting a bug but said otherwise "I feel great." He coughed repeatedly while sitting at his locker once done for the day after four innings.
"We're all getting it. It's beating us down," he said. "Everybody's dropping here."
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments