Repercussions

Dusty Baker may not realize it, but the impetus for his departure from the Cubs may have accelerated yesterday with the release of Game of Shadows. Why? There's nothing the Trib wants more than a clean image of the Cubs. And it's hard to see how Dusty Baker walks away unscathed from this, regardless if he had the power (or inclination) to prevent Barry Bonds' steroid use. This becomes especially clear when you hear what Dusty actually said.

"I'm not aware of the book, but I'm aware of part of it. I was made aware of what was written in the Sports Illustrated part. I don't know how much is in there. I read that part."

It's cool to be unaware of something of which you've already read parts.

"I was quite surprised with the detail that was in there. I don't really have any new light to shed on the situation."

Translation: Boy, were they accurate. So accurate I can't add anything else.

On Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson dispensing drugs to Bonds and that the Giants were aware of it and allowed Anderson to be in the clubhouse:

"I wasn't aware of (Greg Anderson dispensing drugs to Barry Bonds) because I don't condone the use of steroids. I've got a little boy 7 years old, and I want to protect him and all kids."

Maybe you should keep Darren out of the clubhouse. I mean, there are other things going on in there that aren’t good for 7 year olds: Swearing, card playing (read: gambling)...

"I didn't even know there were that many kinds of steroids. I've never even seen steroids. I didn't even know what kind of steroids are steroids other than the kinds you use to fight allergies. You have to be a doctor to keep up with all that stuff."

Translation: I'm not a doctor, so how could I be expected to know if it was the Cream or Noxzema?

"I didn't have any clue. I thought he was Barry's weight trainer. He was given the OK from upstairs. What are you going to do when he was given the OK from upstairs?"

Now we see why Dusty was allowed to leave San Francisco without a fight. Peter Magowan just was thrown under the bus (namelessly). And we also see why Ned Colletti had no interest in hiring Baker away from the Cubs.

"Everybody saw the physical change. You didn't know if Barry was lifting weights because he lifts all the time. It says I wasn't interested. What are you going to do? I'm not a detective. What are you going to do as a manager? How can anybody assert that I wasn't interested?"

If you don't bother to try to find out why one of your players has added 40 pounds of muscle weight, it's easy to assert you weren't interested. And, while Dusty is not a detective, he have to be a clueless imbecile not to at least ask the trainer, who had free access to the clubhouse, how the change was accomplished. Wouldn't a good team leader also see the improvement in Bonds' game and ask said trainer if the same improvements could be made to the rest of the team? You would, unless, of course, you knew HOW that change was being accomplsied.

"I've been against steroids ever since my friend, Lyle Alzado, died. It can't be good. There's no way it can be good. It's not good for our country. It's not good for the game."

So, a close friend dies from the stuff. You would think that would make you aware of how steroids change your body. You see changes in one of the players under your care. You ask nothing.

Can anyone say "plausible deniability"?

"Had I known, oh, definitely, I would have said something (to Bonds). But I didn't know. Everybody was speculating about a lot of people."

Check. Because speculation was rampant, you didn't take the opportunity to warn Barry proactively about the danger. Well, what do we expect from a guy who can't teach baseball players until he sees what they can already do. And THEN says the players are already set in their ways and his teaching would be futile.

Alas, the worst part of this story comes not from Bonds, but from Derrek Lee.

"When does it stop?" Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee said to the Los Angeles Times. "They've been alleging this forever. He hasn't been caught, so leave him alone."

Why is Derrek covering for Bonds? He covered, wrongly, for LaTroy Hawkins being booed last year. Now, Bonds.

Here's some advice, Derrek. Shut up. Barry Bonds is bad for baseball. On a number of levels. Don't be defending him. At best, you look like an idiot. At worst, someone could accuse you of needing cover for yourself.