Bryan Joiner

Yesterday in San Francisco, the best hitter in baseball history was indicted on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, and if convicted, will face up to 30 years in prison. The charges are unsurprising. They’re also absurd.

— Tim Marchman’s take in the New York Sun

In the absence of a tape-recorded, cartoon villain speech from Bonds proving that he knew he was taking steroids and growth hormone, it is going to be very difficult to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that Bonds knowingly took drugs.

— Marchman

So Bonds is in a lot of trouble?
Maybe, but maybe not.

— Sports law expert Michael McCann breaks down the indictment on cnnsi.com

My first reaction is that this is a travesty, and has been for years. For someone to be investigated for this long for something so unimportant is a disgrace… This is an abuse of power, a shameless personal attack of Barry Bonds.

This is not a good day for baseball, it’s not a good day for anyone involved, really.

— The “Only Baseball Matters” blog

Never mind the debate over sticking an asterisk on the ball in the Hall of Fame. Baseball has no business putting an asterisk on Barry Bonds. The asterisk belongs on Major League Baseball, for allowing the players union to bully it into avoiding testing and penalties.

Our “friend” George Vecsey’s spot-on take in the Times

I’m high up on the line you can get behind me
But my head’s so big you can’t sit behind me
Life of a don
Lights keep glowin’
Comin’ in the club with that fresh sh#t on
With somethin crazy on my arm
Uh-uh-uh
And here’s another hit, Barry Bonds

— Kanye West, “Barry Bonds”