By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 8, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7 -- When the Washington Nationals were preparing to come here and face Barry Bonds as he pursued baseball's all-time home run record, first baseman Dmitri Young summed up his feelings thusly: "Whoop-de-woo." In reference to Bonds's personality, he told the Boston Globe on Monday, "It would nice if he just talked to someone."

Tuesday, Young reiterated his indifference to Bonds's push to pass Hank Aaron's record of 755 homers; the two were tied entering play Tuesday.

"I don't know him," Young said of Bonds. "I know Ken Griffey Jr. well. I played with him. I'm just being biased. I would love to see Ken Griffey Jr. break the record because of how I feel about him."

Young, who entered play Tuesday hitting .339 -- third best in the National League -- was teammates with Bonds in the All-Star Game last month at AT&T Park.

"I really didn't talk to him," Young said. "I talked to everyone else, definitely."

Monday night, Young's 10th-inning homer gave the Nationals a good chance to win the first game of the series, though they eventually lost, 3-2, in 11 innings. Manager Manny Acta has been a fan of Young's attitude since he joined the team in spring training, and his story of rejuvenation -- overcoming drug, alcohol, legal and health issues -- has been told often in the clubhouse.

"Everybody knows we don't get tired of talking about the same thing because it is a great story," Acta said. "We're not out here lying. He's legit. He's a good guy."

If things had worked out differently, Acta might have been sitting in the home dugout this week managing both the Giants and the chaos around Bonds's chase. San Francisco was one of the teams Acta, then the third base coach with the New York Mets, interviewed with last year.

"I kind of knew that it wasn't going to be an easy year for whoever was managing here with everything surrounding the history-making with Barry," Acta said. "But I never thought of that. I always think I could handle any type of situation."