Bonds has third operation on injured knee

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Barry Bonds had a third operation on his injured right knee, the latest setback in the slugger's rehabilitation, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.



Bonds underwent arthroscopic surgery Monday in Southern California as doctors tried to clean out an infection, the Chronicle reported on its Web site Tuesday night. Bonds already had operations on the knee Jan. 31 and March 17 to remove damaged cartilage.

The San Francisco Giants have stopped giving medical updates on Bonds and his agent would not confirm that Bonds had the operation.

''The only comment I have about Barry is that the day his knee is healthy, he will be back on the field in uniform,'' Jeff Borris said.

Bonds has been giving his medical updates on his personal Web site, where he wrote in his last entry on Sunday that Angels team orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum drained the knee of fluid last week to ensure ''there isn't any infection and that I'm healing properly.''

The Chronicle, which did not cite the source of its report, said the knee was infected and the latest operation flushed out the infection using fluids and antibiotics. The paper said Bonds would take antibiotics for at least two weeks and could not resume his rehab until doctors are assured the infection is gone.

That will likely delay Bonds' return and the resumption of his quest for baseball's career home run record even longer. In an outburst during spring training, Bonds said he might not be back for at least half the season, maybe the whole season.

The 40-year-old Bonds has 703 career home runs, 11 behind Babe Ruth and 52 from tying Hank Aaron's career record. Bonds batted .362 last season with 45 homers and 101 RBIs and also walked a major league-record 232 times on the way to his record seventh MVP award.

This is just the third time in his career he's gone on the disabled list and the first since April 18 to June 9, 1999, as he recovered from elbow surgery.

Bonds was also dogged by steroid allegations in the offseason. According to the Chronicle, Bonds testified to a grand jury in December 2003 that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by a trainer who was indicted in a steroid-distribution ring, but said he didn't know if they were steroids. Prosecutors believe the substances were two steroids at the center of the BALCO scandal.

Information from: San Francisco Chronicle

I hope he never gets to home plate again !

Hopefully the grand jury will indict Bonds, a jury convict him, and a judge sentence him to prison. That will put an end to his steroid driven HR barrage.

Bonds scheduled to be out until at least the All Star break. ESPN reporting.




wil.

Wil:

Even before the latest setback caused by an infection, local projections were that Bonds would most likely not return until after the All Star break. If that is still the case, then there is not much change. That being said, however, my own personal opinion is that it would not surprise me at all if Bonds ended up sitting out the entire season even if the Giants somehow find a way of contending for a playoff spot. His rehabilation has been going extremely slowly and when watching him limping around, very difficult to envision him returning to the line-up and playing the field without significant practice. Just my opinion.

Ted - I have to agree it would not surprise me if Bonds misses the entire season. Who knows at his age he may be all done.



wil.

Wil:

I was just thinking the same thing this morning. He has one year remaining on his contract but not sure if he sits out this year, whether or not he will have the desire to come back next year. Believe he would like to surpass Ruth but doesn't particularly care whether or not he catches Aaron. If the Giants show promise without him this year, perhaps he will finish out his contract.

I really don't want Bonds to pass Ruth.Don't feel very good about it. I would respect him alot more if he just retired and stayed away from Aaron and Ruth