New Buddy Act: Bonds and Kent

Jeff Kent has produced such a big second half for the San Francisco Giants that he even has Barry Bonds lobbying for his re-signing as a free agent. Much, of course, has been made of the tenuous relationship between Bonds and Kent, which erupted in public display during their dugout scuffle in San Diego earlier this season, but Bonds went to bat for Kent the other day, telling Bay Area reporters that “if he’s not back next year, I will be one [teed]-off player ... and I’m not afraid to say it.” If Kent isn’t back, Bonds said, “the organization better get somebody that can do as well or better.”

It would be no easy task replacing the only second baseman to produce six consecutive seasons of 100 or more runs batted in and who was batting .319 with 34 home runs and 104 RBI through Friday.

Of course, at one point it appeared there was no way the Giants wanted Kent back. Club officials were so angry about the wrist injury he suffered while doing wheelies on his motorcycle during spring training, and his subsequent failures to tell them the truth about how it happened, that they privately suggested he would not be re-signed.

Kent has probably turned that opinion around, although it is uncertain how far the Giants will go financially with a middle infielder making $6 million. Plus, Managing General Partner Peter Magowan has to make a decision on General Manager Brian Sabean and Manager Dusty Baker. Both will also be free agents when the season ends, and in heavy demand.

“Jeff has done his job, so they need to put up or shut up,” Bonds said. “Dusty has done his job, Brian has done his job. We have great players over here, a good GM, a good manager. If you lose that, you might never get it back.”

Kent said he appreciated Bonds’ support and tried again to explain their relationship, saying he finds most of the articles about it to be “phony.”

“There are differences between Barry and I, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “But Barry and I coexist on a professional level that has made us both better ballplayers, that has made us a better ballclub, and other than that, there’s nothing to write about.

“What Barry and I do is sit back and laugh at the articles, the rhetoric and color. It’s entertaining for the fans, [but] kind of disrespectful for Barry and I. That’s the power of the pen.”

Asked if he really sat with Bonds and laughed about the portrayals, Kent said, “yeah, [but] probably not over dinner.”

Cy Caliber

Angel left-hander Jarrod Washburn (18-5, 3.24 earned-run average) has moved into Cy Young Award territory, but Barry Zito, three years removed from USC and “right on the schedule” he envisioned, has virtually locked up the award, barring a collapse in his final two or three starts. The 24-year-old Oakland left-hander is 21-5 with a 2.64 ERA, featuring a knee-buckling curve that keeps getting bigger and better and, as a veteran American League scout said, has been “virtually unhittable” in the second half.

Unless the A’s and Angels juggle rotations, Zito and Washburn will face each other Wednesday in Oakland.

Of Zito’s award candidacy, Manager Art Howe said, “His numbers speak for themselves.”

Lou Through?

Seattle Manager Lou Piniella is now openly critical of club ownership for suddenly, amid another season of sellouts in Safeco Field, pulling in the financial reins and preventing General Manager Pat Gillick from pulling off a midseason trade that might have provided the hitter Piniella has frequently said was needed.

Piniella’s comments have fueled speculation that he will leave Seattle with a year to go on his contract to manage the Devil Rays in his Tampa Bay backyard or accept one of several other anticipated openings. However, Piniella instructed baseball information director Tim Hevly to call ESPN the other day and ask their commentators to stop contributing to the speculation and to remind them of his contract, saying he does not plan to go anywhere.

Despite his disappointment with ownership, Piniella’s response has to be accepted as sincere, although a skeptic might say that Piniella’s response was actually aimed at trying to remove a distraction for his struggling team as it hangs by a thin thread in the wild-card race that is basically over.

Home Sweet ...

The surprising aspect of the Boston Red Sox’s collapse in the AL wild-card race is that the Red Sox have a league-best 46-28 record on the road but have been unable to sustain it at Fenway Park, where they are a modest 38-35. Then again, maybe it’s not so surprising given the Fenway pressure and the fan and media reaction when the high expectations aren’t met.

An 8-3 loss to the bumbling Baltimore Orioles in Boston on Friday night prompted newest Sox Cliff Floyd to say, “There’s no sugarcoating it, this place is a tough place to play.” And still trying to shake the jeers, Nomar Garciaparra, who might be packed already in anticipation of his departure after the Red Sox exercise their 2004 option, said with heavy sarcasm, “It’s a good place to play, right? There’s a lot of positive vibes around here, right? It’s great.”