Bonds bombshell: Book details slugger's steroid use

[Reds4Life]

They have updated the story a little bit, they added this.

Sports Illustrated said that Bonds, when informed of the book on Tuesday morning and asked if he was concerned, told reporters, "Nope. I won't even look at it [the book]. For what? I won't even look at it. There's no need to."

Authors Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams write in the book that Bonds' drive to steroids began because he was jealous of St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire, who staged one of the most memorable individual duels in baseball history in 1998 when he hit 70 home runs to Sammy Sosa's 66, according to Sports Illustrated.

The book says that Bonds told his mistress Kimberly Bell that the media and baseball was going easy on McGwire, who admitted using the supplement andro in 1998. "They're just letting him do it because he's a white boy," the book cites Bonds as telling Bell.

After that season, Bonds -- who hit 37 home runs that year -- turned to good friend and physical trainer Greg Anderson, a workout fiend and known for his ability to obtain steroids and growth hormone from AIDS patients in San Francisco who sold their legal prescriptions for money, the book says.

The book says the Giants learned that Anderson was connected to a gym known as a place where one could obtain steroids and that he was possibly a dealer, according to the SI report. But the Giants let Anderson have free reign at their facilities because they did not want to upset their best star Bonds.

The book cites Bonds' dramatic increase in home run production. He averaged one homer for every 16.1 at bats through 1998, when he turned 34. Since then, in the seven seasons of 1999 through 2005, Bonds has hit a home run for every 8.5 at bats.

After Bonds began taking Winstrol, also known as stanozolol, taken by disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson and baseball star Rafael Palmeiro, Bonds added 15 pounds of muscle in 100 days, the book says.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I don't know that it will be his choice.

Baseball will suspend him for what? Until he has a positive test they have no authority to do anything to him.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by M2

Bonds may not get it yet, but I don't think he's going to be playing major league baseball this year. This very well could be it for him.

That's exactly what I was thinking. If this book proves credible, I don't see how he could run out onto the field.

[M2]

Originally Posted by flyer85

on what basis? Barry and his good dose of paranoia will keep him playing until he breaks Aarons record.

We'll see what the fan reaction is, but I'm guessing Bonds gets heckled constantly during ST while public outcry for him to leave becomes so loud that the Giants and MLB feel compelled to act upon it.

[Roy Tucker]

Looks like the reporters crossed their t's and dotted their i's. I'm sure the due diligence for this story was massive.

Yeah, this is a big deal with a capital B and a capital D. It is not going to go away.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by M2

We'll see what the fan reaction is, but I'm guessing Bonds gets heckled constantly during ST while public outcry for him to leave becomes so loud that the Giants and MLB feel compelled to act upon it.

They can't, the MLBPA will counter every move. The fan reaction will just feed Barry's paranoia and drive him on.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by flyer85

They can't, the MLBPA will counter every move. The fan reaction will just feed Barry's paranoia and drive him on.

If this book is true, then even the player's union won't dare support the guy.

And didn't Bonds quit the players' union?

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by MWM

That's exactly what I was thinking. If this book proves credible, I don't see how he could run out onto the field.

With his knee he isn't running anywhere.

Fan reaction will be what it always has been for him. He'll be cheered at home and booed on the road. But people will show up to watch the freak show at every stadium.

[vaticanplum]

Originally Posted by flyer85

Baseball will suspend him for what? Until he has a positive test they have no authority to do anything to him.

No, not the organization -- I'm with MWM, I don't know that the fans and the team will allow it. How many people are going to support him now? How much crap will he go through every time he steps on a field? I'm not saying there will be legal action taken to force him out, but I definitely feel that "strong recommendations" for him not to continue will be made behind the scenes. again, I think this is huge.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by MWM

If this book is true, then even the player's union won't dare support the guy.

They have no choice, they will fight for Bonds because MLB and the Giants will have no legal grounds to suspend him(that is a precednt the MLBPA would not allow to be set). The book supposedly details Bonds steroid use from 1998-2003. Baseball had no policy for suspending major leaguers for steroid use during that time.

The only thing the Giants could do is pay him his money and release him.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by MWM

And didn't Bonds quit the players' union?

I believe he did.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

but I definitely feel that "strong recommendations" for him not to continue will be made behind the scenes.

A dose of paranoia and huge chip on his shoulder is what drives Bonds, he is not going to walk away. Being blackballed is the only thing that would end his career.

[lollipopcurve]

The spectacle of Bonds passing Ruth will be absurd. In my view, we get what we deserve -- Bonds for his actions, and baseball fans for helping fuel a sports culture gone awry -- it's all about winning, getting ahead and being a star, starting in elementary school.

[M2]

Originally Posted by flyer85

They can't, the MLBPA will counter every move. The fan reaction will just feed Barry's paranoia and drive him on.

As MWM noted, he's not a member of the MLBPA.

FWIW, I think you've hit the nail on the head about the payoff. My guess is the league agrees to pay off Bonds' contract, the Giants release him and no one ever makes a phone call to the guy after that.

[Red Leader]

...and I also believe that Bonds reps probably told him this information probably wouldn't be released last year while he was on the DL. Barry, being Barry wanted to come back and play to break the record and go out on top. His reps probably told him that it would be iffy whether the news would break sometime during the season, and Barry thought he was bullet proof. Enough so that he thought that he could play 1 more season...