Will all the steroid talk bother Barry Bonds?

Not a bit. Bonds lives in his own isolated universe, where he's convinced himself that everyone's out to get him and it's him against the world. He keeps everybody away from him and doesn't give a damn. (In the Giants lockerroom, he has his own row of lockers, his own leather recliner, his own rules.) He'll feed off the controversy. It makes him stronger. Since he's been wronged (in his mind), all the questions will just be more evidence that the world is after him.

He's a strange man. A great hitter. Obviously a steroid user. And everyone agreed that Jeff Kent was a worse teammate by far. Hmmmm.

I don't like all this trash talking about A-Rod. He's too good a player. The last thing the Sox need to do is get him fired up.

I figure the most important thing is the staff. I'm as confident about Schilling as I am about any 38 year old pitcher. Which is to say, pretty confident, but not for sure. I really like the pickup of David Wells. But then again, I thought signing Ramiro Mendoza was a brilliant move a couple of years ago and that turned out to be a disaster. And Wells is even older. Matt Clement should be solid, coming in as a #3 starter. I think Charles Bronson Arroyo has progressed really well. How can you not love a guy with cornrows? Wakefield at #5. I dunno. It's a little old, but then again it doesn't seem any worse, on paper, than last year's staff. But to me, that's the biggest mystery. I like the Wade Miller signing. He was cheap, and if he's healthy, he's a #2 starter.

I wonder how good Giambi is going to be. Clearly, he was a pretty good hitter before he started taking steroids, but what will he do this season?

Looking at his career numbers, look at the increase in his slugging percentage between 1999 and 2000. He went from good to ridiculous. So assuming he gets off to a decent start, I'd expect him to hit about 30 homers, drive in maybe 100 runs. A pretty good offensive first baseman, but nothing spectacular. He should still have a good eye and get on base a lot. Of course, if he has a slow start, or if the withdrawal from steroids has more serious effects, all bets are off ("Hello, Tino Martinez!").

There's also Barry Bonds' ex-mistress/girlfriend, who's claiming he started taking steroids around 1999-2000. That makes sense too. Look at his career numbers. Big jump in slugging percentage between 1999 and 2000, and an enormous one between 2000 and 2001. Homers went from 34 in 1999 (note, this was an injury shortened season) to 49 to 73. Looks like steroids to me.

Here is where you contact the FCC to complain about the boring Super Bowl halftime show. Paul McCartney? Puh-lease. LAME!