Sports Radio Service


		Baseball to attempt delay in Babo Collusion case By Ken Gimblin October 23, 2008

	SAN FRANCISCO--Printed documented evidence such as emails between the Major League Baseball office and clubs shopping baseball home run king Barry Bonds during the 2008 season show that the Commissioner's office discouraged teams from even considering Bonds for a tryout much less signing the combative slugger to one of the teams interested. Babo agent Jeff Borris said he has it on good evidence that several MLB clubs and the Commissioner's office colluded to keep Bonds from playing in the 08 season. "There were numerous things that occurred that made me believe that the clubs were acting in concert. When I testify as a witness in the case I will delineate each and every one of them." said Borris. Baseball has asked Borris to delay the collusion case so it can get it's house in order for any hearings. Sources close to baseball say that MLB wants to delay this case as long as it can until March that is when the Bonds perjury trial is scheduled to start. With that underway Bonds would be tied up in court and baseball would hope that a possible conviction might be a way that MLB can defend itself saying with Bonds reputation that is one of the key reasons baseball kept him out of the game. Borris is to have said that Bonds could be looking upwards to $60 million in damages from MLB for keeping him out of the game. Some of that money would be awarded figuring into his salary that he missed out on in 2008, damages of keeping him out of the game due to collusion, and further tainting his reputation when he has not even been convicted of any of the 14 counts of perjury that awaits him and that his why baseball would hope that a collusion hearing would proceed after the perjury trial to show that it was his reputation and his use of steroids and his personal trainer that opened this whole can of a worms in the steroids era. "We have the agreement about the timing of a potential grievance, our investigation revealed a violation of the basic agreement related to Barry Bonds and free agency." said Michael Wiener Major League Baseball Players representitive. The damning evidence is the emails, which sources have said to have surfaced showing the commissioner's office and several teams corresponding to keep Bonds out of the game. Borris and Wiener figure that baseball is pretty much caught dead to rights in collusion to keep Bonds out, no contracts were offered, no try outs was offered, no physicals and no talk at all with Borris his agent to sign Bonds. There were teams who were interested like St.Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa but LaRussa who presented to potential idea of signing Bonds was shot down by the Cardinals brass and was never considered again. "We always look at the free agent markets every year and make judgements about them and if we come to the conclusion with respect to any player that there is a matter worth pursuing, we'll pursue it." said Union President Donald Fehr. Ken Gimblin will be covering the Barry Bonds perjury trial in San Francisco and the collusion case grievance against baseball for Sportstalk radio.