Report: Bonds said unknowingly took steroids

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Report: Bonds admitted to using substances thought to be steroids
 

December 3, 2004
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds testified to a grand jury that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by a trainer who was indicted in a steroid-distribution ring, but said he didn't know they were steroids, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.

Bonds told the federal grand jury last year that Greg Anderson, his personal trainer, told him the substances he used in 2003 were the nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a rubbing balm for arthritis, according to a transcript of his testimony reviewed by the Chronicle.

The substances Bonds described were similar to ones known as ``the clear'' and ``the cream,'' two steroids from the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the lab at the center of the steroid scandal.

 
Bonds' attorney, Michael Rains, said the leak of grand jury testimony was an attempt to smear his client. Grand jury transcripts are sealed and the Chronicle did not say who showed them the documents.

``My view has always been this case has been the U.S. vs. Bonds, and I think the government has moved in certain ways in a concerted effort to indict my client,'' Rains told the newspaper. ``And I think their failure to indict him has resulted in their attempts to smear him publicly.''

Calls to Rains' office from The Associated Press went unanswered Thursday night.

Tony Serra, Anderson's lawyer, said Anderson ``never knowingly provided illegal substances to anyone.''

The Chronicle story is the latest development this week in the more than yearlong BALCO probe. On Thursday, the paper reported Yankees slugger Jason Giambi told the grand jury he injected himself with human growth hormone in 2003 and also used steroids for at least three seasons.

Before the Bonds story was even published, U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan said his office was concerned about the leaks to the Chronicle and asked the Justice Department to investigate.

Also, ABC News and ESPN the Magazine released excerpts of interviews with Conte, in which the BALCO founder admits to watching Olympic star Marion Jones inject herself in the leg with human growth hormone. Jones' attorneys denied she ever used performance-enhancing drugs. Conte's interview with ABC's ``20/20'' program will air Friday night.

Dozens of elite athletes testified before the grand jury last year, including baseball stars Bonds, Giambi and Gary Sheffield, and track stars Jones, Tim Montgomery and Kelli White.

The probe led to some athletes being banned from the Olympics and left a cloud of suspicion over others, such as Jones, who were allowed to compete despite the investigation.

But Bonds is the biggest star of all, the holder of baseball's single-season home run record of 73 in 2001 and the man who could break Hank Aaron's career homer mark of 755 as early as next year. Bonds ended last season with 703 homers and won his record seventh NL Most Valuable Player award.

It is uncertain what punishment, if any, Bonds could receive from baseball, which didn't have penalties for steroid use until last year.

While discipline is spelled out for positive tests and criminal convictions from 2003 on, admission of illegal steroid use is not addressed, possibly giving baseball commissioner Bud Selig an opening to punish Bonds.

Selig repeatedly has called for year-round random testing and harsher penalties, but management and the players' association have failed to reach an agreement. The contract runs through the 2006 season.

``I've been saying for many months: I instituted a very, very tough program in the minor leagues on steroids in 2001. We need to have that program at the major league level,'' Selig said Thursday in Washington, D.C. ``We're going to leave no stone unturned until we have that policy in place by spring training 2005.''

Prosecutors confronted Bonds with documents dating to his record-setting season of 2001 that allegedly detailed his use of many drugs, including human growth hormone, steroids and insulin. He said he believed he only used legal products to treat arthritis and fatigue.

Bonds danced around questions, saying he couldn't explain a calendar with the name ``Barry'' on it; he had never seen a bottle that says Depo-Testosterone; he had never heard of the drugs Clomid, modafinil and trenbolone; and he couldn't pronounce EPO.

Bonds testified that he didn't think any of the substances worked but kept using they out of loyalty to Anderson. He also said he never consulted with the Giants about what Anderson gave him.

``No way ... we don't trust the ball team,'' Bonds said. ``We don't trust baseball. ... Believe me, it's a business. I don't trust their doctors or nothing.''

Sheffield also testified to the grand jury that Bonds arranged for Anderson to give him ``the clear,'' ``the cream,'' and another steroid from Mexico, but also said he did not know they were steroids.

