Shock of the Century: Bonds Bows Out!

[Bonus]

I can't believe it, but Barry Bonds is not going to play in the WBC.

In completely unrelated news, the WBC will be testing for steroids under the more rigorous World Anti-Doping Agency standards.

In even more unrelated news, Jason Giambi, Lance Berkman and Gary "Cream" Sheffield have announced that are all going to be ironing their socks from March 3 - 20.

[Cubano100%]

I can't believe it, but Barry Bonds is not going to play in the WBC.

In completely unrelated news, the WBC will be testing for steroids under the more rigorous World Anti-Doping Agency standards.

In even more unrelated news, Jason Giambi, Lance Berkman and Gary "Cream" Sheffield have announced that are all going to be ironing their socks from March 3 - 20.

I am not surprised by the news. In fact, I am waiting to see how many others withdraw from the WBC. So much for competing for your country and testing positive for some substance.

He is another USA defector.

He has been on the run for the last year!:waving

[runningshoes]

Shock of the century?

I hope that was tounge in cheek. ;)

[DownUnderDodger]

He doesn't want to risk injury - but then why is he trying out for the 'Powderpuff Girls' :laugh :laugh

[Licey Fan]

He doesn't want to risk injury - but then why is he trying out for the 'Powderpuff Girls' :laugh :laugh


Risk an injury? Is more than that... Simple, doesn't want to be tested...

[KCGHOST]

The whole WBC thing is a farce anyway.

[west coast orange and black]

to think that wada testing is why bonds bowed out seems unreasonable to me.
it was known before players announced their intentions of playing that wada-style testing was included in the wbc tournament.

[runningshoes]

to think that wada testing is why bonds bowed out seems unreasonable to me.
it was known before players announced their intentions of playing that wada-style testing was included in the wbc tournament.

Yes, and nows he's done a flip flop.

What better way to fool the audience?

[west coast orange and black]

bonds has changed his mind many many times, so this is nothing new.
maybe his first announcement was heart-induced, and this one is more rational. i dunno.

[Cubano100%]

How about Lance Berkman? He is going to have a knee surgery and won't be ready for the WBC. However, he will be ready for the Spring Training which is about the same time as the WBC. Very interesting!



http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060124&content_id=1299700&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Risk an injury? Is more than that... Simple, doesn't want to be tested...
And you know this how?

[west coast orange and black]

17 january was the roster deadline for federations competing in the wbc.
it was also the start date of the wbc out-of-competition testing of the players.

upon a first positve test result, players are hit with a two-year suspension from international competition, but their names are not announced to the public.

curiously, it is possible for a player currently on a wbc team roster to *remove himself* from wbc play and simply not participate in international competition for the next two years... and no one would know about the positive test result.

[west coast orange and black]

Cubano100%: So much for competing for your country...

you might have forgotten about bonds representing the usa in japan.
bonds has said that representing the usa was one of the biggest highlights of his entire career.

[runningshoes]

Cubano100%: So much for competing for your country...

you might have forgotten about bonds representing the usa in japan.
bonds has said that representing the usa was one of the biggest highlights of his entire career.

No offense Tony, but words are cheap and they get even cheaper when they're being fed to you from your agent or PR firm.

Except for one glaring controversy, his pulling out of the tournament makes no sense to me, especially when I consider that representing the usa was one of the biggest highlights of his entire career.

[west coast orange and black]

troy, i think that bonds' agents and legal representation had nothing to do with his decisions.

i think that bonds, in possibly his last season, wants to put all of his efforts towards the giants winning a championship. bonds relies upon others for information, sure, but he has never had any handlers.

if he did, he would not have declared that he was all up for the wbc to begin with. no?

[runningshoes]

if he did, he would not have declared that he was all up for the wbc to begin with. no?

Well, it's my contention, and it is only a contention, mind you, that his handlers saw this as an opportunity to quiet his detractors. I really don't believe he ever had any intention of playing in the tournament.

Is that a cynical outlook?

Certainly, but as I told you, he has a history of saying and doing things that bother people.

I'm not a "conspiracy theorist" so to speak, but I do understand a guy like Bonds needing someone to put out the fires.

[west coast orange and black]

bonds starting fires just to put 'em out?

i think that whenever bonds does start one he just watches it burn.
he just does things his own way.

"he has a history of saying and doing things that bother people", as you said.
i do not recall when bonds doubled back on something that he said just to smooth out some ruffled feathers.

[Guerrero Mad Man 2715]

Shock of the century huh? I'm glad the century just started because I think Ken Camenittis sudden death was probaly the shock of the century.

[Mattingly]

Two-headed coin I'm seeing, since on one hand, Barry Bonds only played 14 games in 2005, which seriously put the Giants out of contention, and in a division in which the Padres "won" with a barely >.500 Win%. Had he played more games, I think that SFG would surely have won the NL West.

That said, he'd definitely need to play more games, and if he needs to start himself off slowly, then since the WBC is in March when he's just getting himself ready, it may take him longer than other players who haven't had multiple knee surgeries. I believe that his last "spring training" was around August and ended around mid-September.

If done to hide any possible PEDs that he may be using or has used which are detectable, especially since he's been accused of using various undetectable "designer" PEDs, then even if caught, his name would not likely be offered publicly (unless because of some hi-profile leak that some sports reporter would love to get a scoop on), this would only ban him from international competition for two years.

I'm not necessarily a Barry supporter, but with multiple possibilities as to his exit from this, an exhibition event, I'm willing to give him a free pass here.