Barry Bonds Wants to Take You to a New Level

Guess what? Gary Sheffield, noted author, is releasing his book "Inside Power" April 3. True story. And among other minor revelations (Jim Leyland is "brilliant," et al.), Sheffield includes some interesting detail regarding his interaction with Barry Bonds:

After the 2001 season, just before my trade to the Braves, Barry invited me to San Francisco to train with him.
"Train with me, bro," Barry said, "and I'll take you to a new level. I can add years to your career. It's all about longevity."

Barry needed to be in control -- that was the main thing. ... Bonds took control to a whole new level. I wanted to tell Bonds about my usual training routine.

"I don't want to hear about it," said Barry. "I got the only routine that'll work for you."

Now, there's nothing inherently incriminating in any of that -- or, obviously, Sheffield wouldn't be publishing a book and an excerpt in the Detroit Free Press about it -- but Bonds' comments are certainly interesting. "I'll take you to the next level, add years to your career ... with this here flaxseed oil that this drug developer gave me."

Somehow, I don't buy it.

Still, the entire move by Sheffield seems calculated to place all blame on Bonds for whatever Sheffield touched. "Barry needed to be in control -- that was the main thing." You mean, as a successful professional athlete, Sheffield was willing to cede all control over his workout regimen to an acquaintance? This is like a college pothead taking an unidentified pill from his dealer without asking what, exactly, it is. Again: don't buy it.

(Read more of the excerpt after the jump.)

...

(Bonds) told me he wanted a guy named Victor Conte, head of a company called BALCO, to give me vitamins based on my specific needs. I went along with it. Conte gave the vitamins to Greg Anderson, Barry's personal weight trainer, who gave them to me.
He was telling me I needed to do heavy squats, in spite of my recent knee surgery. "The squats will strengthen your knees."

I thought I could manage the weight. My legs have always been powerful. On the last set, though, as I gave it my all, I heard something pop.

My surgical stitches popped out.

"No problem," said Anderson. "We'll get some cream that'll heal you up in a hurry."

I went to the doctor to check with him. My understanding was that the cream was not that different from the Neosporin you buy at Rite Aid. Only it worked quicker.

It did work fast. It healed me in about a week.