[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

3/8/06

Baker maintains he didn’t know if Bonds used steroids

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Paul Sullivan
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

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MESA, Ariz. — Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker reiterated yesterday he did not know whether Barry Bonds was using steroids when Baker managed the slugger in San Francisco.

Baker’s name appears in the book Game of Shadows, a detailed report on Bonds’ alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Excerpts in Sports Illustrated portray Baker as a manager who watched Bonds’ body go through massive change but never questioned why. The book says: "The Giants, from owner Peter Magowan to manager Dusty Baker, had no interest in learning whether Bonds was using steroids."

Asked if he would have said something to Bonds had he known Bonds was using steroids, Baker replied, "Had I known, definitely I would’ve said something. But I didn’t know. Everybody was speculating about a lot of people."

Baker repeated he "never" saw Bonds use steroids.

"Everybody saw the physical change," Baker said. "You didn’t know if Barry was (just) lifting weights, because he lifts all the time. (The book) says I wasn’t interested, but what are you going to do? I’m not a detective. What are you going to do as a manager?

"How can anybody assert I wasn’t interested?"

Baker added he never has condoned the use of steroids.

"I have a little boy, 6 years old," he said. "I want to protect him and all kids. Anybody will tell you, I’m one of the guys who really spoke out most about it. I didn’t know the extent. I didn’t know what was said in court.

This is the first time I’ve heard a lot of this stuff."

Baker read the magazine excerpts yesterday and said he was "lost" at times amid the detailed reports of different steroids Bonds allegedly used.

"I didn’t even know there were that many kinds of steroids," he said. "I’ve never even seen a steroid. I didn’t even know what kinds of steroids are steroids, other than the kind that you used to fight allergies. You have to be a doctor to keep up with all the stuff that was in (the excerpts)."

Baker said he has been against steroids "ever since my friend Lyle Alzado died," referring to the late NFL player, a steroid abuser.

"So it can’t be good," Baker said. "There’s no way it can be good. It’s not good for our country. It’s not good for the game. It’s not good for your system, and it’s certainly not good for these kids. I’m definitely against them."

Bonds’ alleged supplier, Greg Anderson, frequently was in the clubhouse when Baker managed the Giants. Baker said he had "no clue" about Anderson’s alleged activities and thought he was Bonds’ trainer, as Bonds had described him to management.

"He was given the OK from upstairs," Baker said, referring to Magowan.

"What are you going to do when he’s given the OK from upstairs?"

The allegations against Bonds aren’t new, and Baker has denied knowing about the abuse many times.
"What’s new is the extent of it," he said. "This is like . . . boy, it’s a bad day."