As you would expect with a SD pitcher, Eaton has an enormous home-away split. He sports an PETCO-deflated 2.74 ERA at home but a not-so-deflated 4.91 on the road. This is even more pronounced than the San Diego staff in general (3.70 at the anti-Coors, 4.61 away).

The San Fran park is hardly a hitter's haven. But I have to think Eaton - who must know that his numbers ain't so hot outside PETCO and whose post-All-Star ERA is 5.68 - will be careful with Bonds, regardless of rust, age, or lack of non-team chemistry.

Mostly breaking stuff off the outside corner, and a walk is no big deal.

The man hasn't done the deed against major league pitching in almost a year; you have to throw him strikes and make him prove he can still hit them.

I say throw at his knees.

Bonds won't be nearly the player he was, at least not yet. He will get fatigued if he has to start chasing balls in left. And pitching is about timing and he hasn't seen major league pitching in a while. Move out and in, out and in, don't let him see the same thing.

Don't be afraid of Bonds until he gives you a reason to be afraid of him - if he's rusty, Eaton should definitely challenge him to see what he can still hit.

That said, Eaton shouldn't give him a fastball down the middle of the plate. But nibbling at corners isn't the best way to go either.

I would drill him to say welcome back mr steroid

I have no doubts that Bonds will be at the top of his game at the plate, and will be slow and clumsy in the outfield.

Honestly, I hope Eaton strikes him out looking, then in the 4th Bonds hits a little roller to first and hurts himself running to first ala Juan Gonzalez.

Let the "BLACO baby" do his pregame media show and then fall flat on his face. No steroids to help your recovery this time Barry, oops, I mean no topical creams given to you by your trainer that you *wink wink* didn't KNOW were steroids...

Completely irrelevant to Bonds - except that the sport had its own drug scandal with its biggest star not so long ago - is news from baseball's ancient and distant cousin...

England is closing in on the Ashes right now, thanks to superb batting by Kevin Pietersen. They only have to hold out for a couple more hours to get a draw in the final match and a 2-1 win in the Ashes series.

This would be England's first victory over the old enemy Australia in nearly twenty years. I'm listening to the BBC broadcast right now, and the English crowd is going more bonkers than just about any cricket crowd in history.

And if you don't have the foggiest what I'm talking about, check www.cricinfo.com for a quick tutorial (wink).

Well, I jinxed the poor guy. Australia just got Pietersen out. Bowled by Glenn McGrath, if you really want to know.

He had a pretty good at bat, though they don't call it that. (It's an "innings," plural.) Pietersen lasted over four hours and put 158 runs on the board.

Somehow, I don't think Bonds will do quite as well tonight, even in baseball terms.

I'm on the "until he proves he can still hit, throw him strikes" bandwagon. In fact, I would bust him up and in with a heater on the first pitch just to test his bat speed.

Yup, up and in, then down and away. Then some curveballs. Barry's got to prove that he can hit. And run.

Absolute truth. A Canadian just posted this on the BBC sports board:

"Thank you England and Aussies for great, tension filled entertainment. This is every bit as good as the Red Sox winning the World Series last fall."

Well, the curse didn't last quite as long for England. They've won the Ashes now, though the last overs are being played out as a formality.

Put him on, make him run the bases. Make someone else beat you.

I would be worried about pitching to him - he's still Bonds. And it's laughable to think that Major League Baseball's steroid testing is going to stop Bonds from taking them.

Someone above said he won't have much timing, so in that case, change speeds....fastballs and changeups. I agree with the majority, challenge him until he proves he is the Bonds of old, and not an old Bonds.

Yeah, that testing policy that caught nice guy Palmeiro will be giving that jerk Bonds a free ride. Sure, JC. If they can get him, they will. He doesn't appear to have lost much weight, does he? Anyway, pitch to him. Let's see what happens. they wont though, the way the Padres have played this year, they're probably affraid he'd tie up the division with one swing of the bat.

What with all his "knee problems" Barry's been away long enough to get the steroids out of his system. At least, that's what the cynical part of me thinks.

Do players on the DL get tested too? Has Barry been tested?

Does ANYONE actually pay attention to the facts anymore? Players on the DL can and were tested this year, including Bonds - so I really don't want to read another comment about him waiting to get the roids out of his system.

As for how the Padres should pitch to him, going at his knees would be a horrible idea as it's very likely it would lead to one of their own getting drilled and possibly hurt, and at least a few suspensions when it's all over (not a good idea when you're trying to hang on and win the division).