Bonds blamed failed amphetamines test on teammate

[savafan]

http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9921732

NEW YORK -- Barry Bonds failed a test for amphetamines last season and originally blamed it on a teammate, the Daily News reported Thursday.

When first informed of the positive test, Bonds attributed it to a substance he had taken from teammate Mark Sweeney's locker, the New York City newspaper said, citing several unnamed sources.

"I have no comment on that," Bonds' agent Jeff Borris told the Daily News on Wednesday night.

"Mark was made aware of the fact that his name had been brought up," Sweeney's agent Barry Axelrod told the Daily News. "But he did not give Barry Bonds anything, and there was nothing he could have given Barry Bonds."

Bonds, who always has maintained he never has tested positive for illegal drug use, already is under investigation for lying about steroid use.

A federal grand jury is investigating whether the 42-year-old Bonds perjured himself when he testified in 2003 in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid distribution case that he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. The San Francisco Giants slugger told a 2003 federal grand jury that he believed his trainer Greg Anderson had provided him flaxseed oil and arthritic balm, not steroids.

Under baseball's amphetamines policy, which went into effect last season, players are not publicly identified for a first positive test. A second positive test for amphetamines results in a 25-game suspension. The first failed steroids test costs a player 50 games.

The Giants still are working to finalize complicated language in the slugger's $16 million, one-year contract for next season -- a process that has lasted almost a month since he agreed to the deal Dec. 7 on the last day of baseball's winter meetings.

The language still being negotiated concerns the left fielder's compliance with team rules, as well as what would happen if he were to be indicted or have other legal troubles.

Borris has declined to comment on the negotiations. He didn't immediately return a message from the AP on Wednesday night.

The 42-year-old Bonds is set to begin his 15th season with the Giants only 22 home runs shy of surpassing Hank Aaron's career record of 755.

Bonds, considered healthy again following offseason surgery on his troublesome left elbow, has spent 14 of his 21 big league seasons with San Francisco and helped the Giants draw 3 million fans in all seven seasons at their waterfront ballpark.

After missing all but 14 games in 2005 following three operations on his right knee, Bonds batted .270 with 26 homers and 77 RBI in 367 at-bats in 2006. He passed Babe Ruth to move into second place on the career home run list May 28.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

[Ltlabner]

When first informed of the positive test, Bonds attributed it to a substance he had taken from teammate Mark Sweeney's locker, the New York City newspaper said, citing several unnamed sources.

Didn't he learn about injesting/injecting unknown substances the first time?

[MrCinatit]

Maybe if Barry wasn't so cheap and bought his own unknown substances, he wouldn't keep having this problem.

[GAC]

So Barry is into "OPs" (other people's). I use to know people like that!

[RedLegSuperStar]

The sad thing is he failed last year when all eyes were on him. But typical Bonds, he just gets a slap on the wrist and his name hidden away till the next season. Sorry but his HR total is tainted..

[max venable]

Everytime something comes out about Bonds it's always the same thing: "Not my fault." "I didn't know it was illegal." "I didn't know what I was taking." ALWAYS. And now he throws a teammate under the bus. I wish Bonds would just go away.

[RFS62]

Barry is the least likely athlete on earth to take something when
he doesn't know EXACTLY what it is.

[RedsBaron]

Barry Bonds isn't a standup guy? Barry Bonds??? Next thing you know, Frank Robinson will say Jim Bowden lied to him. Shocking!!!!

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by RedLegSuperStar

The sad thing is he failed last year when all eyes were on him. But typical Bonds, he just gets a slap on the wrist and his name hidden away till the next season. Sorry but his HR total is tainted..

Redleg, actually legally they are not allowed to give out results of a failed amphetamine test(Not the same as steroids.) But in a sense you're right, because it is typical Bonds. I don't think the NY Daily News would have searched so hard for the failed test results if it was Jeung Bong.

[RANDY IN INDY]

Originally Posted by RFS62

Barry is the least likely athlete on earth to take something when
he doesn't know EXACTLY what it is.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by RFS62

Barry is the least likely athlete on earth to take something when
he doesn't know EXACTLY what it is.

Silly Barry. I wonder what he thought they were. "Hmm, what's that in Sweeney's locker? It's not flaxseed oil. Maybe they're mints. Funny, they don't taste like mints."

[Doc. Scott]

What a ******bag Bonds is.

[corkedbat]

Barry Bonds tossing a teammate under the bus? Imagine that.

What a scumbag.

I imagine if he was accused of passing counterfeit bills he's claim he found them in the wallet in Sweeney's locker too.

[redsfan4445]

Im waiting for the blame of ex-teammate Jeff Kent now!!.. what person would take something they have no idea what it was??? NOBODY i know.. just another frabicated Lie by Bonds.. to bad this didnt come out prior to his re-signing, maybe SF looks away and Bonds is begging aka Sosa for a job??

[TOBTTReds]

Originally Posted by redsfan4445

Im waiting for the blame of ex-teammate Jeff Kent now!!.. what person would take something they have no idea what it was??? NOBODY i know.. just another frabicated Lie by Bonds.. to bad this didnt come out prior to his re-signing, maybe SF looks away and Bonds is begging aka Sosa for a job??

He has not officially signed yet. There is a lot of talk about that today. He has only agreed, but not signed. There is a lot of "language" that is still to be determined, like bring his posse around to the clubhouse and so on...