Bonds Just Sleeps Off Criticism

OAKLAND — Sunday morning brought Barry Bonds on a clubhouse couch, feet up, eyes closed, arms over his head.

Fifteen feet away, his 16-year-old son, Nikolai, stood in front of a television, which aired a graphic quoting Boston Red Sox pitcher David Wells from the morning papers.

Nikolai read carefully. Slowly.

“He’s going to be under scrutiny from here on out,” Wells had said about Bonds. “He’s hit a few home runs off me while he was juiced. There have been a lot of ‘em off people when he was juiced. Look at him. The man is enormous. Still, he’s a hell of a ballplayer ... He’s got to deal with it, not me.

“I respect Barry as a person. As an athlete, if he’s cheated, it’s not going to change my perception of the guy as a person. But if he’s cheated as a player, that’s as bad as being a scab.”

Nikolai lowered his eyes, walked up to his father and touched his leg, shaking it.

Bonds stirred awake. Nikolai told him what Wells had said. Bonds looked perplexed.

“David?” he said.

His son nodded.

Bonds shook his head, closed his eyes, and Nikolai shuffled away.

Home run No. 714 had brought Babe Ruth, if not peace. And 715 wouldn’t come for at least another day.

He singled twice and was intentionally walked in four plate appearances for the San Francisco Giants against the Oakland Athletics, was removed for a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, and was gone by the time reporters were allowed into the clubhouse.

Giants Manager Felipe Alou said he didn’t want to risk Bonds’ footing on the damp basepaths; the decision also ensured Bonds would take his next swing at passing Ruth at AT&T; Park, where the Giants open a six-game homestand tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The series will feature the greatest power hitter of this generation, however obtained, alongside a player -- Albert Pujols -- who, at 26, could one day press Bonds’ accomplishments. On Sunday, in the Cardinals’ 44th game, Pujols hit his 22nd home run. In 2001, when he hit a record-breaking 73 home runs, Bonds had 22 home runs in 43 games. Pujols is on an 81-homer pace. Bonds, at 41, is on pace for 22.

On Sunday, right-hander Matt Cain, whose early-season difficulties had caused the Giants to skip his previous start, threw a 120-pitch one-hitter in a 6-0 win at McAfee Coliseum.