Bonds said he never paid Anderson for drugs or supplements but did give the trainer $15,000 in cash in 2003 for weight training and a $20,000 bonus after his 73-homer season.

Bonds said that Anderson had so little money that he ``lives in his car half the time.'' Asked by a juror why he didn't buy ``a mansion'' for his trainer, Bonds answered: ``One, I'm black, and I'm keeping my money. And there's not too many rich black people in this world. There's more wealthy Asian people and Caucasian and white. And I ain't giving my money up.''

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpcDBuM2RlBF9TAzk1ODYxNzc3BHNlYwN0aA--?slug=ap-bonds-steroids&prov=ap&type=lgns
 
 

[Acgrundy]

unknown my ass.  even the biggist idiot in the world would at least have to question whether he was taking steriods, if he had grown so much as bonds and was hitting the ball like bonds.

yeah bonds wrote him a check for that $20,000, and probably paid a large sum of cash under the table.

[Shallow]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


I think one could argue that he didn't know. The report said he was on it in 2003. If you look at his career HR stats there was nothing irregular about his 2003 season. The season he broke out in was 2001, but anyone can have a fluke season. The rest of his seasons were high. It's not like he went from hitting 20s to 70s. He had consistent 40 HR seasons throughout his career. I'm not saying he's innocent, but he isn't guilty, yet.

    

Barry Bonds

Hitting Stats:     Next Stats >>
   
SEASON       TEAM       G    AB      R      H      2B     3B      HR     RBI      TB      BB      SO      SB     CS      OBP      SLG      AVG
1986        Pittsburgh Pirates    113    413    72    92    26    3   16    48    172    65    102    36    7    .330    .416    .223
1987        Pittsburgh Pirates    150    551    99    144    34    9    25    59    271    54    88    32    10    .329    .492    .261
1988        Pittsburgh Pirates    144    538    97    152    30    5    24    58    264    72    82    17    11    .368    .491    .283
1989        Pittsburgh Pirates    159    580    96    144    34    6    19    58    247    93    93    32    10    .351    .426    .248
1990        Pittsburgh Pirates    151    519    104    156    32    3   33    114    293    93    83    52    13    .406    .565    .301
1991        Pittsburgh Pirates    153    510    95    149    28    5    25    116    262    107    73    43    13    .410    .514    .292
1992        Pittsburgh Pirates    140    473    109    147    36    5    34    103    295    127    69    39    8    .456    .624    .311
1993        San Francisco Giants 159    539    129    181    38    4    46    123    365    126    79    29    12    .458    .677    .336
1994        San Francisco Giants 112    391    89    122    18    1     37    81    253    74    43    29    9    .426    .647    .312
1995        San Francisco Giants 144    506    109    149    30    7    33    104    292    120    83    31    10    .431    .577    .294
1996        San Francisco Giants 158    517    122    159    27    3    42    129    318    151    76    40    7    .461    .615    .308
1997        San Francisco Giants 159    532    123    155    26    5    40    101    311    145    87    37    8    .446    .585    .291
1998        San Francisco Giants 156    552    120    167    44    7    37    122    336    130    92    28    12    .438    .609    .303
1999        San Francisco Giants 102    355    91    93    20    2     34    83    219    73    62    15    2    .389    .617    .262
2000        San Francisco Giants 143    480    129    147    28    4    49    106    330    117    77    11    3    .440    .688    .306
2001        San Francisco Giants 153    476    129    156    32    2    73    137    411    177    93    13    3    .515    .863    .328
2002        San Francisco Giants 143    403    117    149    31    2    46    110    322    198    47    9    2    .582    .799    .370
2003        San Francisco Giants 130    390    111    133    22    1    45    90    292    148    58    7    0    .529    .749    .341
2004        San Francisco Giants 147    373    129    135    27    3    45    101    303    232    41    6    1    .609    .812    .362
Career Totals                          2716   9098  2070    2730     563  77      703    1843    5556    2302    1428    506    141    .443    .611    .300

[pappy]

i personally think he started taking them in 2000.  Its sad tho, b4 steroids he would of went down as top 20-30 all time even without the juice.  But he deserves it, he is quite possibly the biggest asshole in all of sports.  so if anyone deserves this, its barry.

