By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 25 (AP) — They are playing in the same division this season, so watch out when Colorado reliever Turk Wendell is pitching to San Francisco's Barry Bonds. It is fairly clear that the two do not have much use for each other.
A day after Wendell said it was "clear just seeing his body" that Bonds was taking steroids, Bonds said the remark should have been made directly to him and not to a reporter.
"I heard about his comments," Bonds said Wednesday. "If you've got something to say, say it to my face. Don't talk through the media."
"I'm not worried about him," Bonds added. "I'm not worried about anyone. I have a lot of respect for Turk Wendell. I have a lot of respect for every baseball player in this game. You got something to say, you come to my face and say it and we'll deal with each other. Don't talk through the media like you're some tough guy."
Bonds, who has always denied using steroids, appeared in December before a federal grand jury investigating a supplements laboratory suspected of illegally distributing steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.
His trainer, Greg Anderson, was among four men charged this month in connection with the case. All the men have pleaded not guilty and no athletes have been charged.
On Tuesday, in Tucson, Wendell criticized Bonds to The Denver Post.
"If my personal trainer, me, Turk Wendell, got indicted for that, there's no one in the world who wouldn't think that I wasn't taking steroids," Wendell was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "I mean, what, because he's Barry Bonds, no one's going to say that? I mean, obviously he did it."
Wendell said Anderson "admitted to giving steroids to baseball players."
"He just doesn't want to say his name," Wendell said. "You don't have to. It's clear just seeing his body."
Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle told The Post, "It's a pretty good coincidence that some of the names that are linked to them are the guys that are the big, massive, overmuscular-looking guys.
"I don't know or remember what Jason Giambi looked like back in his early days, but I know he wasn't as big as he is now. The jury is always going to be out on Barry."
Speaking after the Giants' first full-squad workout at spring training, Bonds also hinted that he was not going to put up with as much from pitchers this season, but he did not go as far as saying he would retaliate if he were hit by a pitch.
"I'm not playing with any of these guys out there this year," Bonds said. "It's going to be a battle and a war. That's just what it's going to be. I think sometimes a couple of people got a little bit too comfortable with me, and those things are going to change."
wil.
COTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 25 (AP) — They are playing in the same division this season, so watch out when Colorado reliever Turk Wendell is pitching to San Francisco's Barry Bonds. It is fairly clear that the two do not have much use for each other.
A day after Wendell said it was "clear just seeing his body" that Bonds was taking steroids, Bonds said the remark should have been made directly to him and not to a reporter.
"I heard about his comments," Bonds said Wednesday. "If you've got something to say, say it to my face. Don't talk through the media."
"I'm not worried about him," Bonds added. "I'm not worried about anyone. I have a lot of respect for Turk Wendell. I have a lot of respect for every baseball player in this game. You got something to say, you come to my face and say it and we'll deal with each other. Don't talk through the media like you're some tough guy."
Bonds, who has always denied using steroids, appeared in December before a federal grand jury investigating a supplements laboratory suspected of illegally distributing steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.
His trainer, Greg Anderson, was among four men charged this month in connection with the case. All the men have pleaded not guilty and no athletes have been charged.
On Tuesday, in Tucson, Wendell criticized Bonds to The Denver Post.
"If my personal trainer, me, Turk Wendell, got indicted for that, there's no one in the world who wouldn't think that I wasn't taking steroids," Wendell was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "I mean, what, because he's Barry Bonds, no one's going to say that? I mean, obviously he did it."
Wendell said Anderson "admitted to giving steroids to baseball players."
"He just doesn't want to say his name," Wendell said. "You don't have to. It's clear just seeing his body."
Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle told The Post, "It's a pretty good coincidence that some of the names that are linked to them are the guys that are the big, massive, overmuscular-looking guys.
"I don't know or remember what Jason Giambi looked like back in his early days, but I know he wasn't as big as he is now. The jury is always going to be out on Barry."
Speaking after the Giants' first full-squad workout at spring training, Bonds also hinted that he was not going to put up with as much from pitchers this season, but he did not go as far as saying he would retaliate if he were hit by a pitch.
"I'm not playing with any of these guys out there this year," Bonds said. "It's going to be a battle and a war. That's just what it's going to be. I think sometimes a couple of people got a little bit too comfortable with me, and those things are going to change."
wil.
