Bonds has knee surgery; status for opener in doubt

Thursday, March 17, 2005 | 10:47 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

Barry Bonds underwent a second operation on his right knee today in San Francisco, a setback that could complicate his hopes of being ready for opening day.

While the San Francisco Giants offered no timetable for Bonds' return, it took the seven-time NL MVP more time than expected to recover from the original surgery on the knee Jan. 31.

The Giants said in a statement that Bonds had arthroscopic surgery to repair tears in the knee. The operation was performed in the Bay Area by Art Ting, the same doctor who performed Bonds' earlier surgery.

Bonds, 40, has "experienced periods of swelling in his knee following an incident when he accidentally hit his knee on a table at SBC Park Feb. 4. Neither rest nor his current rehabilitation program has helped alleviate the periodic swelling," the Giants said in a release.

Bonds, who returned to San Francisco on Wednesday from spring training, hasn't worked out on the field since taking batting practice Sunday. He hasn't played in any exhibition games, but had hoped to be ready for opening day April 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lowe, whom the Dodgers signed to a four-year, $36 million free-agent contract in January after he helped the Boston Red Sox break their 85-year world championship drought last fall, will get the ball April 5 at San Francisco. Weaver will pitch the third and final game of that series April 7 to line himself up to face the Giants again April 12 at Dodger Stadium.

Tracy said he hasn't decided who will pitch in between the two, but he did say it probably would be a left-hander. That means it probably would be Odalis Perez, but it could be either Kazuhisa Ishii or Wilson Alvarez.

"The opportunity is there for a few guys," Mets manager Willie Randolph said Wednesday. "We'll see who takes the bull by the horns."

The Mets, with a solid rotation of Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano, figured they were all set with Trachsel penciled in as their fifth starter.

But Trachsel, always counted on to make his starts and chew up innings, will have surgery Saturday to repair a herniated disk in his back.

Wood, who has bursitis in the shoulder and inflammation near the rotator cuff, worked from the pitcher's mound and threw about 30 pitches, pitching coach Larry Rothschild said.

Prior, who has inflammation in his elbow and irritation to the ulnar nerve, played catch from about 80 feet for five minutes.

Damon got a scare earlier this week when he experienced swelling just above his right ankle and in his groin.