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Babo says Magowan talk nasty; Anderson leaves the pen
By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin October 5, 2006 |
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SAN FRANCISCO--Back in August, San Francisco Giants owner Peter Magowan made it almost clear that he would make an over haul of the San Francisco roster and when the subject of Barry Bonds came up, he said he would have to think that one over. Fast forward to the day after the last game of the season on last Monday, when Magowan in a press conference said that if Bonds was to return it would be for the purposes of winning and not for a home run chase pursuit. Bonds in turn said that he would not take a pay cut and that Magowan's talk of him not being "the center piece" of the team was nasty back biting. The relationship between Magowan and Bonds fell not just on the BALCO fiasco it fell over a small but important issue to Magowan. Magowan had asked Bonds to sign a Rawlings box of balls for some kids and sponsor related people and brought the balls to Bonds earlier in the season into the Giants clubhouse before a ball game and Bonds told Magowan he wasn't interested in signing the balls and that he gets paid to sign baseballs. Magowan who paid Bonds $18 Million per for the last two seasons left in a huff. The steroid controversy didn't help matters either and the Commissioner of baseball has been in direct contact with Magowan through out the season discussing what to do about Bonds with Magowan. One solution that sources has told Sportstalk that the Commissioner suggested not signing Bonds would not only help MLB's image but the sooner Bonds would leave San Francisco the better it would be for Magowan to alleviate the BALCO stigma from the Giants image. "I saw where Peter Magowan said some nasty things." Bonds said referring to the "center piece" statement, "Well, that's O.K. I don't have to play baseball anymore, brother." Of course Bonds has said something along these lines about quitting when the media was writing about his connection to BALCO during spring training of 2005 and Bonds said at the time, "you made me jump off the bridge" and "I'm going to jump off the Empire State Building" and asked an ESPN cameraman present at the Scottsdale conference to zoom in on his son Nikolaus who was seated next to him during the press conference and see how sad all this BALCO talk has made him and his family. Bonds said Wednesday "I'm free. I feel very free." Bonds was quoted from his website. The Commissioner has made it clear that he does not want to congratulate Bonds for any home run milestones and "that baseball does not celebrate number two (on the all time home run list)" his mere mention of this coming from Bud Selig speaks volumes. Selig for example was not on hand at Miller Park when Bonds broke Hank Aaron's all time National League home run record at 723 on Saturday September 23rd. Milwaukee is the former team that Selig owned before becoming Commissioner which his daughter Denise Selig Prieb owns and is the city in which Aaron played when the Braves played there as well as a Milwaukee Brewer. More to this story Aaron has made it publicly clear that he would not be present at any of Bonds historic milestones breaking his record and 723 was one of them and he would not appear at #756 if Bonds gets that chance to catch him. Aaron had said that Bonds was not playing the game cleanly and had not accomplished the record fairly without Aaron mentioning a word on steroids. "The bay area is my home and there are no better fans anywhere" Bonds said on his site referring to playing in San Francisco, "From my first game with the Giants in 1993 to my last game on Sunday, I have shared many memories with the fans throughout my career." Bonds maybe arrogant but he's no dummy he knows that he played his last game as a Giant and if the Giants wanted Bonds back in a Giant uniform next season to break Aaron's record and be the center piece of the team he would have been most certainly signed by the All-Star break last July. But Magowan wants to win and bring a worlds championship to San Francisco which almost happened in 2002 and Magowan said that his focus is going with a youth movement and winning and that means Bonds at the very least would have to take a substantial pay cut to come back which he won't do and there is very little chance that Bonds would return to the Giants even with a pay cut. Lastly Bonds more than likely will not play with another club and will retire from the game. If by March Bonds is not signed by another MLB club he more than likely will be on the outside looking in and he might be right about what he said on Tuesday "I'm free". Bonds personal trainer Greg Anderson was released from Dublin Correctional Prison on Thursday and appeared in San Francisco Federal Court in front of Judge William Alsup. Anderson was jailed for contempt of court charges for refusing to testify and answer questions about his steroid distribution and other questions. Alsup released Anderson "that the federal appeals court hadn't affirmed the contempt of order within the required 30 days after Anderson's incarceration." Anderson who had been jailed twice once for 15 days in July, then six months before the July incarceration three months in prison and three months home arrest and this last sentence lasting 37 days ending last Thursday. Anderson could go back to jail again if the court does not confirm the August 28th contempt citation. Anderson refused to talk about steroid distribution, answer any questions about the calendars confiscated from his peninsula home which was raided by the IRS and Anderson lawyer Mark Geragos said that Anderson served time for steroid distribution and going back to jail was double jeopardy after Anderson made a deal with the government in going to prison for six months the first time. As Anderson and Geragos was leaving court on Thursday Anderson refused to answer questions about BALCO or steroid distribution to Barry Bonds. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin cover Giants baseball and co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. Quotes provided by KTVU 2, San Francisco, and www.barrybonds.com |
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