Bonds says that his life is in shambles

Seven home runs shy of passing Babe Ruth, this should be a time of unbridled joy and excitement for Barry Bonds. Not so, he says. ''My life is in shambles. It is crazy," Bonds told the Associated Press. ''It couldn't get any crazier. I'm just trying to stay sane." Then, clearly joking, he went for shock value: ''Go to the Empire State Building and jump off, commit suicide, and people can say, 'Barry Bonds is finally dead.' Except for in San Francisco," he said. ''I'll leave something for them." Despite those pronouncements, the 41-year-old Bonds has been upbeat and approachable -- by his standards -- this spring despite the recent release of ''Game of Shadows," the book detailing his alleged longtime regimen for taking performance-enhancing drugs. He appears unfazed at the plate. He's 10 for 16 with four homers in exhibition play despite being held out of San Francisco's lineup for the third straight day because of a tender left elbow .

An insurance claim filed by the Houston Astros to recoup more than $15 million owed to injured first baseman Jeff Bagwell has been denied. The National League champions filed the claim in January to recoup about $15.6 million of the $17 million Bagwell is guaranteed this season in the final year of his contract, arguing he is too hurt to play because of a chronically injured right shoulder. The 37-year-old Bagwell will begin the season on the disabled list and acknowledged Saturday he might never play again . . . Kansas City Royals righthander Runelvys Hernández will start the season on the 15-day disabled list because of concerns about his weight and stamina . . . Reds catcher Jason LaRue had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee . . . Braves closer Chris Reitsma strained his left hamstring and failed to make it through the ninth inning of a 5-4 victory over the Yankees . . . Washington shortstop Cristian Guzmán will miss the start of the season with a right shoulder injury and went on the 15-day disabled list . . . First baseman Erubiel Durazo was released by the Rangers.

The man accused of sparking the brawl between players and fans at The Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004 was convicted of assault in Rochester Hills, Mich., for punching Ron Artest. John Green was acquitted, however, of throwing a cup at Artest -- who was playing for the Pacers at the time -- before the forward charged into the stands and began fighting with Detroit Pistons fans. Green was the last person with a case pending after the brawl. He faces up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. Sentencing was scheduled for May 1.

The Orlando Magic extended the contracts of second-year players Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson through the 2007-08 season . . . Sacramento Kings forward Bonzi Wells was fined $5,000 by the league for punching a ball into the locker room tunnel during the first quarter of Sunday's 90-83 loss to Golden State after being called for a foul . . . Golden State forward Chris Taft will have surgery today to repair a herniated disc in his back, ending his rookie season . . . The Warriors signed guard Will Bynum to a second 10-day contract . . . The Connecticut Sun of the WNBA signed Australian guard Erin Phillips.

COLLEGES

DNA samples taken from 46 Duke lacrosse team members in the investigation of an alleged rape will be tested at a state crime lab in Durham, N.C. An exotic dancer told police she and another dancer were hired March 14 to perform at a small bachelor party, but found themselves surrounded by dozens of men at a house near Duke's East Campus. The dancer said she was pulled into a bathroom, sexually assaulted, and beaten. No one has been arrested . . . Gonzaga's Adam Morrison and Duke's J.J. Redick each received 360 votes to lead the Associated Press men's All-America first team that includes Randy Foye of Villanova, Shelden Williams of Duke, and Brandon Roy of Washington. UConn's Rudy Gay was named to the second team, and Boston College forward Craig Smith made the third team. Northeastern's Jose Juan Barea and UConn's Marcus Williams were honorable mentions . . . Houston gave coach Tom Penders a new five-year contract, adding one year to his current pact . . . Bowdoin senior forward Adam Dunn was named winner of the Joe Concannon Award by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston as New England's best American-born Division 2-3 hockey player.

Tiger Woods and Mark O'Meara beat Sergio Garcia and Retief Goosen, 65-66, in best-ball play to help Isleworth Country Club take a 6-4 lead over Lake Nona after the first day of the Tavistock Cup in Orlando, Fla. . . . Thongchai Jaidee received a special invitation to play in the Masters, making him the first Thailand-born player to compete . . . Maria Sharapova earned a berth in the quarterfinals of the Nasdaq-100 Open at Key Biscayne, Fla., by beating fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. In men's third-round play, James Blake beat Jarkko Nieminen, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, and Andy Roddick topped Fernando Verdasco, 6-3, 6-4 . . . Bjorn Borg has decided not to auction off his five Wimbledon trophies after all. The Swedish great, the only player to win five straight Wimbledon titles, changed his mind after pleas from his fans, London auction house Bonhams said . . . Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Allison will be sidelined indefinitely with a broken bone in his hand . . . Nashville Predators forward Darcy Hordichuk was suspended three games for initiating a fight Saturday night with the Los Angeles Kings' George Parros.