Surgery rumoured for Bonds

Barry Bonds, who still wants a chance to resume his baseball career, reportedly underwent hip surgery recently.

Baseball's home run king had the operation with the intent of resuming his playing career, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

With the start of spring training six weeks away, Bonds would not be fully healed by then, but could be by Opening Day.

However, before Bonds can think of resuming his baseball career, he is still facing a March trial on charges of lying to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice in the BALCO case.

The 44-year-old Bonds, who has a record 762 career homers, did not play last season. He last appeared in a major league game for the San Francisco Giants on September 26, 2007.

In October, the Players' Association said it had evidence that teams conspired against signing Bonds last season. However, the union reached an agreement with commissioner Bud Selig to delay the filing of any grievance.

Bonds, whose trial is scheduled to begin on March 2, pleaded not guilty to 14 counts - since reduced to 10 - of making false statements to a federal grand jury and one count of obstructing justice. He is accused of lying during 2003 grand jury testimony when he said he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.