Alex Rodriguez recently told Barry Bonds he wants Bonds' home run record, and his tone in his meeting with the New York Yankees on Tuesday reflected that ambition, according to a source familiar with the details of the discussion. Rodriguez is 39 years old, hasn't seen a pitch in a major league game in 504 days, and faces a spring training perp walk as he returns from the most notorious suspension in baseball history -- and he is apparently convinced he can come back and not only contribute, but also be great.

Delusional? Probably. He is an old ballplayer, propped up on two surgically repaired hips, and even if you give him the benefit of the doubt -- at your own peril, of course -- and presume he no longer takes performance-enhancing drugs, nobody knows if he can be effective without the benefit of that chemistry.

But while we can rightly doubt his sincerity and wonder whether his career was built in a beaker, no one should ever question how much he loves to play baseball, and at this point does he really have any other choice? Emotional surrender to his current context would be tantamount to embracing the baseball exile that awaits him after his final game.

He is fighting to extend his time in the game he loves, so why not reach for the highest possible goals and visualize the best possible results?

There is this reality on his side, too: As fractured as his relationship with the Yankees is, he will play if he can still hit. His salary, more than $61 million over the next three seasons, will be the tiebreaker. If Rodriguez shocks the world and demonstrates he can still get to an inside fastball and bats .400 in spring training, who do you think the Yankees will use, the former All-Star who they must pay tens of millions of dollars and is still a ratings draw, or Garrett Jones?

(Full disclosure: This goes for media members, such as myself, as well. I'm headed to spring training next week, and I'm guessing I'll be talking more about Rodriguez than Chris Young.)

The money dynamic all but guarantees he will get a fair shot in spring training to show whether he can still play. The Yankees could live with him if the only distraction he provides is with his swing. On the other hand, if he doesn't hit and is a problem, it will diminish his chances for getting those last days on the field that he craves.

I asked some folks in the sport what they would tell Rodriguez about how to handle himself going forward, given his unique circumstances. "My advice to him would be this: Less is more," an executive not with the Yankees said. "Act like you are a rookie and be seen and not heard. Just try to be part of the team and fit in to what the team is doing and make it about the name on the front of the jersey and not the back of the jersey.

"No distractions, answer questions politely but maybe defer to other teammates, something along the lines of, 'I didn't even play last year and I sucked in 2013; go talk to somebody more impactful than me,' and just keep to yourself. Less is more, and just be No. 13 and not A-Rod."

Along those lines, the Yankees officials reportedly told Rodriguez in the Tuesday meeting that they'd like him to get his first media scrum -- his next confessional -- out of the way before the team's pitchers and catchers report next week. They want their spring training to be only about baseball and not about the return of Rodriguez.

"He needs to make sure that first [news conference] doesn't have anything close to the vibe of the one he did in spring training of 2009," said an agent who doesn't represent Rodriguez.

That was the news conference when Rodriguez read from a statement -- see the video here -- and paused for what seemed like hours, theoretically choked up by the thought of his teammates supporting him. Then he went on and stacked the next in a series of his untruths, sitting in front of a Yankees logo.

"No teammates this time around," the agent said. "They should stay away. Change the setting, change the image, change the tone. I'd have him sitting in the dugout, alone."

After that, the agent said, "If he was my client, I'd tell him to shut his mouth and go to camp. I'd tell him to stop talking to the media and just play.

"Do I think he can do it? No way. … He'll just revert back to being the same B.S. chameleon."

A player with a team other than the Yankees sent a text about what he would tell Rodriguez. "I wouldn't tell him anything," the player said. "He's a grown man who has been around the game a long time. I would just expect him to be a professional and play the game hard. I wouldn't treat him any differently than I would anyone else. Everyone has things about them that they've done that I don't agree with, and vice versa. It all goes away between the lines."

That's the most important thing: Once the games start, the competition is the common denominator, and Rodriguez will have a chance to enumerate his skill and passion, like everyone else on the field.

