DegenerationY
02-26-2004, 10:46 PM
Rockies pitcher accuses Bonds
Giants star angry at first player to say he took steroids
Scottsdale, Ariz. -- The temperature soared literally and figuratively at Giants spring training Wednesday, after a Colorado Rockies relief pitcher accused Barry Bonds of taking steroids, the first such public statement by another major- league player.
After participating in the team's first full-squad workout on a sunny, spring-like morning, Bonds held his second news conference in three days and reacted angrily to quotes attributed to Turk Wendell in Wednesday's Denver Post.
Later, in the Giants' clubhouse, Bonds was asked directly if he had knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs. He refused to answer.
Wendell, speaking about the Feb. 12 indictment of Bonds trainer Greg Anderson for allegedly distributing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to athletes, was quoted as saying, "If my personal trainer, me, Turk Wendell, got indicted for that, there's no one in the world who wouldn't think that I wasn't taking steroids.
"I mean, what, because he's Barry Bonds, no one's going to say that? I mean, obviously he did it," Wendell said. "(His trainer) admitted to giving steroids to baseball players. He just doesn't want to say his name. You don't have to. It's clear just seeing his body."
Wendell's comments raise the prospect that besides hearing it from fans and the media for much of the season, Bonds could face a large dose of insinuation or outright accusation from fellow players.
Wendell, 36, is not an average major-leaguer, however. An outspoken pitcher who has played for 11 seasons, he has been known for, among other eccentricities, brushing his teeth between innings. He is preparing for his first season with the Rockies, who are scheduled to play the Giants 19 times this season.
Bonds had seen Wendell's comments before his news conference and reacted by blasting the pitcher.
"You know what?" Bonds said. "If you've got something to say, say it to my face. Don't be a little p-- and talk to the media. If you've got something to say to me, come to my face and say it and we'll handle it amongst ourselves, but don't talk to the media. I'm tired of that. I'm tired of guys chirping through the media.
"I'm not worried about (Wendell). I don't worry about any of them. I have a lot of respect for Turk Wendell. I have a lot of respect for every baseball player in this game. Just to disrespect other people like that, or talk to the media, I think that's chickens -- . If you've got something to say, you come to my face and say it, and we'll deal with each other, but don't be a pussy and go talk to the media like you're some tough guy."
Bonds has implied that he does not use performance-enhancing drugs, even saying Monday that Major League Baseball can test him "every day if they choose to." But he declined an opportunity to issue a blanket denial Wednesday.
A half-hour after Bonds' news conference, a Chronicle reporter approached the 39-year-old star in the Giants' clubhouse and asked if he had ever knowingly taken a performance-enhancing drug. Bonds calmly said he would not answer the question. On Monday, he did say "no" when asked if he thought he ever took any without his knowledge.
Bonds has declined to answer any specific questions about the indictments involving Burlingame's Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, other than to say he feels bad for Anderson. Before Wednesday's news conference, Giants media relations official Blake Rhodes, who sat next to Bonds the entire time, said, "Before we start, we need to reiterate that Barry will not be able to address legal questions."
Even if Bonds were to issue a denial when asked if he took a performance- enhancing drug, it's doubtful everyone would believe him.
In the Denver Post article that carried Wendell's comments, Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle was quoted as saying, "It is a pretty good coincidence that some of the names that are linked to (steroids) are the guys that are the big, massive, over-muscular-looking guys. And guys that did go through some serious body changes. I don't know or remember what (New York Yankees first baseman) Jason Giambi looked like back in his early days, but I know he wasn't as big as he is now. The jury is always going to be out on Barry."
Giants star angry at first player to say he took steroids
Scottsdale, Ariz. -- The temperature soared literally and figuratively at Giants spring training Wednesday, after a Colorado Rockies relief pitcher accused Barry Bonds of taking steroids, the first such public statement by another major- league player.
After participating in the team's first full-squad workout on a sunny, spring-like morning, Bonds held his second news conference in three days and reacted angrily to quotes attributed to Turk Wendell in Wednesday's Denver Post.
Later, in the Giants' clubhouse, Bonds was asked directly if he had knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs. He refused to answer.
Wendell, speaking about the Feb. 12 indictment of Bonds trainer Greg Anderson for allegedly distributing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to athletes, was quoted as saying, "If my personal trainer, me, Turk Wendell, got indicted for that, there's no one in the world who wouldn't think that I wasn't taking steroids.
"I mean, what, because he's Barry Bonds, no one's going to say that? I mean, obviously he did it," Wendell said. "(His trainer) admitted to giving steroids to baseball players. He just doesn't want to say his name. You don't have to. It's clear just seeing his body."
Wendell's comments raise the prospect that besides hearing it from fans and the media for much of the season, Bonds could face a large dose of insinuation or outright accusation from fellow players.
Wendell, 36, is not an average major-leaguer, however. An outspoken pitcher who has played for 11 seasons, he has been known for, among other eccentricities, brushing his teeth between innings. He is preparing for his first season with the Rockies, who are scheduled to play the Giants 19 times this season.
Bonds had seen Wendell's comments before his news conference and reacted by blasting the pitcher.
"You know what?" Bonds said. "If you've got something to say, say it to my face. Don't be a little p-- and talk to the media. If you've got something to say to me, come to my face and say it and we'll handle it amongst ourselves, but don't talk to the media. I'm tired of that. I'm tired of guys chirping through the media.
"I'm not worried about (Wendell). I don't worry about any of them. I have a lot of respect for Turk Wendell. I have a lot of respect for every baseball player in this game. Just to disrespect other people like that, or talk to the media, I think that's chickens -- . If you've got something to say, you come to my face and say it, and we'll deal with each other, but don't be a pussy and go talk to the media like you're some tough guy."
Bonds has implied that he does not use performance-enhancing drugs, even saying Monday that Major League Baseball can test him "every day if they choose to." But he declined an opportunity to issue a blanket denial Wednesday.
A half-hour after Bonds' news conference, a Chronicle reporter approached the 39-year-old star in the Giants' clubhouse and asked if he had ever knowingly taken a performance-enhancing drug. Bonds calmly said he would not answer the question. On Monday, he did say "no" when asked if he thought he ever took any without his knowledge.
Bonds has declined to answer any specific questions about the indictments involving Burlingame's Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, other than to say he feels bad for Anderson. Before Wednesday's news conference, Giants media relations official Blake Rhodes, who sat next to Bonds the entire time, said, "Before we start, we need to reiterate that Barry will not be able to address legal questions."
Even if Bonds were to issue a denial when asked if he took a performance- enhancing drug, it's doubtful everyone would believe him.
In the Denver Post article that carried Wendell's comments, Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle was quoted as saying, "It is a pretty good coincidence that some of the names that are linked to (steroids) are the guys that are the big, massive, over-muscular-looking guys. And guys that did go through some serious body changes. I don't know or remember what (New York Yankees first baseman) Jason Giambi looked like back in his early days, but I know he wasn't as big as he is now. The jury is always going to be out on Barry."