Feds finally end prosecution of Barry Bonds

[Lex Luthor]

The U.S. Department of Justice formally dropped its criminal prosecution of Barry Bonds today, nearly eight years after he was first indicted on obstruction of justice and perjury charges. He was convicted on a single count of obstruction in 2011 but had his conviction overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals in April of this year. He was acquitted on all perjury counts at his original trial.

As we have argued in painstaking detail, Bonds likely lied under oath during grand jury testimony back in 2003 when he was asked if he ever used performance enhancing drugs. The prosecution was unable to pin him down in a lie, however, because there were no other witnesses willing to testify to contradict him. The obstruction of justice count, based on Bonds’ rambling response to a question which Bonds eventually answered, was about as weak a count as they come. In almost any other case the government would decline to push forward with the prosecution based on a lack of evidence. In this case prosecutors, no doubt motivated by a high profile defendant in a high profile case pushed on.

In the end it cost taxpayers millions lasted nearly twelve years since his grand jury testimony and nearly eight years after his indictment. In the end, like so many times before, Barry Bonds walks.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...f-barry-bonds/

Ending this was the right thing to do. Bonds lied and everybody knows it, but I don't see what purpose would be served by prosecuting him and sending him to prison. I'd rather use the prison space on guys who beat the shit out of their wives/girlfriends.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

That was certainly his story. If you choose to believe it.

HGH does improve recovery for injuries and many pitchers think it should be allowed for that purpose. Pettitte wasn't a hard thrower and he was a very good pitcher for many years after he was caught.

That's different to me than a reliever who uses HGH to quickly rebound and pitch the next day. Different from a guy like Clemens who rebounded into a dominant pitcher way past his prime. Different from a guy who increased his fastball by a few mph out of nowhere. I agree that Pettitte should be shamed for using HGH. But I do buy that he wasn't a frequent user.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

Well it's also because he has all the home run records. If Mcguire still had the season HR record it would be different. Plus, Hank Aaron's record was the ****ing holy grail and not only did it go to a cheater, but we knew he was a cheater at the time. We didn't even have the romance of the McGuire/Sosa HR race to hold onto.

McGwire broke Maris' record. Everyone knew McGwire was on andro but nobody dared to accuse him. Everyone knew McGwire ballooned from a big guy to a mutant of a big guy.

The difference between McGwire and Sosa's HR chase, and Bonds' HR chase is that the media hated Bonds but loved McGwire/Sosa.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

His stats are very close to Bonds. He played in a harder league and at a harder defensive position: center instead of left field.

If you think HRs are the only thing that matters. Even if you give Griffey the edge on HRs and fielding (if he did, it was not by much at all... Bonds was going to be an awesome power hitter regardless of steroids and he was an elite LF)... Barry as an elite pure hitter, base runner, and had extraordinary plate patience. Far better than Griffey in those areas.

Griffey was an outstanding player. But even counting Barry's steroid use, he's no Bonds.

[GloucesterChief]

Left field is a position where you put so-so defenders. Center and right are much harder positions.

Griffey
AB: 9801
HRs: 630
Hits: 2781
AVG: .284
OBP: .370
RBI: 1836

Along with being the premier defensive outfielder of his generation.

Bonds
AB: 9,847
HRs: 762
Hits: 2935
AVG: .298
OBP: .444
RBI: 1996
AB:

Bonds played left which isn't exactly a hard defensive position.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Mav

Uh. He had hall of fame credentials before 98. He was a 3 time league mvp and multiple Gold glove winner before that . So, yeah, fanboy and all your still missing the point.

10 years of the numbers he put up before juicing are HOF credentials. His numbers from that time don't rank him with the best in history.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

I ALWAYS leave Babe Ruth off my best of all time lists because he didn't play against all of the best players in America.

Sorry bro. Babe Ruth was a dominant pitcher, and hitter. Regardless of who he played against, that's unheard of.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Cochise

10 years of the numbers he put up before juicing are HOF credentials. His numbers from that time don't rank him with the best in history.

Just because you choose to selectively decide what stats make a hall of fame resume, doesn't mean they don't exist. And you are actually closer to right because bonds will never get in.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Mav

Just because you choose to selectively decide what stats make a hall of fame resume, doesn't mean they don't exist. And you are actually closer to right because bonds will never get in.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Well there is a reason I put Ruth first. My problem with it is that the entire era is tainted. So you claim the era but you don't lock obvious hall of fame players, bonds, McGwire, palmeiro, Clemens, piazza, out of the hof. It's an embarrassment.

[Red Dawg]

If those old fuggers that vote don't let him in the first try then they are just plain stupid. The whole game was soked with the steroid problem from top to bottom. He is by far deserving. 500 homer and 500 stolen bases. The number two guy with 500 homers has like 250 stolen bases. 7 mvp's and nobody else has over 4. He was the most feared hitter in the history of the sport period.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Mav

Well there is a reason I put Ruth first. My problem with it is that the entire era is tainted. So you claim the era but you don't lock obvious hall of fame players, bonds, McGwire, palmeiro, Clemens, piazza, out of the hof. It's an embarrassment.

I'm in favor of locking them all out.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Cochise

10 years of the numbers he put up before juicing are HOF credentials. His numbers from that time don't rank him with the best in history.

Are you being serious? He is by a landslide to fast to hit the 300-300 club. His final 3 years in Pittsburgh, he was basically a .300 hitter with 30+HRs, 110+ RBIs, 100+ walks, and 35+ SBs. All while being the best defensive LF in the game by a mile. Again, if you're talking about pure HRs and BA... sure. He was elite in almost every single way -- power, blazing speed, outstanding defense, and a great pure hitter with plate discipline.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

Left field is a position where you put so-so defenders. Center and right are much harder positions.

Griffey
AB: 9801
HRs: 630
Hits: 2781
AVG: .284
OBP: .370
RBI: 1836

Along with being the premier defensive outfielder of his generation.

Bonds
AB: 9,847
HRs: 762
Hits: 2935
AVG: .298
OBP: .444
RBI: 1996
AB:

Bonds played left which isn't exactly a hard defensive position.

Griffey's defense was overrated. He was flashy. He was one of the better of his generation. But he wasn't even the best defensive center fielder of his generation. He made a lot of flashy catches because he played ridiculously deep in CF. And for that matter, whereas Bonds was a solid fielder his whole career, Griffey's defense the last half of his career was Jeter bad.

Bonds in his prime was easily the best left fielder of his time. And he was outstanding when he played center field prior to moving him after the Pirates brought in Van Slyke.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

Sub out Bonds for Griffey Jr.

Lulz

[TEX]

Bonds' head should get even bigger now...He's such a lying tool, as is Roger Clemens.