California Sports Journal

"We have no new reports on Barry Bonds. We have no old reports on Barry Bonds," said head athletic trainer Stan Conte before the Giants’ Wednesday game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Chronicle article cited a March 22 press conference at which Bonds said he might not play this season because of his Jan. 1 and March 17 surgeries on his right knee.

Some observers have interpreted Bonds’ failure to return by May 1, roughly six weeks after his last surgery, as evidence that Bonds may not return at all this year. Giants Manager Felipe Alou said Bonds’ recovery is not falling behind schedule, since there has never been a set date for Bonds to return.

"Anytime for us, the sooner the better," Alou said.

Alou, who said he has had two knee surgeries himself, said back-to-back surgeries combined with Bonds' 40 years of age results in a longer recovery process. Although Alou compared Bonds’ career longevity to that of Willie Mays, he did suggest that the older a player gets, the harder the recovery from injury.

"When you get up to a certain age you never know when you’re going to go," Alou said. "There’s a time when you just cannot do it anymore."

J.T. Snow is No Go

Giants first baseman J.T. Snow is recovering well from the groin injury he suffered during Monday’s game against the San Diego Padres.

Conte said after taking Tuesday off to rest, Snow’s groin was much better.

"J.T. is improved, which is significant," Conte said. "When we talk about groin injuries, they either get better or they get worse. His is getting better."

Although Snow remains listed on the day-to-day basis, Conte said the disabled list can’t be ruled out just yet.

"At this stage in the season we tend to lean to the conservative," Conte said.