8.11.2006
Unintentional Humor of the Day
From today's Oakland Tribune story on the possibility of Barry Bonds coaching college baseball when he retires:
It's been almost 18 months since Barry Bonds showed up at an Arizona State baseball practice, spent a couple hours working with kids in the batting cage and a couple more laughing and talking about hitting.
ASU coach Pat Murphy noted a huge and immediate change in several players on a team that went on to a third-place finish in the College World Series.
UPDATE:
Speaking of Barry, Baseball Prospectus has a long, informative Q&A with its legal advisor on Bonds's off-field situation. Subscription required, but here are a few tidbits to entice you:
Q: Will Bonds be indicted?
A: It’s almost certain that he will. The federal government doesn't move against someone until the outcome is more or less guaranteed. Before convening a grand jury, the prosecutors prepare an internal memo analyzing every aspect of the case, including potential objections and motions and credibility problems, and then has that memo vetted by every link in the chain of command. Weaknesses get fixed. In high profile cases even the brass in D.C. has to bless the memo before the case will go forward. This doesn't ensure a conviction, but it just about guarantees an indictment. It also ensures that a vindictive and uninformed prosecutor doesn’t embarrass the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice.
Q: Is [Greg] Anderson the prosecution's whole case?
A: No. Federal prosecutors would never base their case on a single witness. If what has been reported in Game of Shadows and the press is accurate, the government already has enough to get an indictment even without Anderson's help. All of that evidence--witnesses, drug calendars, medical records, bank statements--is uncontested right now. Kimberly Bell and Steve Hoskins might get creamed on cross-examination at trial, but they haven't been cross-examined yet.
Q: Will Bonds go to jail?
A: The likelihood of Barry Bonds going to jail if he gets indicted is high. If he gets convicted of perjury, it’s certain. If he gets convicted of perjury, he will go to jail for at least as long as the guys who cooperated, but most likely longer. This means he’s likely to do more than three months.
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It's been almost 18 months since Barry Bonds showed up at an Arizona State baseball practice, spent a couple hours working with kids in the batting cage and a couple more laughing and talking about hitting.
ASU coach Pat Murphy noted a huge and immediate change in several players on a team that went on to a third-place finish in the College World Series.
UPDATE:
Speaking of Barry, Baseball Prospectus has a long, informative Q&A with its legal advisor on Bonds's off-field situation. Subscription required, but here are a few tidbits to entice you:
Q: Will Bonds be indicted?
A: It’s almost certain that he will. The federal government doesn't move against someone until the outcome is more or less guaranteed. Before convening a grand jury, the prosecutors prepare an internal memo analyzing every aspect of the case, including potential objections and motions and credibility problems, and then has that memo vetted by every link in the chain of command. Weaknesses get fixed. In high profile cases even the brass in D.C. has to bless the memo before the case will go forward. This doesn't ensure a conviction, but it just about guarantees an indictment. It also ensures that a vindictive and uninformed prosecutor doesn’t embarrass the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice.
Q: Is [Greg] Anderson the prosecution's whole case?
A: No. Federal prosecutors would never base their case on a single witness. If what has been reported in Game of Shadows and the press is accurate, the government already has enough to get an indictment even without Anderson's help. All of that evidence--witnesses, drug calendars, medical records, bank statements--is uncontested right now. Kimberly Bell and Steve Hoskins might get creamed on cross-examination at trial, but they haven't been cross-examined yet.
Q: Will Bonds go to jail?
A: The likelihood of Barry Bonds going to jail if he gets indicted is high. If he gets convicted of perjury, it’s certain. If he gets convicted of perjury, he will go to jail for at least as long as the guys who cooperated, but most likely longer. This means he’s likely to do more than three months.
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