Christiansen Has Very Little to Say

Jason Christiansen didn’t say he was the San Francisco player who reportedly scuffled with Giant slugger Barry Bonds in early June, but the Angel reliever, acquired from San Francisco on Aug. 31, didn’t deny it.

Asked Tuesday whether he could say for certain that he wasn’t involved in the incident, Christiansen said, “I guess I’d rather read the article, see what was said. I had a lot of respect for Barry and what he does. I wish something like this didn’t come up. That’s why I’d rather not comment on anything.”

According to ESPN, an unnamed player exchanged words with Harvey Shields, Bonds’ personal flexibility coach, in the lunchroom at SBC Park. Bonds later confronted the player, exchanged words with him and punched him in the jaw. The player retaliated by putting Bonds in a headlock before the two were separated.

ESPN did not name the other player, but the Oakland Tribune linked Christiansen to the fight, and Associated Press quoted an unnamed Giant player Tuesday confirming that Christiansen was the other combatant.

The ESPN report also said that Bonds, who scuffled with teammates Danny Darwin in a tunnel in 1998 and Jeff Kent in a dugout in 2002, and the player made amends.

When first told of the reports before Tuesday night’s game against the Red Sox, Christiansen said, “Wow, that’s news to me. I’ll have to read up on it.”

Another Giant source said there was visible tension between Bonds and Christiansen on several occasions during the first half, but Christiansen denied having any ongoing problems with Bonds.

“Barry always has his moments with everyone -- most are good ones; in some situations, he might rub you the wrong way,” Christiansen said. “For the most part he does his own thing. I wouldn’t want to be him, with all the things he deals with on and off the field.”

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Angel ace Bartolo Colon, who was pulled from Sunday’s game against Seattle in the sixth inning because of back spasms, was still “a little stiff” Tuesday, according to Mike Scioscia, but the manager added that Colon was “feeling better.”

Scioscia said Colon was still penciled in for Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox, but the Angels won’t make a decision until Wednesday or Thursday. If Colon can’t start, Kelvim Escobar, who was activated Tuesday after undergoing elbow surgery in late June, could pitch.

Colon underwent treatment Tuesday but wanted to go through therapy for one more day before speaking to reporters.

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Angel bench coach and Pennsylvania native Joe Maddon said he would be interested in the Pittsburgh managerial job, which opened Tuesday when the Pirates fired Lloyd McClendon, but Maddon doesn’t plan to pursue the position.

“When someone loses their job, it stinks -- families are impacted, and that’s the first thing I think about,” said Maddon, who grew up in Hazleton, Pa. “But that’s a place that has great tradition, a great farm system. We’ll see.”

Maddon, who interviewed for the Red Sox job before Terry Francona was hired for 2004, won’t formally apply for the job, but Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman will probably call the Pirates on Maddon’s behalf.

“My tactic is, people know what I do and where I am, and they’ll find you if you’re what they want,” Maddon said. “It’s too awkward to pursue something like that.”

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Saturday’s game against the White Sox, originally scheduled for 4 p.m. PDT, has been moved to 10:15 a.m. so it can be televised nationally by Fox.