Barry's next move
When all is said and done, much more will be said than done.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, sums up the latest in the saga of Barry Bonds. He is not retiring and not changing his story. Barry is not going anywhere, except after Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron.
Excerpts from the book "Game of Shadows" were released detailing allegations of extensive steroid use by Bonds from 1998 to 2002. The book, written by San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, makes Bonds sound like a walking pharmacy, alleging that the seven-time MVP took up to 10 performance-enhancing substances.
Bonds has publicly denied taking steroids and according to leaked grand jury testimony, the San Francisco Giants' slugger claimed he never "knowingly" took steroids.
But the details in the book are compelling, prompting some to call for Bonds' immediate retirement. Fat chance.
There's even less of a chance that Commissioner Bud Selig will do anything. The book excerpts burst Selig's bubble over the debut of the World Baseball Classic, forcing the commissioner to say something, anything.
But Selig backpedaled, saying, "a comment from me at this very, very preliminary time is just inappropriate." Preliminary? Earth to Bud. Somebody get the commish a newspaper subscription.
The Chronicle reporters have been working on the story for more than two years. Their leaked grand jury reports made headlines around the country. One thing about this story, it's not new.
Selig could have ordered Major League Baseball to investigate Bonds a long time ago. My guess is that Selig was hoping the mess would go away.
BALCO founder Victor Conte and Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson copped their pleas and neither implicated Bonds. Congress applied some heat, forcing MLB owners and players to come up with a stricter drug-testing program. Problem solved.
But now, "Game of Shadows" re-injects the controversy, pun intended.
There are numerous allegations in the book, but no hard evidence. Bonds has never failed a drug test. Baseball didn't even have a testing program until late 2002.
To the best of everybody's knowledge, there are no vials of Barry's old blood sitting in somebody's refrigerator. Short of any real proof that would stand up in court, this is mostly he-said, she-said … with the she being Kimberly Bell, who claims to be Barry's former mistress.
Aside from waiting for the IRS to bring tax evasion charges against Bonds or federal prosecutors pursuing perjury charges, what's a commissioner to do?
Well, the first thing might be to actually ask Bonds a few questions himself. Selig wouldn't even commit to that. "I'm not saying it will or it won't happen, but it won't at this moment," said an overwhelmed Selig.
It's been suggested that Bonds will be so embarrassed or outraged over the new scandal that he'll retire. Anybody believing that has never met Bonds.
On Thursday, Bonds played in his first game in spring training, coming to bat in Tempe, Arizona amidst a chorus of boos (and a few cheers). Then, he swatted away media questions about steroids like he was swinging at batting-practice fastballs. "Baseball questions or we don't have a conversation," said Bonds. "Baseball or nothing."
When all the smoke clears, you'll find Bonds back in the batter's box, taking his familiar stance – as the man some love and many more love to hate.
