Major League Baseball
Notebook: Bonds randomly tested for steroids

By Seattle Times news services

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SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds was randomly tested for steroids before Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. All major-league players must undergo a test as part of the drug-prevention program between Major League Baseball and the players' association.

"Go talk to all the other guys," Bonds said yesterday. "I'm not the only guy who was tested. Why are you talking to me?"

Bonds was more forthcoming with a MLB.com reporter Friday.

"I'm glad this is finally happening," he said. "They'll get the results and it will clear my name. It'll show that there's nothing behind what I've been doing (on the field) all year."

But Bonds denied the implication that his name needed to be cleared.

"My name ain't dirty," Bonds said.

Bonds is having arguably his best year ever, which should provide evidence that he didn't need the use of performance-enhancing drugs to put up his past numbers.

Bonds is leading the National League with a .371 batting average and is on the verge of breaking his records for on-base percentage (.611) and OPS (1.445, on-base plus slugging percentage).

Bonds has been under intense scrutiny since last winter, when he testified before a grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative for the illegal sale of drugs. Bonds was further linked to the investigation when his friend and personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was indicted on charges of distributing steroids.

Yankees' Brown to start today
 
BOSTON — Kevin Brown will return to the New York Yankees' rotation today to start the series finale against the Boston Red Sox.

Brown has been out since breaking his non-pitching hand when he punched a clubhouse wall on Sept. 3. The right-hander threw in the bullpen Friday, wearing a glove but letting someone else catch the return throws.

Brown will pitch wearing a glove with extra padding. He practiced with it yesterday, taking grounders during pregame infield practice.

"I had no problem. It was kind of like the final hurdle," he said. "I felt pretty confident that I'd be able to catch the ball and pitch. The good thing about this is I get a chance to get my feet wet before playoffs."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said he hadn't decided whether Brown will be in the playoff rotation.

Note

• Hundreds of Montreal Expos fans held a rally near Olympic Stadium in the faint hope of dissuading baseball from moving their hometown team.

Several speakers, including Jacques Doucet, the club's longtime French broadcaster, and Michel Filteau, who organized the rally, addressed a crowd of approximately 500 people in a parking lot adjacent to the Pierre Charbonneau Centre.

"I think the fans could be the spark for the renewal or the rebirth of the Expos," Filteau said. "It will pass by the fans first. They have to take the leadership in that cause. Like with Minnesota, when they decided to contract the Twins the whole community got behind saving the team, so we have to do the same thing."

The Expos have four home games remaining, and Wednesday night's game against Florida could be the last big-league game at Olympic Stadium.

After years of dwindling attendance in Montreal, baseball is expected to relocate the team for the 2005 season. Washington, D.C., is the leading candidate.