Asterisks?

Bonds told the federal grand jury last year that Greg Anderson, his personal trainer, told him that the substances he used in 2003 were the nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a rubbing balm for arthritis, according to a transcript of his testimony reviewed by the Chronicle.

Right. I wonder if Bonds got the same advice as was given to Jason Giambi.

The Chronicle said that Giambi was told he would face perjury charges if he lied to the grand jury, but would be granted immunity from prosecution if he testified truthfully.

And testify he did, graphically describing what he used and how he used them in sordid detail. Ugly stuff.

Now, I think overly aggressive federal prosecutors are behind the leaks -- which seem to trickle out just around the time you begin to forget about BALCO -- in order to put pressure on the defendants. And I also think that a combination of Barry Bonds's incredible plate discipline -- he simply will not swing at a ball outside of the strike zone -- and the fact that he wears more body armor than a marine on patrol in Falluja which gives him amazing plate coverage, has more to do with the results he's achieved in the past several years than steroid use. But it is now undeniable that he used steroids and probably human growth hormone. And they had an effect as he went from a slim spray hitter with the Pirates to a bulked up prolific homerun hitter.

So what does baseball do as Bonds moves steadily towards Ruth's career home run totals and, more importantly, Aaron's?

And as for Bonds's testimony, I can believe that he was cagey enough to use code with his trainer in order to be able to deny knowledge of what he was using later on (though I have a feeling his trainer, Anderson, is going to tip before too long). Jason, on the other hand, has always struck me as a bit of a rube. And for his rubishness, the Yankees are wasting no time in trying to engineer a way out of his contract, which has become an albatross around the neck of the team. But they can't do that based on a leak to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Who knows, maybe this will give Giambi the opportunity to speak more openly about his mysterious ailments last year, and talk about the potential dangers of messing with this stuff. Seems unlikely though. Giambi has never been a popular Yankee. He replaced the popular Tino Martinez, and although Martinez was definitely in the downward arc of his career, Giambi has not shown himself to be the offensive power he was as an Athletic in 2001. And despite his massive contract, he hasn't stepped up much in the clubhouse, either, naturally deferring to Derek Jeter, but also refusing to bear the kind of load the size and length of his contract would seem to demand.

It's kind of sad.