[pappy]

interesting fact on bonds.  A baseball historian was on mike and the mad dog ( sports radio show in new york) an he said up untill 2000, barry bonds only hit 3 home runs longer than 450 feet.  2000 to 2004, he hit 26 home runs that travled 450 feet or more. 

[Shallow]

i personally think he started taking them in 2000.  Its sad tho, b4 steroids he would of went down as top 20-30 all time even without the juice.  But he deserves it, he is quite possibly the biggest asshole in all of sports.  so if anyone deserves this, its barry.

He may be an asshole, but he's got nothing on Cobb. Ty Cobb was one of the biggest assholes in the whole world. As for the 2000 to 2004 thing, didn't the balls change again in that time? It's like hitting a pre 1920 ball, no one could hit even 25 homeruns, then all of a sudden people are hitting 40 and 50, and sending them deep.

[pappy]

i personally think he started taking them in 2000.  Its sad tho, b4 steroids he would of went down as top 20-30 all time even without the juice.  But he deserves it, he is quite possibly the biggest asshole in all of sports.  so if anyone deserves this, its barry.

He may be an asshole, but he's got nothing on Cobb. Ty Cobb was one of the biggest assholes in the whole world. As for the 2000 to 2004 thing, didn't the balls change again in that time? It's like hitting a pre 1920 ball, no one could hit even 25 homeruns, then all of a sudden people are hitting 40 and 50, and sending them deep.

i should of said current sports, if all time than ty has him beat out.  From 2000-2004, no the ball didnt change.  Same old ball.

[Shallow]

i personally think he started taking them in 2000.  Its sad tho, b4 steroids he would of went down as top 20-30 all time even without the juice.  But he deserves it, he is quite possibly the biggest asshole in all of sports.  so if anyone deserves this, its barry.

He may be an asshole, but he's got nothing on Cobb. Ty Cobb was one of the biggest assholes in the whole world. As for the 2000 to 2004 thing, didn't the balls change again in that time? It's like hitting a pre 1920 ball, no one could hit even 25 homeruns, then all of a sudden people are hitting 40 and 50, and sending them deep.

i should of said current sports, if all time than ty has him beat out.  From 2000-2004, no the ball didnt change.  Same old ball.

I wasn't sure when the ball changed, but it did some time in the late 90s. I remember 60 minutes did a special on it. They tested the balls and when projected they were the same, but when projected towards the bat and hit back, then the difference was enormous. It was a huge piece trying to take away from the Maguire/Sosa race. Probably by some baseball purist, but it was never disputed so I figured he was right. I think it was the year or the year before Maguire hit 70.

Oh, and when Bonds goes after fans in the crowd then I'll call him the biggest ass hole in sports. 

[pappy]

i personally think he started taking them in 2000.  Its sad tho, b4 steroids he would of went down as top 20-30 all time even without the juice.  But he deserves it, he is quite possibly the biggest asshole in all of sports.  so if anyone deserves this, its barry.

He may be an asshole, but he's got nothing on Cobb. Ty Cobb was one of the biggest assholes in the whole world. As for the 2000 to 2004 thing, didn't the balls change again in that time? It's like hitting a pre 1920 ball, no one could hit even 25 homeruns, then all of a sudden people are hitting 40 and 50, and sending them deep.

i should of said current sports, if all time than ty has him beat out.  From 2000-2004, no the ball didnt change.  Same old ball.

I wasn't sure when the ball changed, but it did some time in the late 90s. I remember 60 minutes did a special on it. They tested the balls and when projected they were the same, but when projected towards the bat and hit back, then the difference was enormous. It was a huge piece trying to take away from the Maguire/Sosa race. Probably by some baseball purist, but it was never disputed so I figured he was right. I think it was the year or the year before Maguire hit 70.

