I'll be the first to admit that I do not like Barry Bonds.

I never liked him when he was a Pirate, I never liked him when he played for the Giants, and I sure as hell didn't like him whenever he floated the idea of becoming a Yankee.

As far as punishing Bonds, Major League Baseball has no right in punishing the "new home run king". Legally at least.

You see, Bonds is a crafty man, or so he thought. By opting out of the players union, Bonds became a one man marketing dream.

If you want Bonds in a video game (approved by Major League Baseball and the Players Union) you have to negotiate with him directly. If you want him to appear on your baseball card, contact Bonds' agent, not the Players Union. If you want to film a public service announcement with Bonds and one hundred other ball players, you'll get the ball players, but you'll have to pay for Bonds.

But, by opting out of the Players Union, Major League Baseball will never have to worry about punishing Bonds.

He punished himself.

Companies like 2kSports and EA Games refuse to deal with Bonds, and pay unrealistic sums of money to use his likeness in their baseball franchises. Instead, gamers have to deal with a forty year old white guy who bats and throws right handed, and who answers to the name of John Dowd. All his stats are set to zero, and there is no record of the all-time home run leader throughout any aspect of the games. If you play with the San Fransisco Giants, you're basically left with a forty year old rookie, making eighteen million dollars.

Bonds punished himself by making it almost impossible to remember him. Baseball card companies, already strapped for cash (dying industry) have a hard time justifying negotiations with Bonds and company.

By opting out of the Players Union, Bonds punished himself. He doesn't have the backing of one of the most powerful unions in the United States when he appears before court. Any deal Major League Baseball strikes with the government, leaves Bonds out in the cold. His arrogance and foolishness could lead to his eventual imprisonment.

So, you ask again, should Major League Baseball punish Barry Bonds?

No. I think he's done enough.

Tough day in the Tejada household. First, Houston Astro's shortstop learns that Congress has asked the Justice Department to investigate whether or not Tejada may have lied during a 2005 interview regarding Rafael Palmeiro's steroid case.

Next, he learns that his older brother Manuel Tejada died in a car crash.

According to Enrique Rojas, of ESPN Deportes;

"Freddy Manuel Tejada, 37, died Tuesday afternoon when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a sport utility vehicle in Bani, a city in the southern part of the Dominican Republic."

It was a rough day for the former American League MVP. If the Justice Department finds evidence that proves he lied, Tejada could be in a world of hurt. In an intial interview during the first Congressional Steroid Hearings, this encounter (according to a letter to the US General Attorney obtained by ESPN.com News Services) between Tejada and the panel took place:

"No, I never heard," Tejada replied.

"You never knew of any other player using steroids?" Tejada was asked.

"No," he replied.

"Have you ever taken a steroid before?" he was asked at another point.

"No," he said.

Tejada also answered "No" when asked whether he had ever taken any illegal performance-enhancing drugs, andro or any other steroid precursor.

However, according to the Mitchell Report, ex-Athletic teammate Adam Piatt recalled conversations with Tejada regarding Performance Enhancing Drugs.
The report also contains two checks from Tejada to Piatt (for $3,100 and $3,200) as evidence that such encounter/transaction occured in the past.

Fallout from Roger Clemens' appearance on 60 Minutes continues, as Clemens files a defimation suit against his former trainer.

ESPN writer Buster Olney writes that no matter what, Clemens' name was in the Mitchell Report.

Clemens continues to maintain that the only things injected into this rocket, were lidocaine and B-12.

In other steroid news, former Sports Illustrated editor Don Yaeger takes a pass on co-authoring Jose Canseco's next tell all book. (Just a thought, can it still be considered a tell all? Wasn't his first book a tell-all? Shouldn't this be called a "Whoops, I forgot to mention a few things-all?)

Oakland's guys are wondering when their time in yellow and green is up.

Barry M. Bloom, MLB.com writer tries to figure out an ex-Yankee's chances of making the Hall of Fame.

Wondering what the Red Sox Nation is thinking of Roger Clemens?

Check out Mike Lupica's article on Clemens and prision life.

Oh yeah, and in cased you missed it, Andy Phillips signed with the Reds.

Clemens is on 60 Minutes, get the hot dogs and sunflower seeds. Here goes a 108 Red Stitches train of thought. Time is in (New York) East Coast Time.
Earlier in the day, a report came out that Clemens and his former trainer had an "emotional" phone call.

Chargers game is running late, "60 Minutes" not starting on time.

7:44 - Clemens asks for an "inch of respect" in a 30 second promo before the show starts. Mike Wallace asks Clemens about taking a lie detector test, editing makes Clemens look guilty.

7:58- CBS Money Watch, sponsored by Flomax. Take my first bathroom break.

8:02- Story on the Executioner. Dude used to work in Boston, K'd a lot of people. Wait, never mind, not the Clemens story.

8:15- End of Executioner Story. Unbelievably honest. Last honest interview of the night? We'll see.

8:18- Teaser for Clemens/Wallace interview.

8:19- GAME TIME!

8:20- I'm angry that what I've done for the game of baseball....that I didn't get the benefit of the doubt. It's hogwash...How can you prove your innocence?

8:21- Hardest working man in throw business. Cute.

8:22 -Wallace quotes Mitchell report. Clemens denies everything.

8:23- Why would Brian McNamee want to betray you?

8:24- Clemens says "I should be pulling tractors with my teeth."

8:25- Clemens: I was shocked, I was angry, a lot of emotions.

8:26- Clemens: I think he's been buting and moving steroids. Uh-oh...sounds like a lawsuit could be in the works...

8:27- Clemens: I had no knowledge in what Andy (Pettite) was doing.

8:28- Lynocane and B12- Clemens admits to having McNamee inject him with something.

8:29- Clemens worried about amount of Vioxx pills given to him.

8:30- Wallace is pushing buttons. I would have punched his wrinkly ass by now.

8:31- Clemens: I don't know if I can defend myself, a lot of people have already made up their mind. Will talk to Congress, especially about Vioxx.

8:32- Clemens agrees (sort of) to a lie detector test. Challenges whether or not lie detector tests actually work.

8:33- The higher you get up on a flagpole, the more your butt shoes. Clemens, retiring, wait...probably retiring.

Whew! Interview over.