Bonds tells reporters to stick to baseball

TEMPE, Ariz. – If the latest round of steroids accusations is bothering Barry Bonds, he’s not letting on to it.

Boos coming his way from all directions, Bonds slowly stepped into the batter’s box for his first spring training appearance in two years and struck out swinging on six pitches.

No home-run form yet for the San Francisco star – although he did single sharply to right in his third-inning at-bat. After that, he called it a day, leaving the ballpark in the top of the fourth inning.

Bonds, playing in an exhibition game against the American League West-champion Los Angeles Angels, drew some cheers Thursday during the Giants’ 6-5 loss, two days after the release of excerpts from an upcoming book detailing his alleged longtime steroids regimen.

When asked afterward about the book, Bonds said, “Baseball or nothing.”

“I don’t worry about that stuff,” he said during a 20-minute interview session at his locker back at Scottsdale Stadium. “We can react about baseball questions or we don’t have a conversation. That’s my reaction.”

He noted his frame of mind is still strong – Bonds has become used to blocking out all sorts of distractions in recent years.

“I haven’t shot anybody yet,” a smiling Bonds said of his mind-set. “I haven’t killed anyone or anything, gone psycho.”

It helps that many fans still adore him.

“We love you, Barry!” one man screamed during Bonds’ first at-bat against Angels right-hander Hector Carrasco, the slugger’s first trip to the plate in an Arizona exhibition game since 2004. His single came off Carrasco.

Bonds missed the spring schedule and most of the regular season last year while recovering from knee surgery. He rejoined the Giants after spending Wednesday at home in California for a child custody hearing.