Bonds not sweating off-field issues

Barry Bonds insisted he's unfazed by all his off-the-field issues and is ready to resume his pursuit of the home run record.

"Let them investigate. Let them, they've been doing it this long," Bonds said Tuesday after his first spring training workout with the San Francisco Giants. "It doesn't weigh on me at all -- at all. It's just you guys talking. It's just media conversation."

The slugger arrived at the Giants' training site in Scottsdale, Ariz., more fit than in recent years following a productive winter of conditioning.

Noticeably absent were his two personal trainers, Greg Oliver and Harvey Shields, who no longer can be with the slugger at the ballpark. Bonds, who spent the weekend in Las Vegas for the NBA All-Star game, was flanked by his two publicists and a Major League Baseball security guard assigned to him.

He joked with new teammate Barry Zito in their corner space of the clubhouse, then the 42-year-old Bonds made his way through the room and greeted outfielder Jason Ellison, infielder Rich Aurilia and pitcher Matt Morris.

He shagged fly balls and hit five home runs in batting practice, including a shot to the berm in right-center on a fastball from No. 2 starter Matt Cain.

"He's an incredible talent," new Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He showed it today on the first day."

Bonds still could be indicted if a federal grand jury determines that he perjured himself when testifying in 2003 in the BALCO steroid distribution case that he hadn't knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds, who has long denied ever using steroids, said his level of concern about the investigation is "none."

Last month, the New York Daily News reported that Bonds failed an amphetamines test last season and then attributed it to a substance he took from teammate Mark Sweeney's locker. Bonds publicly apologized to Sweeney at the time, then stretched alongside him and Ray Durham on the first day of workouts.

"I did not blame Mark Sweeney," Bonds said Tuesday, noting he apologized only "because you guys just started talking about it and I just thought it was unfair for him to be accused of something that wasn't true."

Asked if he had failed an amphetamines test, Bonds declined to comment. He also denied reports that he wasn't always available to pinch-hit last season.

"That's not true at all," said Bonds, who has language about behavior in his new contract. "I'm always available. I'm in uniform, so I'm always available."

At Yankees camp in Tampa, Fla., Bernie Williams rejected New York's offer of a minor league contract and will wait to see if a guaranteed job opens up for him on the team.

Yankees manager Joe Torre spoke with Williams last week and tried to reach him, without success, on Sunday.

"Bernie told me he had talked with Joe. Other than the invite, there wasn't any information that led him to believe he would be a member of the team," Williams' agent, Scott Boras, said Tuesday. "He's continuing to work out, will wait to see if their position changes."

Williams signed with the Yankees in 1985 and came up to the major league team in 1991. Torre had hoped the outfielder would be on the field as position players started workouts Tuesday and that Williams would compete for a spot on the roster.

"Evidently, what I've said to him hasn't been enough for him," Torre said. "I know he was down when I talked to him."

Williams helped the Yankees win four World Series titles from 1996-2000 and is hurt the team hasn't offered him a guaranteed job. Now 38, he lost his starting center field spot to Johnny Damon last year but hit .281 with 12 homers and 61 RBIs in 420 at-bats as a backup, seeing significant time after Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield got hurt.

"He certainly feels he can be a helpful contributor in '07," Boras said. "He wants to remain loyal to the Yankees and doesn't feel it's appropriate for him to play for another club."

In Mesa, Ariz., Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a $12.4 million, one-year contract Tuesday, avoiding salary arbitration by striking the deal just before the scheduled hearing.

Zambrano earned $6.5 million last season while going 16-7 with a 3.41 ERA and 210 strikeouts. He asked for $15.5 million in arbitration, while the Cubs countered at $11,025,000 -- more than any player has been awarded.

"I feel good, ready to go," Zambrano said. "I'm ready to lead this team to the championship, to win in this city."

In Peoria, Ariz., Ichiro Suzuki discussed the possibility that he might become a free agent for the first time. Seattle's sleek, six-time All-Star and perennial Gold Glove outfielder said "It is possible I will go to free agency" after the 2007 season.

Suzuki's $44 million, four-year deal ends this fall. This is the first time in his 15 years of professional baseball with Seattle and with Orix in Japan that he's playing the final season of a contract.

"I have never had the choice to choose for myself which road I want to take," Suzuki said through interpreter Ken Barron. "So if you ask me is it possible that I will go to free agency, yes, it is possible.

"But if you ask me what are my feelings toward it, at this point I cannot express it. I am not even sure myself. But what I can say is my mind is full of having the best season possible."

Suzuki said he doesn't know if the Mariners have approached his agent, Tony Attanasio, about a new contract.

In other news from the Seattle camp, reliever Mark Lowe will have another MRI next week to determine when he can start throwing following elbow surgery in October, and former San Diego third baseman Sean Burroughs' comeback attempt as a non-roster invitee has been delayed because of a fishing accident.

At Kissimmee, Fla., Andruw Jones showed up to Braves camp about 10 pounds lighter and made it clear he'll be looking to get paid "market value" in his new deal.

Jones, entering the final year of his contract, put up 92 homers and 257 RBIs over the past two seasons while extending his Gold Glove streak to nine. But he might be too expensive for the Braves to keep. The team is going through an ownership change and has reduced payroll in recent years.

"I'm under contract to the Braves right now," Jones said. "Hopefully, by the end of the season, we'll be able to accomplish something so I can stay here. I want to be a Brave for life."

While there was a perception that Jones gave the Braves a hometown discount in his last contract, bringing in his father to help with the negotiations instead of agent Scott Boras, it looks as though the center fielder will be looking to get full value this time.

In Tucson, Ariz., White Sox third baseman Joe Crede said he's under no restrictions at spring training after undergoing an extensive back rehab program instead of having surgery.

Crede, bothered by two herniated disks for part of last season, will work out in the weight room for 30 to 45 minutes a day to prevent back issues from becoming a continual problem.

"I am ready to go. There is nothing going to hold me back. I am not going to take it easy on anything," Crede said. "I feel good where we are at. We put in a different program than what we had last year. It is more strict and it concentrates more on the muscles that surround the back. I don't anticipate there will be as many problems as there were last year."

Back stiffness near the end of the season led Crede to take cortisone shots. In the closing weeks, he hit just .179 with two homers, but finished third among American League third baseman in home runs (30), RBIs (94), slugging percentage (.506) and extra-base hits (61). He batted .283 in 150 games.

In Surprise, Ariz., new Rangers center fielder Kenny Lofton made his first appearance in the clubhouse.

"It's good to be here," Lofton said.

Lofton, a six-time All-Star who will turn 40 in July, is with his 11th team in 17 major league seasons. He has been to the playoff 10 times with six teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, when he hit .301 with 32 stolen bases. Lofton is a .299 career hitter with 599 stolen bases.