Oh, and when Bonds goes after fans in the crowd then I'll call him the biggest ass hole in sports. 

sad thing does, ron artest does more for his community an gives more to charity in a year than bonds ever has.  I dont kno why you bring up ron tho.  But i still think barry is a bigger asshole than artest.  Artest has sever anger problems, an unless you have them too, than dont speak on it.  Because i took medication for anger problems.  And let me tell you something, we arent angry for fun, its b/c you cant control it an it consumes you.  What is barry's excuse for being a class A prick.  And i have seen numerous reports done by independent scientist, not workin for MLB that have said there was no difference in the ball.  Even tho i wouldnt be surprised if the ball was juiced.  The sad thing about this whole thing, pre 2000, bonds still was goin go down as a top 20 ball player of all time. Oh well barry deserves everything he gets.

[eS El Duque]

All this time, and now I get the chance to say..HA!

Now, if A-Rod or Vladdy don't get into roids, they should be ok and will have a chance both to become the greatest baseball players of all time (A-Rod more than Vladdy..cause of the age)

[Shallow]

i personally think he started taking them in 2000.  Its sad tho, b4 steroids he would of went down as top 20-30 all time even without the juice.  But he deserves it, he is quite possibly the biggest asshole in all of sports.  so if anyone deserves this, its barry.

He may be an asshole, but he's got nothing on Cobb. Ty Cobb was one of the biggest assholes in the whole world. As for the 2000 to 2004 thing, didn't the balls change again in that time? It's like hitting a pre 1920 ball, no one could hit even 25 homeruns, then all of a sudden people are hitting 40 and 50, and sending them deep.

i should of said current sports, if all time than ty has him beat out.  From 2000-2004, no the ball didnt change.  Same old ball.

I wasn't sure when the ball changed, but it did some time in the late 90s. I remember 60 minutes did a special on it. They tested the balls and when projected they were the same, but when projected towards the bat and hit back, then the difference was enormous. It was a huge piece trying to take away from the Maguire/Sosa race. Probably by some baseball purist, but it was never disputed so I figured he was right. I think it was the year or the year before Maguire hit 70.

Oh, and when Bonds goes after fans in the crowd then I'll call him the biggest ass hole in sports. 

sad thing does, ron artest does more for his community an gives more to charity in a year than bonds ever has.  I dont kno why you bring up ron tho.  But i still think barry is a bigger asshole than artest.  Artest has sever anger problems, an unless you have them too, than dont speak on it.  Because i took medication for anger problems.  And let me tell you something, we arent angry for fun, its b/c you cant control it an it consumes you.  What is barry's excuse for being a class A prick.  And i have seen numerous reports done by independent scientist, not workin for MLB that have said there was no difference in the ball.  Even tho i wouldnt be surprised if the ball was juiced.  The sad thing about this whole thing, pre 2000, bonds still was goin go down as a top 20 ball player of all time. Oh well barry deserves everything he gets.

I thought the wink implied I was just kidding. I still don't care for what Artest did. If he was such an anger prone thug he would've attacked Wallace, but he didn't he attacked the easy target. That's what bullies do. I see it all the time on the streets here. All these "tough" kids getting punked by bigger men on the black and they know that can't beat them so they go after the first easy target that comes their way. That's all Artest is to me, a punk who felt the need to prove himself. It'll take him years to realize it takes a bigger man to walk away. I don't think he has anger problems, I think he has pride problems. There is a difference. You say you had anger problems to the point where you just get angry for no reason (correct me if I'm wrong) and lash out at who ever, but Artest didn't lash out at who ever, he lashed out at some kid in the crowd because he knew Wallace would've destroyed him.

As for Bonds, roids or no roids, he's still a top 20 ball player in my eyes. Bonds is still a bigger ass hole than Artest, but who cares. The merit of the human being shouldn't interfere with the merit of the player.

[pappy]

All this time, and now I get the chance to say..HA!

Now, if A-Rod or Vladdy don't get into roids, they should be ok and will have a chance both to become the greatest baseball players of all time (A-Rod more than Vladdy..cause of the age)

no one in baseball respect arod anymore, after the bitch slapping thing lol.

[eS El Duque]

^^^IT WAS A RUNNING MOTION DAMN'T!!!!!!!!! 

[Shallow]

Arod should've watched some old Ty Cobb footage and learn how to cheat properly. Cobb would've slapped the ball out and made it look like it was an accident.

[Javier]

fuck bonds and fuck a-rod