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Playoffs are Bonds' priority, not MVP trophies

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Barry Bonds is favored to win his record fifth MVP, is going for his first batting crown, and is among the major league leaders in almost every important offensive category.

Yet all those personal accolades won't mean much unless the San Francisco slugger proves himself in the playoffs.

The Giants are close to clinching a postseason spot, and once they do, Bonds must show he can do something beyond the regular season.

Bonds never has been to a World Series. He has never even won a playoff series in five trips to the postseason, and his own performances are a big reason why. Bonds is hitting only .196 with one home run and six RBIs in 97 at-bats, hardly the numbers of baseball's best player.

That's why his mind is not on the MVP.

When asked how he would weigh winning a fifth NL MVP, Bonds said, ``I don't.''

``Just win,'' he said. ``I don't like talking about it right now. Just winning. That's the only priority on my mind.''

Bonds does have a strong opinion on who shouldn't be considered for the honor: all pitchers.

Eliminating World Series co-MVPs Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks certainly would boost Bonds' chances of winning his second straight MVP.

``A pitcher will never get it anymore,'' Bonds said Tuesday night. ``It won't happen. It's not bad for baseball, it's an insult to everyday players. Everybody has their own individual awards for a reason.''

The 38-year-old Bonds owns the single-season home run record and is an 11-time All-Star.

He helped the Giants to a three-game lead over Los Angeles in the NL wild-card race heading into Wednesday night's games.

Bonds is leading the majors in hitting this season after slamming a record 73 homers last year. In seven division series games, he's hitting .207, and is worse in 20 league championship series games at .191.

San Francisco manager Dusty Baker also is avoiding all the MVP hype.

``I don't talk about that until the end of the season,'' he said.

Arizona's two aces lead the majors in wins with 23 each both in 34 starts. They also have logged the most innings both around 250, some 20 innings more than AL leader Tim Hudson of Oakland.

The left-handed Johnson (23-5) has won the NL Cy Young Award the past three years and has the lowest ERA in the league. Schilling, an overpowering right-hander, was 23-7 after losing Wednesday at St. Louis.

Bonds had 45 homers heading into Wednesday night's game against the San Diego Padres at Pacific Bell Park, after hitting a two-run shot Tuesday night for No. 612 of his career.

He was batting a major league leading .372 with 108 RBIs. His average was 32 points higher than any other NL hitter (Colorado's Larry Walker was second at .340 average.

No San Francisco player has won a batting title, and the last member of the New York Giants to do it was Willie Mays in 1954.

Bonds has the top on-base percentage, slugging percentage and road average in baseball. He's even the most effective in hitting in night games, and versus right-handers.

On top of that, Bonds has drawn a major league-record 193 walks, including 65 intentional. The Padres alone have walked him 33 times this year.

He wouldn't provide his thoughts on who should win the American League MVP Alex Rodriguez of Texas, Oakland's Miguel Tejada and Alfonso Soriano of the New York Yankees are the top candidates though Bonds previously has said A-Rod's chances are not as good because he's not playing on a contending team.

``I don't play in the AL, I play in the NL,'' Bonds said.

His reasoning on why pitchers should not be MVP-eligible: they have ample opportunity to be recognized.

``Pitchers can win MVP in a playoff or World Series,'' Bonds said. ``Most of them do anyway. They can pitch three games in a series.''

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