Suspicion of steriod use should be expected

Don’t make an example of Barry.

At least, that’s what the lawyer of San Francisco slugger… Don’t make an example of Barry.

At least, that’s what the lawyer of San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds says the federal government is doing.

Michael Rains claims that the government is trying to set a perjury trap for Bonds in the Bay Area steroid scandal, as reported by The New York Times.

For those of you that have been living in a hole or cave or drunken stupor for the last six months, Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was one of four men indicted on charges of illegally supplying performance-enhancing drugs from the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.

All of them have pleaded innocent of all wrongdoing, and in no way am I saying that anyone here is guilty of anything, but there are two big reasons why the federal government might be focusing on Mr. Bonds.

The simple guilt-by-association could be one of them.

A personal trainer is just that — personal. He or she is there to help you — and to make sure that you — stay physically fit through a scheduled workout regiment.

That means this person is keeping track of everything you do, including everything you put in your body. Since Bonds’ personal trainer is being accused of having some kind of involvement with the use of steroids, it makes sense to think that he might give one of these substances to his athletes.

If said athlete has a great season because of the trainer’s workout program, wouldn’t the trainer be in line for a bonus of some sort? So then why not give your clients something that will help them perform better.

The other reason is that Bonds has gone from a skinny leadoff guy to a bulky, 228-pound power hitter.

During his first seven seasons in the Major Leagues, Bonds averaged 25 home runs a year. Before the shrinking of ballparks and the juicing of baseballs, that’s not at all a bad number for a guy who was bounced between the top spot in the lineup and the cleanup spot during that time period.

In the 11 years since then, Bonds has averaged 44 home runs a season. Included in that is the single-season record of 73 that Bonds set in 2001.

I’m not trying to take anything away from that number. Whether Bonds set that record through tons of hard work or by pumping his body full of illegal substances is something that he personally has to deal with.

Cheating has gone on in baseball for almost as long as the game has existed. The 1919 Black Sox scandal is a good example of that. There are even pitchers in the Hall of Fame who were known to have used any advantage they could when taking the mound, including doctoring the ball.

But it’s common sense that the government would think that the games’ premier slugger might be using steroids, especially since Bonds’ next highest single-season home run total is 49 — a high number, but nowhere near 73.

Added to that is the fact that Bonds has had his four highest home run totals in the last four years — all after he had turned 35. Not only is he the best power hitter in the game, Bonds is still doing it as he closes in on the age of 40.

Six years ago, Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris’ home run record, belting 70 dingers in 1998. If this were happening then, McGwire would most likely be the focus of this investigation just because he was the top slugger in the game.

And what would you know — McGwire has admitted to using Androstenedione, a dietary supplement that increases the level of testosterone and is not considered an illegal substance.

Fun fact — Andro isn’t considered illegal because it is found in Scotch pine trees, and that’s why it is a dietary supplement.

All this doesn’t mean that Bonds must have been using steroids. There are reasons to believe that he isn’t, the main one being that he rarely misses a game.

In his 18-year career, Bonds has averaged 142 games played each year. With the exception of three seasons, he has never played in fewer than 130 games a season. Players who use steroids tend to break down quite often — see Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti.

The only definite way to determine if he is using steroids is to have Bonds take a drug test. But whether he is or isn’t, Bonds should realize why one could think he might be.

Joe Marchilena is the sports editor of The Pitt News and he didn’t need steroids to become the shape he is.