Bret Boone tries to re-enter family business

VIERA, Fla. — The Boones of baseball are back together, under one roof, at least for now.

Bob Boone, the father and assistant general manager, drove to work at the Washington Nationals' spring training camp Monday morning with veteran infielder Aaron Boone, his son.

Not long thereafter, Bret Boone — Bob's son and Aaron's older brother — showed up for a surprise news conference at Space Coast Stadium, announcing he's coming out of retirement to try to make a comeback. He turns 39 in April, and hasn't played in a game since 2005.

"At this stage, I didn't have 30 teams banging my door down," said Bret, a three-time All-Star who signed a nonguaranteed, minor-league contract. "It's an opportunity, and I'm very appreciative of it. Everybody doesn't get to do this."

He, however, has baseball in his bloodlines. Three generations' worth.

All the way back to his late grandfather, Ray Boone, an infielder who made his major-league debut in 1948 and was on two All-Star teams. Bob, a catcher, made seven All-Star teams, playing until age 42. Aaron, expected to be a backup at first base and third base for Washington this season, was an All-Star in 2003.

So on Monday, Bret sat at a table in the interview room, flanked by manager Manny Acta and GM Jim Bowden, discussing his return. And there was Bob, leaning against a wall to watch and listen, wearing his blue cap with the curly "W" on it in his official capacity as vice president of player development, and wearing a smile on his face in his capacity as Dad.

Bret opens the spring in the Nationals' accelerated development camp for minor-leaguers.

Earlier in his career, he was a four-time Gold Glove winner at second base, compiling 252 homers and 1,021 runs batted in over 14 seasons with five teams. Only Jeff Kent and Hall of Fame member Ryne Sandberg have hit more major-league homers as a second baseman.

His best years came with Seattle, including 2001, when he hit .331 with 37 homers and 141 RBI. The season before? His numbers were .251, 19 homers, 74 RBI.

During spring training with the Mariners in 2005, Bret addressed an allegation in former slugger Jose Canseco's book, "Juiced," that Bret acknowledged to Canseco in 2001 he used steroids.

"I don't know the person. He doesn't know me. I've never had a conversation with him. As far as I'm concerned, it's absolutely ridiculous," Bret said at the time.

He went to spring training in 2006 with the New York Mets but called it quits before playing in an exhibition game. Looking back Monday, he said: "I was in no position mentally to continue on at that point. I needed to walk away."

But the son knew what he had to do, including change the sort of person he was away from the gloves, bats and balls.

"I've just changed my way of life a little bit. I've always been a guy that goes out and likes to have a good time — maybe at times, too good of a time," Bret said. "And that kind of all catches up to you, and you've got to look in the mirror and find out: Where are you going? Where are you going with your life?"

In the fall, the Nationals asked Bret to go to Florida to work as an instructor for minor-leaguers, feeding thoughts about giving it one more shot as a player.