EVIDENCE, SCHMEVIDENCE

by Sooze, Babes Love Baseball

Barry Bonds' legal team may have what they need to cast a shadow of doubt on evidence that the controversial slugger lied under oath about documents detailing a positive steroids test conducted on a player named Barry B.

Bonds' attorney, Michael Rains, says the player answered questions as best and as truthfully as he could. Whatever that means.

"Whether you like him or dislike him, the way the federal government has proceeded in this case is going to be a very, very sad commentary on the enormous power of the government to ruin people's lives and to scar their reputation for no good reason," Rains said.

Federal prosecutors have declined to comment of course, but convicted steroids pusher Victor Conte shed some light on the situation.

In 2000, the year before Bonds shattered Mark McGuire's single-season home run record, Conte claims Bonds visited the BALCO lab every Saturday after regular business hours, accompanied by his trainer, Greg Anderson, and his personal physician, Dr. Arthur Ting.

Bonds' urine was put through a "quick and dirty" analysis at the request of Conte, avoiding technicalities such as a licensed lab technician to watch him pee in a cup, have the sample sealed, dated and signed, or apply any other formal process generally used to conduct urine tests.

The majority of you good, honest folks who want Hank Aaron's record back shouldn't hold your breath. Just one piece of mishandled evidence could throw the government's case right out the window, which is what Rains is hoping will happen if this does, by some slim margin, make it to trial.

Too bad Jack McCoy isn't on the case.