Barry Bonds Guilty as Charged

This week a federal appeals court upheld Barry Bonds' obstruction of justice conviction.

If you remember, back in 2003, this charge was pertaining to the rambling and evasive grand jury testimony he gave (or evaded in giving) about performance enhancing drug use in major league baseball. His answers were so evasive, that you'd have to wonder if he was even listening to the questions. He started talking about his dad and the state of celebrity children as opposed to commenting about PED use.

This federal appeals conviction hold shouldnt' be that surprising.

What is surprising is that few people remember he barely escaped being convicted of a second charge. This was due to one hold out juror with some creative ways of applying her own unique view of the law and the justice system.

So where does barry goe from here? We have some thoughts

Stay tuned

But remember, Barry is now guilty. If you think that this was all smoke and no fire, than you are guilty of something as well. If you think he was innocent than you must think you can talk about anything you want to talk about in front of a federal grand jury.

Barry Bonds and Ryan Braun

Comments from various sources, a day after the Ryan Braun MLB suspension.


Not even Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who were accused of being drug cheats in different forums and brought to court on different federal charges, drew suspensions from MLB. --- JSOnline

A decade ago, the players sat silent as Don Fehr refused to even think about consenting to testing and dinosaurs like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire terrorized the earth.---CBS Sports

Baseball threw the bum (Ryan Braun) out.---USA Today

Braun is one of the few prominent players in baseball to be suspended for doping. Other star players linked to doping, including Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, were never revealed to have tested positive and were never punished by Major League Baseball.---NY Times

“I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all.” Can he be that naive to believe it? Has he not seen what a PED stain has done to Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa and so many others?---Miami Herald

A New Ryan Braun Scandal: The New Barry Bonds?

"I have nothing to hide and have never had any other relationship with Bosch. I will fully cooperate with any inquiry into this matter." 

-- Ryan Braun



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Barry Bonds' amigo, A-Rod, doing the PED thing again

A-Rod implicated in PED use again as MLB probes

Jeff Kent on the "cloud around" Barry Bonds

Did you ever suspect that Barry Bonds was using performance-enhancing drugs?


Jeff Kent: “Well I think all of us, as baseball players, even the fans, you watch a player evolve into something bigger and better and, as a player, you scratch your head and you go, ‘Wow, really? I mean can that really happen?’ So you don’t really know, but you have in your mind that something’s not right and Barry presented that cloud around himself and kind of got himself in trouble. I’ll try to stay away from that the best I can, but that’s the small soapbox I can stand on about that.”

Barry Bonds vs. Melky Cabrera

Melky Cabrera released the following statement (issued by the MLB Players Association):

"My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used. I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and I will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down."

Melky Cabrera 2012 
Batting AVE .346

OBP .390

SLG .516

SUSPENDED: 50 games

"I went through the system. And that's what it is. And that's what I got. I went through the system. I'm in an appeal process right now. I was never convicted of steroids." 

-- Barry Bonds May 29, 2012

Barry Bonds without-a-doubt belongs in the Hall

"Oh, without a doubt. There's no doubt in my mind," Barry Bonds responded when asked if he feels he belongs in baseball's Hall of Fame.

More about philosophy, voting and opinions from Barry Bonds to MLB.com:

"You have to vote on baseball the way baseball needs to be voted on. If you vote on your assumptions or what you believe or what you think might have been going on there, that's your problem. You're at fault. It has nothing to do with what your opinion is. Period. If that's the case, you better go way, way back and start thinking about your opinions. If that's how you feel life should be run, I would say then you run your Hall of Fame the way you want to run your Hall of Fame. That's what I think. That's my personal opinion. If you want to do the Hall of Fame the way the Hall of Fame is supposed to be done, then you make the right decision on that. If you don't, that's on you. To stamp something on your assumptions, it doesn't work for me."

Mr. October says Barry Bonds is not the home run king

Reggie Jackson on Barry Bonds:

 "I believe that Hank Aaron is the home run king, not Barry Bonds, as great a player as Bonds was ... If any of those guys get in, no Hall of Famer will attend." 

Sports Illustrated’s "13th annual Where Are They Now?" issue, July 9, 2012

The Ryan Braun - Barry Bonds Connection

Off the Wohl: Braun’s innocence could help Bonds - The State Hornet: Sports: bonds, off the wohl, braun, steroids,: Retired baseball legend Barry Bonds is many things to many people. To some he’s a hero of the game. To others he’s a self-righteous blowhard w…

Barry Bonds Walks

Yes, Barry Bonds walks. Walks. Does he ever!

Walks, not to first base, this time (as usual). But (effectively) walks back to his Beverly Hills home for the holidays and for the next several months to craft his legal strategy for the appeal.

After all these years, all this money, all this time in court, all this discussion, all this lawyering, all this lying, all these women, all these drugs. Barry Bonds walks. He does, in fact, walk.

And, if you didn't know by now, that is the reason for the subheading on The Barry Bonds Trial blog:

Barry Bonds, the all-time MLB leader with 2,558 walks

This was the prediction, the bet, the forecast and the result that was baked into the process all along. Truth.

When Barry Bonds entered the courtroom today, he gave a loving wink to his mother as he headed to the defense table. Barry, his mom, his lawyers, and many others knew this would be a good day at the plate.

Barry Bonds walks.

Legal analysts expected Judge Illston to follow the probation department’s suggestions and impose a sentence less harsh than the federal guidelines calling for 15 months to 21 months in prison.

And was Judge Illston ever, so nice. Ever. It pays to have San Francisco Giants fans in the courtroom. What a home team victory. San Francisco Justice for the world to see and hear! Tony Bennett sings.

The judge sentenced Bonds to two years probation and 30 days home confinement and 250 hours of community service. Barry Lamar Bonds declined to address the judge.

Happy holidays, Barry Bonds!

The judge agreed to stay her sentence while Bonds appeals his conviction. The prosecutors object.

The U.S. Government lawyers were grandstanding all along with calls of 15 months in prison.

Prosecutor Parrella has called the probation recommendation "inadequate and almost a slap on the wrist." Home confinent in a 15,000 square foot mansion and meager fine is "laughable" for someone in Bonds' position. "I urge the court to send a message here." The court did not send a message. Instead, it sent Barry Bonds home for the holidays, a gift for Bud Selig and a message to U.S. Government lawyers.

Bottom line for Barry Bonds?

The MLB home run record.

The MLB walk record.

No prison time.

Next up for Barry Bonds?

A new reality show: "Gardening, at home (for 30 days at the most), with Barry Bonds." Yet, first, more lawyering and more courtroom.

And, the Hall of Fame vote.

To Vilify or not to Vilify Ryan Braun

"I'm not saying that Braun should be vilified, but why isn't he being vilified as Rafael Palmiero, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez were and still are."

Baseballism

Welcome to Club PED, Ryan Braun

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, the National League’s MVP in 2011, faces a 50-game suspension after reportedly testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone during the playoffs, according to Mark Fainaru-Wada and T.J. Quinn of ESPN.

Braun, of course, will be disputing the result through arbitration. However, no baseball player in world history has ever had this matter overturned.

Ryan Braun also plays left field. He played college baseball at the University of Miami, currently embroiled in a major ongoing NCAA football scandal.

As much as we don't want to say this (we must): flip the MVP to Matt Kemp of the Dodgers.