SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – While Barry Bonds remained in the shadows, his attorney came out to attack the latest investigative work on the steroid-stained slugger.
“My client, Barry Bonds, has not read the Sports Illustrated article and does not plan to,” attorney Michael L. Rains said in a statement yesterday. “He does not plan to read the book from which the article is excerpted.
“Barry regards this as an unfortunate distraction to his friends and teammates at the San Francisco Giants, and to the good name and the great players in Major League Baseball.
“The San Francisco Chronicle, after announcing that it had (illegally) obtained Barry’s grand jury testimony, previously published questions asked of him while under oath, and his answers,” Rains added. “To that extent, this represents a renewal of something old.”
Rains also went on the attack against Bonds’ former girlfriend, Kimberly Bell.
Said Rains, “We know and understand that one of the most prominent sources is a woman who previously attempted to extort Mr. Bonds for money, and who, after that failed, told Geraldo Rivera that she never saw Barry take illegal or performance enhancing drugs, but explained that her source of knowledge supposedly came from conversations she had with him – conversations she intended to report in her soon-to-be published (and yet to be published) book.”
Rains added, “The exploitation of Barry’s good name and these attempts to eviscerate his sensational accomplishments in all phases of the game of baseball (throughout high school and college, as well as 20 years playing professionally) may make those responsible wealthy, but in the end, they need to live with themselves.
“Beyond this – Barry has no further comment now nor in the foreseeable future. His focus remains on staying healthy, playing baseball and doing everything he can to help the Giants play in the World Series seven months from now.”
Bonds was not at Giants camp yesterday. He was in California for a custody hearing that was scheduled last month. Bonds was expected to return to Arizona today and DH against the Angels.
His teammates seemed to take things in stride yesterday, but as reliever Tim Worrell said, the distractions had just
begun.
“This year is going to be different,” Worrell said. “It’s going to be different from the year with the home runs; this is all going to be from the negative side. You do get sick of the questions, wave after wave. You feel like you need to hold your own press conference.”
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Portions of the statement from the law firm Rains, Lucia & Wilkinson LLP:
My client, Barry Bonds, has not read the Sports Illustrated article and does not plan to. He does not plan to read the book from which the article is excerpted.
Barry regards this as an unfortunate distraction to his friends and teammates at the San Francisco Giants, and to
the good name and the great players in Major League Baseball.
… we know and understand that one of the most prominent sources is a woman who previously attempted to extort Mr. Bonds for money …
Some of the other prominent but “anonymous sources” surfaced during the BALCO investigation, and we understand that reporting their identity would also expose their lack of credibility.
The exploitation of Barry’s good name … may make those responsible wealthy, but in the end, they need to live with themselves. Beyond this – Barry has no further comment now or in the foreseeable future. …
Michael L. Rains, Esq. March 7, 2006
