Bonds' early at-bats don't amount to much

The 41-year-old returned to the Giants' lineup for the opener of a series against the Chicago Cubs.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds has accepted the fact he could finish his career next year in the American League as a designated hitter -- if he's still playing at all.
"As a cancer person as I am, who would want to talk to me anyway?" Bonds said, referring to being contacted by other teams once 2006 ends. "I'm supposed to be the biggest cancer around."
The San Francisco slugger was lighthearted and laughing Tuesday with reporters swarmed around his locker, only hours before resuming his pursuit of Babe Ruth's 714 home runs and second place on the career list.
Crowd chants
Before his first at-bat, Bonds nodded to his fans from the on-deck circle and stepped into the batter's box in the first inning to chants of "Barry! Barry!" He received a standing ovation coming to the plate -- then the boos rang out when he walked.
Bonds came up again in the fourth inning and flied out. The game was not completed for today's edition.
Before the game, five times Bonds put his fingers to one side of his lips and moved them like a zipper to the other side, signaling he would be keeping mum on several topics for now.
Would he like to be a DH one day? Zip.
Would joining a contending team be a requirement? Zip.
And what's he think about the two San Francisco Chronicle reporters who wrote "Game of Shadows" detailing his longtime alleged steroids regimen being subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury investigating who leaked them secret testimony from Bonds?
Another zip.
Retirement? He wouldn't go there yet either.
"I said I was going to retire way back at Candlestick," Bonds said, grinning.
Back in lineup
The 41-year-old Bonds returned to the Giants' lineup for the opener of a three-game series against former skipper Dusty Baker and the Chicago Cubs after getting the night off for Monday's makeup game against Houston.
Bonds, who hit career homer No. 713 on Sunday night with a 450-foot shot in Philadelphia, has always said he would like to call it quits with the Giants. His father, Bobby, and godfather, Willie Mays, played for San Francisco and this is Bonds' 14th season with the club.
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