http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/8453388

 

Report: MLB concerned over Bonds' tax activity

May 7, 2005

CBS SportsLine.com wire reports

 

NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball is looking into Barry Bonds' relationships and activities, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

 

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Citing anonymous baseball sources, the newspaper reported in its Sunday editions that baseball security officials believe Bonds might be at risk of conviction over allegations of tax fraud.

 

The San Francisco Giants outfielder, who has been at the center of baseball's steroid's scandal, has yet to play this season as he recovers from knee surgeries.

 

The most recent Bonds controversy involves him using his own doctors and trainers to treat his injured right knee. The 40-year-old slugger has had three surgeries on the knee since Jan. 31, the last coming Monday as doctors tried to clean out an infection.

 

Bonds' surgeon, Dr. Albert Ting, has been reprimanded twice by the California state medical board and is on probation for "unprofessional conduct," according to the Arizona Republic.

 

The Daily News reported baseball was not happy to hear that another associate of Bonds has had trouble with the law.

 

Baseball first became concerned about Bonds when law enforcement agents raided the home of his personal trainer and longtime friend Greg Anderson in September 2003 as part of the investigation of an alleged steroids distribution ring involving BALCO founder Victor Conte.

 

Bonds gave grand jury testimony in the case, and according to reports in the San Francisco Chronicle, said he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by Anderson, who was indicted in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case. Bonds said he didn't know if they were steroids.

 

The Daily News reported that MLB officials aren't sure where their investigation will lead or what action they would take if they find Bonds has violated baseball's rules.

 

Bonds has 703 career home runs, 11 behind Babe Ruth and 52 from tying Hank Aaron's career record.

 

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

 

 

Could things get any worse for this guy right now? Not that I mind or feel bad in the least.....

ok there is 1 line in that story and lots of fluff

ok there is 1 line in that story and lots of fluff

766381[/snapback]

 

We shall see tomorrow when the full article comes out in the Daily News, but this doesn't sound good imo.

Not to say it isn't true or anything, but it's a Daily News story, citing unnamed sources...take that for what it's worth. :whistle

Not to say it isn't true or anything, but it's a Daily News story, citing unnamed sources...take that for what it's worth. :whistle

766387[/snapback]

 

Well true, but it's Bonds, so nothing would surprise me.

 

Also, Dusty Baker had some well documented tax problems when he was out there. Not really related to this at all, but interesting nonetheless.

Not to say it isn't true or anything, but it's a Daily News story, citing unnamed sources...take that for what it's worth. :whistle

766387[/snapback]

 

Well true, but it's Bonds, so nothing would surprise me.

 

Also, Dusty Baker had some well documented tax problems when he was out there. Not really related to this at all, but interesting nonetheless.

766388[/snapback]

 

At this point, I agree, nothing would surprise me regarding Bonds, but I reiterate, Sunday papers in New York (especially the Post and Daily News) need extra "filler" stories, so sometimes taking one or two speculative statements, crediting an unnamed source (or three ), and filling in the rest with background fluff gives you two pages and a cover spread for a paper on an otherwise uneventful news day.

 

I repeat, I'm not saying it's not true, I'm just doubting the whole extreme angle they're trying to play up...

None of MLB's business

UPDATE: Here is the NYDN article I spoke of....

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/307517p-263117c.html

 

Baseball probes Bonds

 

 

 

BY T.J. QUINN

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

 

 

Barry Bonds

 

While Barry Bonds continues to rehabilitate his troublesome left knee, Major League Baseball is conducting its own investigation into the troubled slugger, major league sources told the Daily News.

MLB security officials are convinced that Bonds may be at risk of imprisonment over allegations of tax fraud, and are conducting their own probe into Bonds' relationships and activities. One official from another club said the San Francisco Giants' front office "is starting to freak out" over Bonds' mounting problems.

 

"I think they realize they've let the situation get away from them," the source said.

 

The most recent controversy centers around Bonds' reliance on his own doctors and trainers as he attempts to rehabilitate his surgically repaired right knee. The 40-year-old slugger is recovering from three surgeries on the knee since Jan. 31 and he underwent arthroscopic surgery Monday as doctors tried to clean out an infection, first draining fluids from his knee.

 

Bonds' surgeon, Dr. Albert Ting, has been reprimanded twice by the California state medical board and is on probation for "unprofessional conduct," according to reports.

 

Baseball's labor agreement allows players to go outside the organization for help, but requires that the player keep the team informed of any developments.

 

A Giants spokesman declined comment, other than to refer to a team statement about Bonds' medical care.

 

"At present, Bonds is undergoing aggressive antibiotic therapy prescribed by (infectious diseases specialist) Dr. (Robert) Armstrong. The Giants will continue to carefully monitor Bonds' progress and give additional updates as events warrant," the statement said.

 

But MLB was not happy to hear that yet another Bonds associate - this time Ting, who performed all three of Bonds' knee surgeries - has had trouble with the law. Because Bonds is under government investigation for perjury relating to his testimony before the BALCO grand jury and possible tax fraud involving allegedly undeclared income from memorabilia sales, baseball's investigators have found it difficult to conduct their own inquiry, sources said.

 

"A federal investigation changes everything," a source familiar with baseball's efforts said.

 

Officials aren't sure where their investigation will lead or what action they would take if they find Bonds has violated baseball's rules.

 

Suspension could be a possibility. More likely, MLB will encourage teams to keep a closer eye on whom their players associate with via the resident agent assigned to each team by the security office.

 

In the meantime, Ting continues to be involved in Bonds' medical care, according to the Giants, and has regularly informed them of his observations.

 

Ting allegedly provided "dangerous drugs and controlled substances to friends and acquaintances, particularly athletes, for whom he kept no medical records or for whom the medical records were fictitious, inadequate or inaccurate," according to documents obtained by the Arizona Republic.

 

Baseball first became concerned about Bonds when law enforcement agents raided the home of his personal trainer and longtime friend Greg Anderson in September 2003, and that concern only grew when Bonds was outed as a steroid user. In his grand jury testimony, part of which was overheard by a Daily News reporter, Bonds admitted taking substances that prosecutors identified as illegal anabolic steroids. Bonds testified that he was not aware he was taking anything illegal.

 

This was supposed to be the crowning season of a Hall of Fame career for Bonds, as he sought the 11 home runs he needs to catch Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time home run list and the 52 he needs to tie home run king Hank Aaron. He had arthroscopic knee surgery during the offseason and hoped to return to the team by opening day, but has suffered several setbacks. The latest, an infection that needed to be drained, may have put his entire season in jeopardy, sources said.

 

Originally published on May 8, 2005

 

 

This just gets weirder and weirder.....