SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Bud Selig plans to be extremely cautious before buying into the idea Barry Bonds took steroids for years.

The commissioner insists he won't be part of ruining the slugger's reputation based on "antectdotal evidence."

First, Selig wants to get all the facts, meaning he wants to read the soon-to-be-released book that describes in vivid detail Bonds' alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. Then he'll decide whether any action is necessary.

"I'm going to be very sensitive about all that because, after all, you're playing with people's lives and their reputations," Selig said Wednesday, a day after Sports Illustrated released excerpts from "Game of Shadows," written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters.

"All of us ought to be careful. The commissioner certainly is going to be careful. It doesn't mean I don't have interest. I've spent more time talking to doctors, trainers, players from different generations. I've talked with a lot of people, more than anybody will ever know."

On a day when Bonds was in California for a child custody hearing, baseball kept buzzing about him — specifically, about the book and its insights into what might have been his longtime juicing regimen.

Selig, in Phoenix for the Canada-U.S. World Baseball Classic game, said he had no plans to meet with Bonds and would wait until the book's release later in the month to comment further.

The Giants responded to Selig's comments by saying they would cooperate fully with the commissioner.

Bonds, who has repeatedly denied using steroids, posted a note on his Web site thanking fans for their support without mentioning the newest allegations. His lawyer, meanwhile, questioned the book's credibility.

All around baseball, Bonds was topic No. 1.

Boston pitcher David Wells said Bonds should "be a man and come out and say that he did it" if he used steroids. Wells said Bonds "probably" used them.

"If you're guilty and you got caught, come clean. I think you can get a lot more respect from people than (by) lying," Wells said.

Roger Clemens offered another opinion.

"I worry more about the man's health than I do about him hitting home runs or whatever this witch hunt we're on," the Team USA ace said. "I think he got hammered pretty good last year, and it seems to be happening again this year. I don't know if it's going to change anything."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said Bonds' Hall of Fame status was up to individual voters, adding that the overall steroids scandal has given baseball "a black eye" and watered down home run numbers.