It looks like Barry Bonds has more than just a failed urine test to worry about when his perjury trial gets underway on March 2nd. According to ESPN, Bobby Estalella, a former Giant who admitted using steroids provided by Bonds' trainer Greg Anderson, is prepared to provide "significant testimony" to back up the government's claim that Bonds knowingly took steroids. Estalella admitted using the same substances, as well as human growth hormone, during the same BALCO investigation that led to the Bonds statements being questioned by federal prosecutors. He's reportedly able to provide first-hand knowledge of Bonds' steroid use, something that would be quite damning to Bonds' case.
There are a lot of similarities to the Roger Clemens case at play here. The most damning thing for Clemens was the testimony of Andy Pettitte. When Pettitte admitted to taking human growth hormone, acquired from their shared trainer Brian McNamee, and accused Clemens of doing the same thing, it became much harder to believe that Clemens was clear of any wrongdoing.
The biggest difference between the two cases, then, is the role of the two trainers. McNamee accused Clemens while testifying for Senator George Mitchell and stuck to his guns when Congress came calling. If and when Clemens' own perjury trial gets underway, McNamee will almost certainly be one of the key witnesses.
Anderson, on the other hand, went to jail rather than testify to a grand jury about Bonds. He's been subpoenaed and his mother-in-law's house has been raided, yet his attorney says that Anderson will neither appear nor testify during the trial. The feds will keep pushing, but if Anderson never cracks he may wind up as the only friend that Bonds has left.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-29-2009 @ 10:34PM
amkdwarren said...
wow!a shock to everyone I'm sure
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1-30-2009 @ 12:54AM
rwayne said...
One of my favorite former players, Jeff Kent, was enemies with Bonds when they were both in San Francisco. They ought to ask J.K. to testify against him.
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1-30-2009 @ 1:11AM
anghoppi said...
Barry(STERIODS) Bonds stole the record that Hank Aaron earned and received death threats achieving.
Roger (STERIODS) Clemens... threw a bat at a Mike Piazza and thought it was no big deal (steriod mentality).
Mark (STERIODS) McGuire..... cried before congress and even shook Roger Maris family's hands as he stole their father's hard earned record.
These punks are all guilty of posioning a game, for fame and greed.
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1-30-2009 @ 1:24AM
dblbull007 said...
Great comment anghoppi. I completely agree
1-30-2009 @ 1:55AM
Don said...
Doesn't our government have bigger problems then to invest millions of dollars trying to get Bonds on steroid usage? His sample turned up positive. Retest it and see if it is positive again. If it is, prosecute him on the evidence. Does it really matter if he did it yesterday if he is guilty of it today? This isn't a murder trial where bodies need to be found; this is a drug trial.
I am still a believer it takes talent to hit, catch, and throw a ball. Steroids can't give you the talent if you don't have it. I doubt Arnold Schwarzenegger can hit a home run or throw out a man at first base; maybe I am wrong. He used steroids also, but look he is the governor of California. Hunt him down and find his dealer.
We live in a society that we are always looking for a way to better ourselves. How many golf clubs have you gone through to find one to get another 10 yards out of your swing? How many different golf balls did you try before you decided on a particular one because it went further. Believe me the nuances that go into making a golf club is extreme. The point being people take steps to get the most out of the talent, and for some they are willing to pay a higher price than others.
Anyway, it is time to move on. Did he lie to the court; perhaps. Did you catch him with drugs in his system? Yes. Prosecute on that and lets move on. If the government can't figure this one out, then there is no stinking hope for this country. I guess for history sake though the government couldn't save the economy they can at least put finding Bonds a liar in the win column.
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1-30-2009 @ 2:44AM
randall said...
Don I like what you're saying and yes let them go out and find SCHWARZENEGGER's dealer and lets move on!! When Bonds,McGuire,and Sosa was hitting them homeruns everyone (like the ones making comments) were oohing and aahing. Actually it was something to see and it made people who didn't watch baseball begin to watch! When Aaron broke the homerun record most new it was just a matter of time when a person of color was going to break all the records. So they conjuer up these rat finks like Conti,Radomski,etc; to make or sell a drug so most (the caucasian public) can have a reason to question the legitimacy of them. Baseball new all about it and so did the one's trying to prosecute them! We have more pressing issues!!! LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!!!!!
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1-30-2009 @ 1:30PM
Jane said...
Who the hell is Bobby Estella? So the feds lean on some dude and threaten him with God knows what and he says he'll testify against Bonds. I'm really impressed. NOT.
Don't the feds have something better to do with our tax dollars than go after Barry Bonds? What a sad joke.
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2-07-2009 @ 4:19AM
zutlu said...
This whole trial is a sham. It's a waste of our $55 million in tax dollars. Don't we have other things to worry about? The economy? Terrorists? What's amazing is that the substance that Greg Anderson was talking about in the conversation was completely LEGAL at the time. The government is trying to pressure people into thinking that "The Clear" was a steroid. It was an undefined substance at that time and unknown to the government. The government had not even done studies in the actual performance enhancing effect of the drug. They were not sure what to call it. It was a completely LEGAL drug at the time. BALCO created "The Clear" and the government is trying to punish someone for using something that was not banned at the time. It's like so what if Barry Bonds was on alcohol at the time and there were no rules at the time against it. C'mon save us some tax dollars and drop it. We have more important things to worry about. Barry Bonds already has a tainted image and he's gonna have to live with it anywhere he goes. That is enough. Just because Barry did roids doesn't mean I'm going to do roids. What a joke of a trial.
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