Polite, cordial, even borderline charming, Barry Bonds was everything but a surly slugger when he spoke with the media before the start of this week's Giants-Pirates series at PNC Park. Bonds, 40 and in his 19th major-league season, talked about his reputation, his return to Pittsburgh and his connection to the city of San Francisco. Here are some excerpts from Bonds' interview with the media:
On his reputation as being difficult to get along with:
"There's nothing wrong with me. I know from what my family says. I don't know what you guys say, but at home, life is way different from baseball. Baseball is just my job. A lot of people are a lot different at work than they are at home. You've got to go to work, you've got deadlines to meet, you've got bills to pay. It's a lot different at home. At home, it's peaceful."
On whether he will break the all-time home-run record:
"I don't know if the record is going to happen. I don't really think about the record. There are other things I worry about."
On whether he is the greatest player of all time:
"I don't think that's a fair label on anyone. Babe Ruth was great in his era. Hank Aaron was great. Willie Mays was great. In every era, someone comes along and sits on top of that hill. When I'm gone, someone else is going to sit on top of that hill."
On whether he is starting to feel his age:
"Not really. I'm still playing, still playing a lot of games. I get tired a little easier, but I'm still out there."
On his return to Pittsburgh, and if it has any meaning to him:
"I've been gone too long. San Francisco is my home. This will always be the first place that I played, and that's great. This is where I started my career, and I have some fond memories here. Everytime I here, I see all my friends, which is good. But that's where it stands now."
On his relationship with the fans in Pittsburgh:
"The fans have always embraced me here in Pittsburgh, always. I don't ever remember having any bad times here in Pittsburgh. That's just the Pittsburgh media. It's depressing all the time. That's just how it is. I don't think the people take it to heart."
On coming back to have his number retired by the Pirates:
"I'm going to retire whatever uniform I end up in. That's the number I'm going to retire. Hopefully, it's San Francisco."
On his connection to the city of San Francisco:
"My history is San Francisco. That's my father, my godfather. Every friend in the world that I grew up with is there. There's no place in the world like San Francisco for me, right now. I don't know if there ever will be."
