San Francisco Giants

Barry Bonds undoubtedly lied through his teeth when he denied all things steroid in front of a grand jury, writes New York Sun columnist Tim Marchman, but the charges against him are nevertheless "absurd." The case hinges on proving that Bonds knowingly took the drugs and talked about it with trainer Greg Anderson. With both denying the charges, argues Marchman, that will be next to impossible to prove. More »

Three more baseball players, including outfielder Jose Guillen and retired third baseman Matt Williams, have been named as buying steroids from a Florida anti-aging clinic that has since been raided for suspected illegal drug sales, the San Francisco Chronicle reports, citing records. Prescriptions at the clinic were written by a local dentist whose license was eventually revoked, but the athletes have not admitted wrongdoing. More »

Barry Bonds won't show up for his own induction if the Baseball Hall of Fame exhibits his record-breaking No. 756 ball with an asterisk, he said in a TV interview last night. "There's no such thing as an asterisk in baseball," the slugger complained, arguing that people shouldn't be allowed to "alter history." More »

New home run king Barry Bonds has driven No. 756 all the way to the Internet auction block. Mets fan Matt Murphy, who caught the record-busting ball, will sell it in an online auction running from Tuesday through Sept. 15, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The ball could fetch at least $500,000, according to organizer SCP Auctions. More »

Barry Bonds broke the home run record again last night -- and this time it was his. Bonds hit #757 in last night's 5-0 win over the Nationals to a notable lack of pomp, though it could have been that the celebration was reserved for manager Bruce Bochy's 1,000th win. More »

Barry Bonds became Major League Baseball's all-time leading home run hitter last night, brushing aside Hank Aaron's vaunted record with a 435-foot solo shot to right center in the bottom of the 5th. Bonds 756th came off a 3-2 pitch from Nats starter Mike Bacsik—whose father denied Aaron his 756th home run in 1976. More »

Despite a record that was 19 games (now 20) below .500 and put them 13.5 behind the division-leading Brewers, the Pirates used the day of the trading deadline to buy rather than sell—the kind of contender's move they haven't made since 1997. Pittsburgh traded outfield prospect Rajai Davis for grizzled righty Matt Morris. More »

After missing his seven-game opportunity to break Hank Aaron's home run record in the land of his biggest fans, slugger Barry Bonds has left San Francisco for a three-game series in LA. "It's going to be chaotic," said pitcher Steve Kline, anticipating a less-than-sympathetic reception for Bonds from rival Giants' fans. More »

Broadcaster Bob Costas insists he's not insulted that slugger Barry Bonds called him "a little midget man who knows [nothing] about baseball," AP reports. The dig came after an installment of HBO's "Costas Now," in which the broadcaster weighed in on Bonds' reputed steroid use. "I'm 5-foot-6½ and a strapping 150, and unlike some people, I came by all of it naturally," he said. More »

Just two blasts shy of Hank Aaron's all-time record, slugger Barry Bonds has a chance to become the new home run king in his own backyard. But Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has vowed not to attend Bonds' seven-game homestand in San Francisco that began last night—nor take part in his imminent coronation ceremony. More »

San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds knocked two balls out of Wrigley Field today, bringing him two away from tying homer-leader Hank Aaron at 755. Driving in six runs, the pair ended an 0-for-21 slump and saved Bonds from matching his career-worst hitless streak. Following a familiar script, the Giants lost to the Cubs despite their star's big day. More »

Barry Bonds will start in his fourteenth All-Star Game after a surprise eleventh-hour flurry of votes. The 42-year-old slugger beat out Alfonso Soriano for a slot in the NL lineup, after some highly publicized championing by San Francisco's clubhouse. More »

Barry Bonds smacked his 750th home run last night, bringing him just 5 shy of Hank Aaron’s record. The Giants lost to the Diamondbacks 4-3, but Bay Area fans were thrilled enough with the milestone to overlook the team’s third straight loss. More »

Rod Beck, a closer with the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox, and Padres who nailed down 286 saves, died yesterday in his home in Phoenix at 38. Police do not suspect foul play. Beck led a colorful life, drinking and carousing with fans after games; his final season was cut short by rehabilitation for substance abuse. More »

With 746 home runs, Giants masher and suspected steroid user Barry Bonds is just 10 away from breaking the record. The souvenirs from his run at history, however, may be staying in the family, the crotchety superstar has announced. Curators at the Hall of Fame are concerned that they will have difficulty creating relevant exhibits without the items. More »

Ace and blogger Curt Schilling let fly at Barry Bonds on Boston sports radio, asserting that the slugger's pursuit of the home-run record is irrevocably marred. Schilling contended that Bond admitted to using steroids and cheating on both his taxes and his wife, and this makes him "the biggest ass—who ever lived." More »

An ABC-ESPN poll found that just 37% of baseball fans want embattled Giants slugger Barry Bonds to break Hank Aaron's career home runs record of 755.  After 10 quick homers to start the season, Bonds just needs 11 more to tie. Fifty-two percent of fans said they would prefer not to see that happen. More »

The Giants continue to struggle to score runs and the Padres continue to excel at preventing them. The Padres' 1-0 win spoiled a brilliant outing by San Francisco’s Matt Cain, who allowed just one hit in seven innings, as the San Diego bullpen extended its season-opening scoreless innings streak to 20 2/3 with two shutout frames in relief of starter Chris Young. More »

Two men named Barry—a $126-million pitcher (Zito) and an embattled slugger gunning for the home-run record (Bonds)-—went out with a whimper as the Giants lost to the Padres, 7-0.  Soft-spoken ace Jake Peavy was the hero of the afternoon, with six scoreless innings. More »