CSN: Bonds talking with Giants about joining staff

SAN FRANCISCO -- A significantly slimmer Barry Bonds made his first appearance of the 2012 season at AT&T Park Monday, and the Home Run King held court with a handful of reporters for about 35 minutes outside the Giants clubhouse, answering every question with direct eye contact and, sometimes, deep-throated laughs.

It was a 180-degree turn from his time as an active player, which included 15 seasons with the Giants and an often-rancorous relationship with the media.

Bonds, who said he was in attendance with a group of children in a charitable capacity, referred to himself as "a felon convicted of obstruction of justice" several times while acknowledging that his case is still in the appeal process.

"I'm a convicted felon of obstruction of justice and that's what I am," he said. "I live with it.

"It will never go off your mind. You never forget those things. You move on (but) I'll never forget it."

He was convicted in April of 2011.

"I was never convicted of steroids," he said

Bonds, who turns 48 on July 24, appeared to be in better shape than half of the Giants' current roster as he also spoke of his new obsession -- cycling, he estimated he biked 400 miles a week -- as helping him slim down, while saying he now weighs between 212-215 pounds.

"But I never weighed more than 238 when I was playing," he said, adding that he underwent surgery on his lower back and left hip in the past five weeks.

He said he spends his time these days watching "cycling, track and the Giants" on television.

"I'm following (Tim) Lincecum a lot," Bonds said. "I hope Brian Wilson comes back strong (from Tommy John Surgery), and I'm very proud of Matt Cain."

Bonds, who last played in the Major Leagues in 2007, when he batted .276? and hit 28 home runs with 66 RBI in 126 games to finish with the record 762 career homers, insisted he did not miss the game.

"No," he said, "I played a long time. I gave my life and my soul, my whole body on the baseball field, and I did it for 22 years?whether you hated me or liked me, you were there?I always played better on the edge."

Still, he figures he has something to give back and said he felt for Lincecum and his latest struggles.

"It happens," Bonds said. "It's how he deals with it. People start to figure things out. He's a wonderful pitcher and a great kid.

"I went through (struggles)."

Perhaps most intriguing, though, is Bonds' revelation that he has talked with Giants President and CEO Larry Baer about re-joining the club, perhaps as a roving instructor, of some sort, "helping major leaguers (and) minor leaguers" in the Giants organization.

"My expertise is baseball," he said.

"If you believe that I can contribute and help the organization, then fine. If you don't, fine. I'm just saying it's out there."

His appeal, both legally and to the Giants front office, notwithstanding, this winter figures to get interesting for Bonds as his name appears for the first time on the Hall of Fame ballot, as do several other key players from the game's Steroid Era such as Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa.

Does the seven-time National League MVP expect to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer?

"I have no idea," he said. "That's up to the writers. I don't worry about that stuff. I'll be at home having a good time with my kids. Or hopefully here. Doing some stuff for other kids. That'll take care of itself. I don't need to worry about that stuff.

"You guys know me. I don't try to predict the future or analyze how other people are thinking or how it's going to turn out?it would be very sad if it didn't happen. That's why I don't need to comment on it. There's really no need."

He had already spoken volumes.

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