The anxious wait goes on for Bonds

Whether it’s mental, physical, or a combination of the two, something about Barry Bonds seems askew, from the meaty pitches he is fouling off, to his first-pitch hacking, to his rambling pregame oration Thursday in which he spoke of his family tree and of “riding Big Wheels down the street” as a kid.

Bonds had one hit, a broken-bat double, in four at-bats in the San Francisco Giants’ 4-2 victory over Atlanta at AT&T; Park on Thursday, remaining stuck at 753 home runs -- two short of Hank Aaron’s all-time record -- for the seventh consecutive day.

The controversial slugger popped out to third in the second inning, fouled out to the catcher in the fourth, hit a routine fly ball to left in the fifth and shattered his bat with a dunk double to left-center in the seventh before being lifted for a pinch runner.

Bonds fouled off a right-down-the-middle, first-pitch fastball from Buddy Carlyle in the fourth. Normally one of baseball’s most patient hitters, he seemed anxious swinging at the first pitch on his fly to left in the fifth.

Bonds, who turned 43 Tuesday, didn’t square up many balls during a four-game series against the Braves, of which he played three games.

Pass Aaron? Right now, it doesn’t look like Bonds could hit McCovey Cove if he fell out of a kayak.

“We all miss pitches now that we would have hit a couple of years ago,” said Chipper Jones, Atlanta’s veteran third baseman. “I don’t know how his body feels. He may not be 100%, and that may not allow him to get to pitches he normally gets to.

“For three or four years, you didn’t throw a ball over the plate and not have him do ultimate damage. But how long can you keep that pace?”

Bonds didn’t speak to reporters after the game, but before the game, he was asked if playing at home, where the record will be warmly received, is adding more pressure to the home-run chase.

“I don’t know how to answer that,” Bonds said.

Is Bonds feeling anxious?

“I don’t know.”

Would he rather break the record at home? “I do want to do it at home,” Bonds said, “but it’s not like I’m not going to try when we go on the road.”

Is there a fear he will break the record on the road, where he will probably be booed loudly, especially in Dodger Stadium next week? Results of Wednesday’s ESPN poll asking fans if they believe Bonds knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs: Yes: 86%. No: 14%.

“I’m just trying to get a damn hit, that’s basically all I’m trying to do,” Bonds said.

And lift the ball in the air?

“No, I want to keep hitting it on the ground and hitting line drives, because eventually it will go,” Bonds said. “If I try to swing up and hit it up, I won’t do anything.”

Bonds has six hits in 42 at-bats (.143) in his last 14 games, but he’s not sure if his slump has more to do with his sore legs than swing mechanics.

“I’ve just got to take myself back a bit,” he said. “It’s hard to explain what’s going on inside right now. It’s a little more complicated [than mechanics]. There are too many things to narrow it down to one thing.”

Bonds didn’t elaborate on the pressures he might be feeling as he chases Aaron amid the swirling steroid allegations and debate about the legitimacy of his imminent home run record.

But he did provide a glimpse into his emotional state when asked about the possibility of Alex Rodriguez, who has 499 homers, surpassing him one day.

“I can’t wait to talk to Alex about it,” Bonds said, “because it’s something crazy.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

CHASING AARON

Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s home run record of 714 in 1974, and finished with 755. Barry Bonds is closing in on Aaron’s record:

* Home runs: 753.

* Thursday: 1 for 4.

* Projected date to break record: Aug. 12, vs. Pittsburgh.

* Next for Giants: vs. Florida today (Rick Vanden Hurk).

* Bonds vs. Vanden Hurk: Hasn’t faced him.