Rays reportedly interested in Bonds
Barry Bonds is looking for a job, and the Tampa Bay Rays might be interested in the home run king.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said he knew "little" about what was going on, but acknowledged some thought has been given to adding Bonds to the roster.
"A minor discussion was thrown out there a little bit, and it's really not gone any further than that," Maddon said after Monday's workout at the team's spring training facility in St. Petersburg, Fla. "That's all it is right now."
The St. Petersburg Times reported in Monday's editions that team officials have conferred among themselves about Bonds and other veteran unsigned free agents, such as Kenny Lofton and Mike Piazza. Andrew Friedman, Rays vice president of baseball operations, called the report a "non-story."
Bonds, who broke Hank Aaron's career home run record last summer, has pleaded not guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice charges stemming from testimony to a federal grand jury in 2003 in which he said he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he had interest in signing Bonds the last two offseasons, but each time the team's front office decided against it.
La Russa, who was looking for a power bat to protect No. 3 hitter Albert Pujols each year, said he was told the asking price for the slugger was too high. This winter, La Russa said he dropped the issue after a discussion with new general manager John Mozeliak.
