Government May Play Harball With Bonds

CBS SportsLine.com: Can't Dodge Anymore If Congress Comes After Him

(CBS) 
Until now, the biggest thing Bonds had going for him was this:

If what he's alleged to have done was so wrong, and if he didn't tell the whole truth and nothing but at his grand jury hearing, then why did the BALCO case never come to trial?

And why did it seem as if the federal government's attack dogs had suddenly lost interest and moved on to the next dark alley?

The answer came back into sharp focus Thursday night when the news was leaked to CNN: They haven't.

This doesn't mean that Bonds is doomed. Lots of people thought former President Bill Clinton would be nailed on perjury charges at one time, too, but he wasn't. Perjury -- in Bonds' case, that he knowingly took steroids and then lied about it -- is very difficult to prove.

Besides, the history of this country remains that if you're rich and powerful enough, and if you know the right people, you often can get away with a slap on the wrist and no hard time.

But if Bonds has angered the wrong people with continued denials that have been both arrogant and brazen, then this story could have an entirely different cliff-hanger of an ending.

With the publication of Game of Shadows last month -- the book detailing Bonds' persistent and systematic use of steroids and human growth hormone over a span of several years -- the government has no other choice than to investigate whether Bonds perjured himself.

Because if the book is even 75 percent accurate -- and it should be noted that Bonds and his people have yet to deny any of the specific charges detailed by authors Mark Fainaru-Wade and Lance Williams, or sue them for libel -- then Bonds was playing the grand jury for fools during the 2003 hearing.

It's one thing to stonewall the government.

It's quite another to stonewall when there are still enough tracks to lead right back to your front door. Treat enough people like disposable wrappers and, eventually, one of them is going to circle back around and get you.
None of us has any idea yet how this will play out. But one thing we do know beyond a reasonable doubt is this:

It will be much more difficult to break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record from behind bars than it would be from the batter's box of any National League park.