They got him. The Feds indicted one of baseball’s most popular athletes, Barry Bonds, on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, according to an FBI press release.
After years of investigation, Major League Baseball and the federal government have a scapegoat in the so-called “steroid era.”
If Bonds lied to a federal grand jury on issues of steroid use then he should be prosecuted and face the consequences.
The issue is not Bonds being indicted, but Bonds being the only person indicted.
Former superstar Raphael Palmeiro sat in during Congressional hearings; pointed at the Congress members and stated “I never used steroids.” Later that same year Palmeiro tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and was suspended.
Former MLB slugger Mark McGwire refused to answer questions about his role in the use of steroids at the hearing adding suspicion to people’s speculations.
Bonds is singled out but the bottom line is Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig turned their back on the issue of steroids when McGwire and Sammy Sosa were chasing Roger Maris’s 61 home run record in 1998.
Baseball was resurrected with Sosa and McGwire’s chase at history, bringing more fans to the ballpark, so Bud Selig ignored the fact steroids were prevalent in baseball waiting to come down on Bonds after he broke the home run record. They were only after Bonds, and now they have him right where they want him.
Ray Jenifer for the Editorial Board.