Barry Bonds has second operation on right knee, likely will miss opening day

 

By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer

March 17, 2005

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds pushed his surgically repaired right knee so hard that the San Francisco Giants became concerned he might be doing too much. Yet, after 19 major league seasons, the team trusted Bonds knows his body best.

 

But on Thursday, Bonds underwent a second operation on the knee -- a setback that makes it unlikely the slugger will be ready for opening day.

 

While the Giants offered no timetable for Bonds' return, it took the seven-time NL MVP more time than expected to recover from the original surgery on the knee on Jan. 31.

 

``This is certainly a setback, and a significant one,'' general manager Brian Sabean said. ``Obviously, we didn't know we were going to go down this path. Barry did what he felt he could tolerate on any given day. I'm glad this happened now instead of three days before the season.''

 

Trainer Stan Conte said he could not rule out the possibility of Bonds being ready for the opener on April 5 against the Dodgers, but said it is ``not an unreasonable thing'' to assume he'll be sidelined past that date.

 

``It would be pretty incredible, but I've learned with Barry I never say he can't do something,'' Conte said from spring training at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona.

 

The Giants said in a statement that Bonds had arthroscopic surgery to repair tears in the knee, similar to his earlier operation. Both procedures were performed in the Bay Area by Art Ting.

 

Bonds, 40, has ``experienced periods of swelling in his knee following an incident when he accidentally hit his knee on a table at SBC Park Feb. 4. Neither rest nor his current rehabilitation program has helped alleviate the periodic swelling,'' the Giants said in a release.

 

``It was a big blow to begin with and now it's a bigger blow,'' manager Felipe Alou said before the Giants played the Rangers in an exhibition game. ``Now it's real, he's going to be out.''

 

Conte said the swelling initially was considered a normal part of Bonds' recovery, but when it wouldn't go away he knew something was wrong.

 

Bonds returned to San Francisco on Wednesday from spring training to be evaluated by Ting, and the process took all day, Conte said. An MRI showed ``new tears that had to be addressed.''

 

``One reason we were so tightlipped is because the process took all day yesterday and into the night to get the results,'' Conte said. ``We had to talk about options and we made the decision last night. Bonds made the final decision.

 

``This was a necessary procedure to get him back. The new tears had to happen after the original surgery. His knee would swell, we would take a couple of days and he'd be fine. It's not unusual in rehabbing. We felt it was a normal process.''

 

Bonds, who is expected to return to Arizona next week, hasn't worked out on the field since taking batting practice Sunday. He hasn't played in any Cactus League games.

 

Bonds begins the season with 703 homers, third on the career list behind Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755).

 

``I think it's pretty crushing,'' said Moises Alou, who will bat cleanup until Bonds returns and might move over from right field to take Bonds' spot in left. ``Everybody knows Barry is the heart and soul of this team. We have to have someone step up and do the job. We need to stay above water until Barry gets back.''

 

Bonds underwent his most strenuous workout of the spring last Thursday, taking seven rounds of batting practice. He hit 10 home runs on some 80 swings, sprinted for short bursts on the warning track and did football-style agility drills between cones in right field.

 

But he hasn't done much work since.

 

``If Barry makes April 5, there's only one person to pat on the back, and that's Barry Bonds,'' Conte said after Bonds' big workout. ``When he gets back on the field and does great, it'll be because of him. He knows his body and is doing what he thinks is right. I'm simply making suggestions.''

 

 

I hate to admit it, but hope this is just the beginning of a season's worth of DL time for Bonds. :plain

Bonds will be fine. This was a minor surgery to repair a little tear. Anyways, I'd rather him take his time now letting it heal 100%, rather than rushing it.

 

The Giants are a very complete team this year and can still compete without him.

we're officially f***ed

I really don't think so, dude. If anything, this will prove to the world that the Giants are more than just Barry Bonds. They'll stay competitive while he's away... When he comes back, the Giants run away with it...

 

I have faith and I still think this season will be awesome for the Giants.

Who will fill in, Tucker??

Bonds is a huge part of this team. This is bigger than if Thome or Pujols went down for their teams. Bonds changes the way pitchers pitch to the Giants

Who will fill in, Tucker??

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I think Pedro Feliz will get the bulk of the playing time. They've been trying to get him 500 at bats for the last couple of years. Last year, they were able to do it by rotating him around 1b, 3b, and a little SS and RF. If Bonds is out for a few weeks, you'll see Pedro Feliz manning LF for the Giants.

 

Tucker will get his share of playing time too, but I imagine it will be spelling Moises Alou and Marquis Grissom every now and then... However, I've also read that they still plan on giving Snow and Alfonzo some days off by having Feliz play 1b or 3b, so there will be a lot of rotating.