Bonds exposed: Shadows details superstar slugger's steroid use

Sports Illustrated ^ | March 7, 2006 | SI

[commish]

NEW YORK (SI.com) -- Beginning in 1998 with injections in his buttocks of Winstrol, a powerful steroid, Barry Bonds took a wide array of performance-enhancing drugs over at least five seasons in a massive doping regimen that grew more sophisticated as the years went on, according to Game of Shadows, a book written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters at the forefront of reporting on the BALCO steroid distribution scandal.

The authors, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, describe in sometimes day-to-day, drug-by-drug detail how often and how deeply Bonds engaged in the persistent doping. For instance, the authors write that by 2001, when Bonds broke Mark McGwire's single-season home-run record (70) by belting 73, Bonds was using two designer steroids referred to as the Cream and the Clear, as well as insulin, human growth hormone, testosterone decanoate (a fast-acting steroid known as Mexican beans) and trenbolone, a steroid created to improve the muscle quality of cattle.

BALCO tracked Bonds' usage with doping calendars and folders -- detailing drugs, quantities, intervals and Bonds' testosterone levels -- that wound up in the hands of federal agents upon their Sept. 3, 2003 raid of the Burlingame, Calif., business.

Depending on the substance, Bonds used the drugs in virtually every conceivable form: injecting himself with a syringe or being injected by his trainer, Greg Anderson, swallowing pills, placing drops of liquid under his tongue, and, in the case of BALCO's notorious testosterone-based cream, applying it topically.

[commish]

[Pearls Before Swine]

A noble experiment?

[GSWarrior]

Supports the theory that Bonds wasn't nursing an injured knee last year; he was learning how to carry his career on without enhancers.

[commish]

The SI Story and book will be dominating headlines for the next few weeks. With that in mind which of these scenarios do you think is most likely.

1. Bonds explodes at the media and announces his retirement
2. Bonds suffers a convenient "Season-ending injury" and retires
3. Bonds plays through a series of trips to the DL, is relegated to PH duty a lot of the time, and then calls it quits after hitting #715 so he can claim he passed Babe.

[1Old Pro]

Who Knew?

[ex-snook]

Search is our friend.

[commish]

I did search -- the last article with Bonds in the title was posted last September.

[commish]

Excuse me I bow to you oh post police, someone else posted this while I was posting it.

[ex-snook]

Bonds Exposed: "Shadows" Details Superstar Slugger's Steroid Use
Posted by marshmallow
On General/Chat 03/07/2006 1:49:26 PM EST · 18 replies · 203+ views

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[rightinthemiddle]

?

[freedomson]

Dang. sounds like every orifice was being packed with 'roids.

And then he goes on to bash Babe Ruth, that was the high water mark of his career.

[USS Alaska]

It's tough being a pimp out there.

[rightinthemiddle]

*


(whoops)

[commish]

I know, I'm a troublemaker ;-)

[ssaftler]

Then again, consider the fact that the writers normally work for the San Francisco Comical. Personally, I'd lend more credibility to this article/book if they worked for the National Enquirer.

But that's just MY opinion!

[Mr. Jeeves]

3. Bonds plays through a series of trips to the DL, is relegated to PH duty a lot of the time, and then calls it quits after hitting #715 so he can claim he passed Babe.

This is the most likely scenario. Steroids or not, he is 41 years old, and it's extremely unlikely he is going to come out and play 120 games and hit 50 homers this year, regardless.

[ex-snook]

OK Sorry I see what you mean.

[Cyman]

Can we look at any ballplayers medical problems and /or death(Kirby Puckett) without thinking that steroids aren't a part of their legacy

[Mikey_1962]

Everybody grows 3 hat sizes in 5 years, don't they?

[rightinthemiddle]

Yeah, when Cal Ripken dies. Other than that, who knows?

[commish]

OK, now I need to figure out what I screwed up on my first search, just did another search and got a ton of hits of stories with Bonds in the title. I feel like a moron now (No smartass comments ;-)

[Dead Corpse]

11 minutes apart. BFD.

[teddyballgame]

How long before Bonds place the race card? Over/Under is 12 hrs.

[Mr. Mojo]

Bonds used the drugs in virtually every conceivable form: injecting himself with a syringe or being injected by his trainer, Greg Anderson, swallowing pills, placing drops of liquid under his tongue, and, in the case of BALCO's notorious testosterone-based cream, applying it topically.

Gee, I wonder if Bonds will show the public his "workout regimen" in his new reality TV show (which is chronicling his pursuit of Hank Aaron's HR record).

If not, then it should be listed as "UNreality TV."

[r9etb]

Perhaps Bonds and some of the other modern-day sluggers should be called "asteroids" .... Asterisk and steriods.

[Mike Darancette]

I hope Hank's record is safe.

[teddyballgame]

"Everybody grows 3 hat sizes in 5 years, don't they?"

What, you haven't seen the Nautilus machine for your head?

