Well, I guess we're going to find out if Bonds is juiced...

[SirFozzie]

Barry Bonds was randomly tested for steroids before the Giants' game against the Dodgers on Friday night, The Contra Costa Times and MLB.com reported.

I'm glad this is finally happening," Bonds told MLB.com. "They'll get the results and it will clear my name. It'll show that there's nothing behind what I've been doing [on the field] all year."

But in an interview with the Contra Costa Times, Bonds sang a different tune.

"My name ain't dirty," Bonds told the paper.

Bonds, who has 703 home runs, is just 11 homers behind Babe Ruth (714) and 52 behind Hank Aaron (755) on the all-time list. Bonds, a six-time NL MVP, has 46 home runs this season.

The results aren't made public unless a player tests positive twice. A first positive test results in treatment, while a second positive result would lead to a fine or suspension, and the player's name would be made public.

Bonds was one of 10 baseball players to testify before a grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) for alleged tax evasion and the illegal sale of drugs. Bonds was not charged, but his friend and trainer, Greg Anderson, was indicted in the probe

Of course, this is a no win situation for Bonds. He comes up juiced, he gets attacked from everywhere.. (as I said.. provide valid proof before start wondering how it'll affect his hall of fame, etcetera..).. if not, all the conspiracy theorists will say he beat the test somehow.

[Buccaneer]

It'll show that there's nothing behind what I've been doing [on the field] all year."

What about previous years?

[SirFozzie]

Now this is were the no-win comes in Bucc..

If he said "The tests will show that I've never been juiced.. that my numbers are 100% legit", everyone would have screamed "We can't tell that.. all we can tell is he's off the juice now... His #'s still are tainted"

[FBPro]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

It'll show that there's nothing 'to do with natural ability' behind what I've been doing [on the field] all year."

What about previous years?

Fixed that for ya.....

[SirFozzie]

[Tigercat]

When it comes to controversal baseball figures like Pete Rose or Barry Bonds it almost seems like people don't care if their clearly biased opinions make them look like asses.

[Danny]

I'm not going to claim whether Bonds has used steroids or not as I really don't know. I will say this, with or without them, he would have had one of the best careers ever for a hitter.

[IMetTrentGreen]

bonds number are better this year than any of his other years

[EagleFan]

It's not going to show anything. Test results aren't made public so we will never know one way or the other.

[Joe]

it would be public if it was his second positive test, but who knows if he's failed one before. Although, I'm sure Bonds would be telling everyone the results if it was a negative.

[MizzouRah]

Finally, they do a test? He's known for months... probably more than enough time to get them out of his system.

They needed to test him awhile back, without him knowing anything.

In the military, boom.. they popped you with a drug test.


Todd

[Crapshoot]

here we go again- every schlub becomes a medical expert.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Ichiro for MVP!

[ISiddiqui]

He's known for months... probably more than enough time to get them out of his system.

If that's the case and he's playing the way he is now... then it seems he'd be better off without. Look at the stats!

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

If that's the case and he's playing the way he is now... then it seems he'd be better off without. Look at the stats!

You don't think he could keep his strength up for a month or two?

http://www.ipassedmydrugtest.com/steroid_drug_test.asp (ok, maybe only 3 days)


Todd

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

You don't think he could keep his strength up for a month or two?

http://www.ipassedmydrugtest.com/steroid_drug_test.asp (ok, maybe only 3 days)


Todd

Well, since they've been testing for at least the last two seasons, I'd guess he'd have to have been clean a helluva lot longer than a month or two. It's not like they informed him three months ago, that he'd be tested September 24th.

My guess is that next Wednesday on Sixty-Minutes Two Dan Rather will produce a photo copy of the results of Bond's failed drug test. Only it will be almost immediately debunked as being produced on a late sixties typsetting machine instead of a modern computer and printer.

[Jesse_Ewiak]

I've never understood how steroids has made him into a .350 hitter? Anyone want to explain that one? Because most people who were see as 'juiced', weren't exactly winning batting crowns or striking out only two times the whole season.

[Sharpieman]

Bonds is a powerful hitter, but what roids can't do for him is the skills he has, bat speed and the ability to know what a pitcher is pitching right out of the stretch. Until it has been proved that he's taken roids, he hasn't.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

Well, since they've been testing for at least the last two seasons, I'd guess he'd have to have been clean a helluva lot longer than a month or two. It's not like they informed him three months ago, that he'd be tested September 24th.

Actually, given what a joke the baseball testing policy is, they very well may have told him three months ago that he'd be tested Sept. 24th. There is no random testing in baseball, they are all announced tests.

And them having tested last season in no way means that Bonds was not juiced. All we know about the testing from last year is that >5% tested positive. None of those tests count against people in the current format (i.e. none of the >5% who tested positive last year start the new program considered to have had a positive test).

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Sharpieman

Bonds is a powerful hitter, but what roids can't do for him is the skills he has, bat speed and the ability to know what a pitcher is pitching right out of the stretch. Until it has been proved that he's taken roids, he hasn't.

Agreed. It is all speculation (though you have to admit there is reason for speculation). 'Roids or not, he couldn't have put the numbers he has up without skill.

[MizzouRah]

Oh I agree, Bonds is still one hell of a player. Maybe his homerun stats are inflated a bit, but I don't know if you can prove that.

He can still hit the ball, roids or not... but if he is using, it's cheating.


Todd

[Huckleberry]

Even if he tests positive, we won't know. It takes two to have your name revealed.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, once last year, and once this year.

[rkmsuf]

Since when do they report on who was tested and when?

[Travis]

A .350 hitter is a .350 hitter, steroids or no (or wait, how many long fly outs would the extra strength turn into over the wall home runs? But I digress).

Yes, Bonds is great at getting the bat on the ball. The whole problem is, if he's not putting it over the wall every time (for sake of arguement, we'll say this is where the steroids play the biggest role, IF he's on them), he has to change his batting approach to keep these numbers. If he's making outs consistantly at the warning track instead of hitting jacks, now he's got to adjust to hitting line drives and grounders instead of long high flies, now suddenly he doesn't get his 150 intentional walks a year, because he's not nearly as big of a threat to go deep (while probably still having a great BA because he could make the adjustments to his hitting), which then knocks his OPA and all other statistics back to a great, but not super human level.

That said, whether he's on steroids or not, he's a great DH though I dread the day he beats the HR record, as whether he's clean or not, it's going to become one of the most controversial records in all of baseball again.

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Since when do they report on who was tested and when?

I don't think they did (report it publically) in this case. I think Barry himself brought the information forward.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

He can still hit the ball, roids or not... but it's still cheating.


Todd

Even If it's not roids...it's still cheating?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

I don't think they did (report it publically) in this case. I think Barry himself brought the information forward.

What a guy

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

Even If it's not roids...it's still cheating?

LOL! Whoops... must be the altitude here in Colorado.

Sorry, wipe that statement.


Todd