Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Barry Bonds will file a grievance against baseball owners for allegedly blacklisting him from baseball.
Bonds claims collusion by teams that prevented him from
obtaining a playing job following the 2007 season. He has long contended that a collusion of
MLB owners effectively ended his career after the 2007 season when
he set the career home run record with 762 homers.
However, Bonds was 42 years old during the 2007 season. He was well beyond the normal age for a productive baseball player. And he was under extreme scrutiny both inside and outside of baseball for allegations of PED use.
In 2003, Bonds' name came up during the BALCO scandal when his personal trainer, Greg Anderson was indicted by the U.S. and charged with supplying illegal anabolic steroids to athletes, including baseball players. This led to
speculation that Bonds had used performance-enhancing drugs during a
time when there was no mandatory testing in Major League Baseball. Bonds
declared his innocence, attributing his changed physique and increased
power to a strict regimen of bodybuilding, diet and legitimate
supplements.
During grand jury testimony on December 4, 2003, Bonds said that he
used a clear substance and a cream that he received from his personal
strength trainer, Greg Anderson, who told him they were the nutritional
supplement flaxseed oil and a rubbing balm for arthritis. Later reports on Bonds’ leaked grand-jury testimony
contend that he admitted to unknowingly using "the clear" which was reportedly a form of the designer steroid THG and "the cream" which was reportedly a concoction designed to mask certain hormone ratios helping the user to beat drug tests.
In August 2005, all four defendants in the BALCO steroid scandal
trial, including Anderson, struck deals with federal prosecutors that
did not require them to reveal names of athletes who may have used
banned drugs.
On November 15, 2007, a federal grand jury returned an indictment
against Bonds. He was charged with four counts of perjury and one count
of obstruction of justice. "During the criminal investigation, evidence
was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic
steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other
athletes," the indictment reads. The charges focus on Bonds' responses
to the grand jury in his 2003 testimony, specifically his denials when
asked if he had used steroids, and whether Anderson had administered
steroids to him.
The case went to trial, with Bonds being convicted on one count of obstruction of justice (the jury was hung on other counts) for lying to a grand jury about his alleged steroid use. His conviction was recently overturned on appeal.
Since the BALCO matter is now completed, it appears Bonds is ready to move ahead against MLB.
Bonds
and his agent have said that Bonds, despite having a good season (.276 BA, 28 HR, 66 RBI) he received no offers to play in the 2008 season. His reputation of being difficult with the media, aloof from the fans, and caught up in baseball's steroid scandal hurt his chances to becoming a Hall of Fame inductee despite being the game's greatest home run hitter.
It is unclear that Bonds' grievance against the owners will have any traction. Did a 43 year old player with baggage worth a contract offer?