[Mr. Mojo]

Steroids or not, he is 41 years old, and it's extremely unlikely he is going to come out and play 120 games and hit 50 homers this year, regardless.

True, especially since he's hit over 49 in a season only once in his career.

[commish]

Can we look at any ballplayers medical problems and /or death(Kirby Puckett) without thinking that steroids aren't a part of their legacy

UNfortunately, the entire last 10 years has to be taken with a grain of salt. The proof is in the way players look now.

Compare Jason Giambi now and 2 years ago, same for Jeff Bagwell, Barry, etc etc

Sosa is so power sapped now he retired.

The good thing of all this is that maybe we will get back to real baseball, where defense and pitching are as important as hitting.

[commish]

I hope Hank's record is safe.

It most likely is, Bonds has stated this is his last year no matter what. There is nothing that even remotely leans toward Bonds hitting 48 dingers this year. Filipe Alou has already stated he sees no way Bonds will be able to play every day, and most experts are questioning if he will even be able to go 80 or 90 games total.

[teddyballgame]

Yes, but what is going to drive this story (especially sports radio), is whether or not he belongs in the Hall of Fame or not. My obvious input would be NO WAY in H-E-(double hockey sticks). Despite the overwhlming numbers put up by Bonds, will the sports writers who vote have the cojones (sp?) to do the right thing?

[BurbankKarl]

[cvq3842]

Hank has been interviewed and is upset about the possibility that he could be eclipsed by some hopped-up wanna-be.

His indignation is 100% justified.

[JZelle]

[Petronski]

Everyone knows Hank was clean, and this bozo is not.

Everybody grows 3 hat sizes in 5 years, don't they?

LOL

[cvq3842]

Agreed!

Record books need to be corrected also with respect to the steroid gang.

[HamiltonJay]

Anyone who was paying attention could tell you he was doping... You don't go from looking spike duddly to triple H in 6-12 months in your 30s.

[Petronski]

Everybody grows 3 hat sizes in 5 years, don't they?

I'm still chuckling about that line. ;O)

[Petronski]

The good thing of all this is that maybe we will get back to real baseball, where defense and pitching are as important as hitting.

Amen, brother.

[garv]

If MLB has any sense they will force Bonds to retire "due to injury". He needs to quietly slink away. Fast.

[Mikey_1962]

In the record books instead of an * next to his name how about a silhouette of a syringe?

[Ditto]

His first 10 years in the bigs he averages less than 30 HR/season. The second 10 years as he gets to the point when most players begin to loose a little of their reflexes, vision, speed and stamina, he averages over 45 hr/season.

Must have discovered the "fountain of youth."

[Dante3]

LOL

[garv]

According to the article he began using every performance enhancing substance known to man or cattle because of that "white boy" McGwire. He was jealous of all the attention focused on the McGwire/Sosa home run race.

[commish]

If MLB has any sense they will force Bonds to retire "due to injury". He needs to quietly slink away. Fast.

Actually, I think this is now playing out exactly as MLB wants it to. Almost to a person, all of the "roid" stars are falling apart in a very public way.

It started with Jason Giambi's offensive implosion, then Sosa went completely bust in a blink of an eye, Bagwell suddenly began showing age and injuries out of nowhere, and Bonds lost an entire season to knee problems.

The best thing for baseball would be for Bonds to go through a long drawn out injury filled season in which he struggles to stay over .200 BA and hits only a handful of HR.

[beyond the sea]

Everybody grows 3 hat sizes in 5 years, don't they?

Effin Kerry grew three hat sizes with five scratches in Vietnam.

****

I'm sorry, steroids, no steroids, I like watching him swing the bat.

[Wolfie]

No kidding. And fercryinoutloud, the man's skull was growing.

[commish]

I'm sorry, steroids, no steroids, I like watching him swing the bat.

THe really sad thing is that Bond's Ego ended up destroying him when he was already well on the way to being considered one of baseball's greatest players. He was probably the best all-around player of the 90's, but his jealousy of McGwire made him turn to roids so he could be the HR king.

If Barry had not touched the roids he would have finished his career as a multi-MVP, 500 HR, 3000 H, lifetime .300 BA, and would have gone down as one of the top 10-20 ballplayers of all time. Instead, he will go down as one of the most despised players of all time.

[pangaea6]

You won't see anybody in the MSM challenge Bonds b/c he's black and he'll use that excuse all day long. I can't wait to see who on ESPN defends him by saying "Well we still don't have any proof or evidence, he's presumed innocent."
The first person out will probably be Jesse Jackson.

[beyond the sea]

The crappy thing about Aaron was that he played mostly in two parks with very short left fields (Milwaukee, Atlanta) where a quick jerk of his great wrists gave him homeruns. As a Pirate fan, I watched the guy since he was a rookie. He hardly ever hit a homerun more than 20 or 30 feet over the fences. But, why should he?

Aaron was the Great Banjo Homerun Hitter.

;-)