Selig Says No Decision Has Been Made On Barry Bonds

Selig Says Outside Forces Will Not Affect Timetable Of Bonds Inquiry

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig appeared in the ESPN broadcast booth during last night’s coverage of the U.S.-Mexico World Baseball Classic game, where he said of investigating Giants LF Barry Bonds’ alleged steroid use, “I am going to review all relative material. Some people said they were waiting to read the book [‘Game of Shadows’]. The book is just one very small part of it. We’re going to review everything, and frankly, I’ve been considering all of our options ... No decision has been made, contrary to much of what’s been written and said here the last couple of days” (ESPN, 3/16). Addressing the media prior to the game, Selig said that he “will make his decision without regard to timetables, such as opening day in two weeks and the fact that Bonds will begin the 2006 campaign only seven home runs short of passing Babe Ruth and moving into second place on baseball’s all-time homer list.” Selig: “We have to do it right. I can’t let any other factors enter into it. Whatever is to be done has to be done very thoroughly and right” (CBS.SPORTSLINE.com, 3/17). Selig added of “Game of Shadows” and Jeff Pearlman’s "Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero,” “A lot of people write books, do a lot of things to sell their books, that does not come into play here at all [in terms of an investigation]” (N.Y. POST, 3/17). MLB.com’s Barry Bloom reports Selig’s office “has yet to procure” the two books (MLB.com, 3/16).

SUSPENSION UNLIKELY: ESPN’s Pedro Gomez reported two “high-ranking major league sources” said the “possibility of suspending Bonds is not imminent. The sources said no suspension is likely since (MLB) has no grounds to suspend Bonds. However, if the government indicts Bonds on either perjury or tax evasion, then baseball could act and suspend Bonds for his off-field conduct. The Giants again said they are fully cooperating with baseball’s investigation. Bonds, meanwhile, said neither he nor his lawyers have been contacted by MLB officials” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/16).

Conte Denies Giving Steroids Directly To Bonds

WBC TESTING: After a report this week that a drug testing memo sent to players on the preliminary rosters for the WBC did not include several popular performance-enhancers, MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations Rob Manfred, who negotiated the league’s current drug policy, said that WBC participants “are tested for all banned substances” and reiterated that the Int’l Baseball Federation (IBAF), not MLB, “handled drug testing for the WBC.” With WADA Chair Dick Pound calling for MLB officials to disclose the details of the policy, Manfred said, “To the extent that Mr. Pound believes it’s a problem, it’s a problem with the WADA signatory (IBAF), not us” (L.A. TIMES, 3/17). Manfred added, “The IBAF assured me that it transmitted the banned list to the federations in conformity with the World Anti-Doping Agency. The testing they conducted was up to WADA standards” (MLB.com, 3/16).

CONTE SPEAKS: BALCO Founder Victor Conte denied that he gave Bonds steroids and also denied statements attributed to him by federal investigator Jeff Novitzky on the day the company was raided. A Novitzky memo stated that Conte “provided names of 27 athletes ... to whom he gave drugs,” including Bonds, Yankees 1B Jason Giambi and sprinter Marion Jones. Conte: “I’m not saying that I did not provide some of the athletes involved with BALCO with performance-enhancing drugs. What I am saying is that during the interview that took place with agents on the day of the raid, I provided no specific information regarding the drug use of any athletes involved.” But Conte “would not directly address whether Bonds could have gotten steroids that someone else received from BALCO.” Conte said “on about a half dozen occasions,” he gave Bonds’ trainer, Greg Anderson, the “clear” and the “cream” (USA TODAY, 3/17).