Bonds: ‘It’s Like Chasing Two Ghosts’

Barry Bonds said Monday his chase of Babe Ruth, such as it is, has been an overwhelming experience.

Sitting in the dugout before extending his homer-less streak to 31 plate appearances, Bonds spoke at some length for the first time in nearly a week, expressing regret for failing to tie or pass Ruth in San Francisco and admitting to great fatigue.

“This thing, it’s like chasing two ghosts, you know?,” he said. “I can imagine what Roger Maris went through.... Babe Ruth, I think he just kind of hovers over people a lot.”

Bonds, who holds the season record for home runs with 73, has 713 home runs, one short of Ruth and 42 short of Hank Aaron.

“It’s tough, because I just go home and sleep,” he said. “Normally, I go home and work out and train and everything else. Now, I’m just exhausted all the time. I’m tired. I’m always tired. It’s never been like this before. I sleep all the time, all day.”

Bonds has been alleged to have used steroids, which experts say improve strength and endurance. Bonds has denied knowingly using them.

In the Giants’ 10-1 win against the Houston Astros, Bonds, booed whenever he came to the plate, doubled and walked in four plate appearances. He hit his last home run on May 7 and has two hits in 22 at-bats since.

He had one hit on the Giants’ seven-game homestand, in which he played the last six games.

“That was the most important thing for me,” he said. “San Francisco is my biggest supporting cast. I’ve been able to do it for them forever since I’ve been here. There’s nothing more gratifying than, you know, having them be able to catch a ball, on your turf. The way I’m swinging, it looks like [they] can wait.”

Bonds appears to be determining when he will play, possibly against the advice of Manager Felipe Alou, and from where in the order he will hit.

At the conclusion of the weekend series against the Dodgers, Alou announced Bonds’ bat was slow, and Monday in Houston said Bonds appeared tired.

“I’m really an expert on watching older guys play,” he said wryly.

And yet, not only was Bonds in the lineup, but he had returned to the cleanup spot after two games batting third. Alou altered the batting order Saturday, when Bonds hit third for the first time in three years, and said the move was permanent.

Alou said he spoke several times with Bonds on Monday. When Bonds arrived in the clubhouse late in the afternoon, a personal assistant -- Harvey Shields -- was observed speaking to Alou, and several minutes later the lineup was posted.

“I won’t say whose decision,” Alou said, “but ... it really didn’t help any, him hitting third.

“It really looked like it’s not right. He was not comfortable. He was not productive. And I know he’d rather bat fourth.”

Alou later insisted, “I’m the one making the decisions.”

Bonds will be 42 in July. He has had three surgeries on his right knee in the last 18 months, the reason he played only 14 games last season and part of the reason Alou had hoped to provide him regular rest.

But Bonds played his seventh consecutive game, the most he has played in a row since 2004.

On Sunday, Alou had dismissed the idea that he might rest Bonds on Wednesday. Because of Thursday’s off day and a night game Friday in Oakland, that schedule would have given Bonds nearly three days off.

On Monday, following those conversations with Bonds and others, Alou said he probably would rest Bonds on Wednesday after all.

“Any time he wants a day off, we’ll give him a day off,” Alou said. “If he wants to play, he’ll play.”