Yankees Discussing Barry Bonds, AP Reports

Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner -- in a statement possibly underscoring an exclusive report last week by MLBnewsonline -- has acknowledged that free agent home run king Barry Bonds will be among the subjects undertaken during a meeting of the team hierarchy in Tampa over the next few days.

"I'll mention it. We'll cover everything. No stone will be left unturned," Steinbrenner told the Associated Press in a report carried by ESPN.

Steinbrenner's statement could be interpreted as suggesting that this would be the first time the Yankees have considered signing Bonds. However, the aforementioned previous report by an MLBnewsonline contributor writing as " The Bronx Bomber" quoted a confidential clubhouse source saying that Bonds has been under consideration in recent days, and that a proposed contract was already being composed.

Before tendering the contract, the team was only waiting to see whether injured right fielder Hideki Matsui would be out for the season, the source said.

Others participating in the talks are co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman and special adviser and former general manager Gene Michael, the AP said.

Though majority partner George Steinbrenner resides in Tampa, there was no indication he would participate.

A team spokesman previously would neither confirm nor deny the MLBnewsonline report about Bonds, though it was generally ridiculed in legitimate media and across the blogosphere.

Matsui -- on the disabled list with a knee injury since June 23 -- is still attempting a rehabilitation regimen to see whether he can put off surgery until after the season. The surgery would likely sideline him until next spring or later.