Selig makes effort

SAN FRANCISCO -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was at home watching Barry Bonds and the Giants play when he decided he needed to be at the ballpark to see San Francisco slugger break Hank Aaron's career home run record.

Selig arrived in San Francisco yesterday, and said he'll try and be present when Bonds passes Aaron. In a statement earlier in the day, Selig said he decided to attend "out of respect for the tradition of this game, the magnitude of the record, and the fact that all citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty."

"It's a huge moment in baseball history," Selig said during the Giants' 7-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves in 13 innings last night. "It just struck me this was the appropriate time. Really, it's no more involved than that.

"I'm confident in my decision," he added. "I think it was the right thing for me to be here, and I'm here."

Selig plans to leave Friday for Cooperstown, N.Y., where he'll attend Sunday's Hall of Fame induction ceremonies of Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. But he said he'll rejoin the Giants if Bonds still is chasing the record.

"Chances are yes, I probably would," Selig said.

Selig didn't commit to being part of any on-field celebrations, saying that was up to the Giants organization. He also said he has not talked to Bonds, and does not plan to.

"I try not to talk to players period during the course of the season," Selig said. "Unless they've acted badly."

Bonds entered the game with 753 homers, two shy of the record. He took a called strike in the 10th inning against Atlanta reliever Oscar Villarreal and walked in the 13th.

Earlier, against starter Tim Hudson, he grounded out in the second, singled in the fourth, took a called third strike in the seventh, and popped out to third in the ninth.

Edgar Renteria snapped a 4-4 tie with a two-run double to left in the 13th and Chipper Jones added an RBI single to center for the Braves.

Hudson cruised into the ninth with a 4-0 lead, but he walked the first two batters and gave up a two-out, RBI single to Rich Aurilia. Bob Wickman relieved and allowed a two-run double to Pedro Feliz and a tying single to Bengie Molina as the Giants tied the score, 4-4.

As recently as last weekend, when Selig watched Bonds and the Giants play in Milwaukee, the commissioner said he remained undecided on whether to be in attendance when the record falls. Selig skipped the Giants' homestand opener Monday, watching the game from his home in Milwaukee instead.

But he arrived just before game time last night, and watched from a box on the broadcast level of the press box with Giants executive vice president Larry Baer. Team owner Peter Magowan joined them later.

"It's a prestigious record, it's hard not to be there," Steve Kline said. "It would contradict his words on someone being innocent until proven guilty. They've been after him for a while. If he's found guilty, they can do something different then. Right now, he's about to be the new home run king."

The former owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, Selig has been friends for years with Aaron, who began his career in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves and ended it in 1976 with the Brewers.

In 1974, commissioner Bowie Kuhn was criticized when he was not at the ballpark in Atlanta when Aaron hit his 715th home run to surpass Babe Ruth.