Notes: Bonds plays small, long ball

03/14/2006
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Barry Bonds can't help himself.
Even when he tries something "just for fun," it pays off in a Giants victory.
Fresh off a homer to right field -- his second of the spring -- Bonds surprised everyone, except himself, by laying down a perfect sacrifice bunt off Rangers pitcher Kevin Walker in the sixth inning.
What?
That's not a misprint. After Steve Finley laced a double down the right-field line, Bonds moved pinch-runner Jason Ellison over to third with the score tied, 2-2, with a bunt that Walker fielded and tagged Bonds out. Then Lance Niekro cracked a hard infield grounder, allowing Ellison to race home, the winning margin in San Francisco's 3-2 win.
"I don't know any signs," said Bonds, who also singled twice, raising his spring average over three games to .714. "I did it just for fun. It's just getting your at-bats during Spring Training."
Did Alou give the bunt sign?
"I flashed it," said the manager, smiling, then adding quickly, "No ... I didn't. Barry can do anything he wants with the bat and baseball. He looked OK, but he's still being cautious [in running] is what I see."
Whether Bonds will play again Wednesday when the Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers at Scottsdale Stadium remains to be seen. "We'll see," said Alou.
Bonds, who DHed Tuesday, isn't certain if he'll play, but as for returning to left field again, he took a jab at reporters.
"No, I'm not looking forward to that at all," he said. "I'm just trying to stay out of the way. But it might be fun to get out there and misplay one so you guys will have something to write about -- 'He's slowed down now ...' Just for the attention."
As a footnote, Bonds said he has begun piano lessons and practices about two hours a week, trying to keep up with daughter Aisha, 7, who Barry admits plays much better.
Solid effort: Giants pitcher Matt Morris thought, at least for a few moments, that someone -- maybe a prank-pulling teammate -- had hidden his civvies for fun.
"I hate this place," he laughed.
Fresh out of a postgame shower, he looked in vain for his clothes in his clubhouse cubicle ... then found them neatly folded on a hanger.
"I like this place," he said, laughing again.
It was indeed a happy day for the 31-year-old right-hander, who pitched five innings in the Giants' victory, allowing two runs on six hits.
It was the longest Cactus League outing by a San Francisco pitcher this spring.
"When you have a defense like that, it's nice just to throw strikes and let them work," said Morris of his 76-pitch stint, which features an outstanding running catch deep in center field by Finley, a nice double-play-grounder pickup by Niekro and a perfect throw by catcher Mike Matheny to nail a runner.
"Physically I'm recovering -- that's the main thing, increasing your pitch count every time, your endurance and stamina, then recover and do it all over again," said Morris. "I've been pretty on pace with that."
Alou is delighted to see the No. 2 starter getting stronger with each outing.
"He's not quite there but he's getting better," said Alou. "He's getting close. He has very steady tempo on the mound."
Alou also liked the three scoreless innings pitched by winner Jamey Wright (1-0), the fifth-starter candidate having thrown five shutout frames over two outings.
"His curveball was erratic and he was a little wild, but we like his arm, and today was a standard outing for him," said Alou.
Lance hot: First baseman Niekro is having a great spring. He went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs on Tuesday, raising his average to .462 over 10 games.
He's now hit safely in his last eight games and had 10 RBIs over that stretch.
Finley's speed: Although Finley called his back-to-the-infield catch of a Jason Botts shot in the second inning "easy," it was far from that ... at least for a "normal" outfielder.
"That's why we won't start him in right or left field," said Alou. "Finley's a tremendous center fielder."

Source: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/