Bonds' first day of workouts remains unclear

Baseball Betting Lines

02/15/2007 -

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Even if Barry Bonds shows up on time to spring training Monday, he likely won't practice with the team until he signs his contract.

The San Francisco slugger is not on the Giants' 40-man roster, which currently stands at 39 after catcher Mike Matheny went on the voluntary retirement list with a concussion.

If Bonds signs his deal, he would fill that open spot.

Yet Bonds' $15.8 million, one-year contract is unresolved because of contract language. Technically, he's still a free agent and not under the Giants' control.

The 42-year-old Bonds has been working out all offseason at UCLA and appears as healthy as ever, according to the Giants, Bonds' trainer and his agent. He had arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left elbow after the 2006 season.

After missing all but 14 games in 2005 following three operations on his right knee, Bonds batted .270 with 26 homers and 77 RBIs and drew 115 walks in 130 games last year.

The seven-time NL MVP begins his 22nd major league season 22 homers shy of breaking Hank Aaron's career record of 755.

The Giants and Bonds' representative, Jeff Borris, have differing views of certain language in his contract and Bonds has yet to sign a revised version.

They originally agreed to terms Dec. 7 on the final day of baseball's winter meetings, then the team announced the deal Jan. 29 and Bonds did an interview via conference call.

At issue are specifics about what would happen if the slugger were to be indicted or face further legal trouble, as well as details about a personal-appearance provision that was rejected by the commissioner's office.

The Giants sent revised documents to Borris, but Bonds has yet to sign them.

A federal grand jury is investigating whether Bonds perjured himself when he testified in 2003 in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid distribution case that he hadn't knowingly taken any performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds long has denied knowingly using steroids.

Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

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Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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