Judge Denies Bid by Bonds’ Lawyers

A judge in San Francisco on Friday denied a bid by Barry Bonds’ lawyers to block the authors and publishers from making money on a book claiming the San Francisco Giant slugger used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds’ attorneys sued the book’s authors, publisher Gotham Books, the San Francisco Chronicle and Sports Illustrated, which published excerpts of the book, saying they should be held liable for publishing “illegally obtained grand jury transcripts.”

They sought a temporary restraining order on all profits from the book.

Judge James Warren denied that request. The lawsuit stands, although the judge said he thought it had little chance of success.

The book, “Game of Shadows,” by Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, is based partly on grand jury testimony from a federal investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or BALCO, where Bonds and several other major league players allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds did not attend the hearing.

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Detroit Tiger pitcher Kenny Rogers won’t face possible jail time for knocking down a cameraman during a videotaped tirade last year if he completes an anger management class, prosecutors said in Fort Worth.

Rogers, who pitched for the Texas Rangers last season, signed a two-year, $16-million deal with the Tigers during the off-season.

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Jorge Posada’s broken nose might keep the New York Yankee catcher out of the lineup on opening day. Posada is resting at home after he was hit in the face by a ball while playing catch with backup Kelly Stinnett before Wednesday night’s game against Boston.... Seattle Mariner center fielder Jeremy Reed has a broken bone in his right wrist and could be out six weeks.... St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Larry Bigbie is expected to be sidelined at least two weeks because of a stress fracture in his left foot.... Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Keith Foulke, returning after undergoing operations on both knees, struck out all three batters he faced while pitching against a minor league team in his first exhibition game.... The Arizona Diamondbacks released left-handed reliever Felix Heredia.