He should quietly volunteer to make all the bus rides. Manager Joe Girardi would never take him up on that, but the gesture is important. He should volunteer to go to a side field and not be in a main group of position players, as a way of honoring the Yankees' intention to field Chase Headley as the every-day third baseman. He should make it clear he's fine entering exhibitions as a reserve, to embrace every possibility that he might get a plate appearance. He has always taken the time to speak to younger players, but now he should make a point of remaining accessible for the Yankees' minor leaguers through games -- for him, that's a form of community service.

His interaction with the media should be done outside the clubhouse, to keep the horde that will follow him separate from the other players. The attention he draws now, a notoriety of his own making, shouldn't interfere with the other players.

Oldest players in MLB

There's really no way of telling how this will play out, but he should unflinchingly accept whatever comes his way, and just focus on the next workout, the next plate appearance. The Yankees have failed to make the playoffs the past two seasons and have more important matters than to go out of their way to embarrass Rodriguez, but even if he believes that a given decision on a particular day casts him in an unnecessarily unflattering position, his best chance to get what he wants is to absorb any perceived slights and move on.

These are the final days of Rodriguez's career in baseball, and he has one last choice. He can make the best of what remains, or he can embarrass himself one last time on the way out.

A-Rod's return is likely to turn ugly, writes Ken Davidoff. Sorry just doesn't cut it for the Yankees.

Rodriguez moved to clear the air Tuesday, writes David Waldstein. Rodriguez is deluding himself if he thinks he can break Bonds' record.

Around the league

• The Tigers got great news about Victor Martinez, the best possible news, says Brad Ausmus.

• Yoan Moncada is nearing a decision, writes Dylan Hernandez.

• Peter Schmuck writes that the Orioles should be the first team to play in Cuba, in the aftermath of recent politics.

• The Marlins are getting the 2017 All-Star Game, writes Clark Spencer. This would be the third straight year the All-Star Game would be held in an NL park, because the Reds will host this summer, the Padres in 2016.

• As Grant Balfour left Australia, he said goodbye to his father, writes Marc Topkin. A deeply touching story.

• Barry Zito and Matt Albers worked out in Houston.

Moves, deals and decisions

1. Vance Worley won his arbitration case with the Pirates.

2. The Braves signed a couple of relievers.

3. The Indians formally announced the signing of three advisers.

NL East

• Get to know Phillies prospect Tom Windle.

• Matt Harvey had his first throwing session, as Anthony McCarron writes.

• Zack Wheeler believes the Mets are like the Royals.

• Alex Wood is ready to go.

NL Central

• The Cardinals could benefit from the James Shields deal, writes Bernie Miklasz.

• The Reds have packed for spring training.

NL West

• Aaron Hill is looking for a bounce-back year, writes Nick Piecoro.

• The Dodgers want their relief corps to cut down on walks.

• The Padres are the team to beat, writes Steve Dilbeck.

• Jeff Sanders looks at the pros and cons of the Shields signing.

AL East

• Ivan Nova says he doesn't feel any pain in his elbow.

• I discussed the ticking time bomb within the Yankees' pitching staff.

• Justin Masterson is back in comfortable surroundings with the Red Sox.

• Garin Cecchini is looking to create his own opportunity.

• The addition of Pablo Sandoval gives the Red Sox a big boost at third base, writes Brian MacPherson.

AL Central

• Anibal Sanchez says he's glad to put 2014 behind him.

• Lee Judge writes about the return of Luke Hochevar.

AL West

• The Rangers may add bullpen options.

Lastly

• Steve Carlton's 1987 championship ring is up for auction.

• Jack Morris is on loan in the Tigers' broadcast booth.

• A new baseball should help offense in college baseball.

• ICYMI: Brian Williams was suspended. David Brooks writes that we should work on forgiving.

The question of whether someone in Williams' position could remain in that particular job, with its requirements, after making statements like he made, is distinct from the question of whether he should be forgiven. No, his standing as a network news anchor was not tenable after inflating the details of his participation in a war zone. And yes, he should be forgiven, of course.

And today will be better than yesterday.