07:15 - 25 September 2004
Bonds Test
Bonds glad to be tested
Slugger says steroids test will clear his name
Barry Bonds is having one of the best overall seasons in his 19-year career.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds was randomly tested for steroids use under the auspices of the joint drug prevention program between Major League Baseball and the Players Association before Friday night's 3-2 loss to the Dodgers at SBC Park, the Giants slugger said.
The urinalysis test, which is accomplished in two parts over the course of five to seven days, is being administered to all players on the 40-man rosters of each Major League team this season.
"I'm glad this is finally happening," said Bonds, who hit his 702nd homer to lead off the second inning Friday night against Dodgers left-hander Odalis Perez and is now just 12 behind Babe Ruth (714) and 53 behind Hank Aaron (755) on the all-time list. "They'll get the results and it will clear my name. It'll show that there's nothing behind what I've been doing [on the field] all year."
The results remain anonymous unless a player tests positive for the second time. Under this year's segment of the agreement, a first positive test would mean treatment, while a second positive test would lead to a fine or suspension, plus the public revelation of the player's name.
Major League Baseball officials do not routinely comment on the testing of individual players because of confidentiality clauses in the agreement.
Bonds is having one of the best overall seasons in his 19-year career.
Including Friday night's game, he is leading the National League with a .371 batting average. The home run gives him 44 for the year along with 123 runs scored and 100 RBIs. Bonds reached the latter figure for the 12th time in his career. His 216 walks, 113 of them intentional, are both single-season records.
The drug program is part of the last Basic Agreement signed between MLB and its players' union in 2002 and effective until Dec. 19, 2006.
Last year, MLB players were survey tested. Since 5 percent to 7 percent of those players tested positive for some sort of steroids use, the punitive portion of the program began this season.
Each MLB player is subject to random drug testing in two parts only once during each season, beginning with the start of Spring Training. Under the guidelines of the current program, there is no offseason testing, and all tests can be conducted any time from the start of Spring Training to the end of the season.
Bonds has been under a microscope since he testified last year before a grand jury sitting in San Francisco, investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) for alleged tax evasion and the illegal sale of drugs without a prescription.
Bonds was one of 10 baseball players who testified. None of them were charged, although Greg Anderson, a friend and former personal trainer of Bonds, was one of four men indicted in the probe.
Peter Magowan, the Giants' managing general partner, said a cloud would be lifted from Bonds' reputation.
"This is a good thing," Magowan said. "I have no doubt he will be cleared. I'm talking about less than one-tenth of 1 percent of doubt that this will be the case. I can't be any clearer than that."
