Scrutiny on Bonds might be only beginning

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First of all, congratulations to Barry Bonds for breaking what is arguably sports’ most revered record. Love him or hate him, 756 home runs is an amazing feat. But while Bonds’ Hall of Fame credentials are unimpeachable, his future as a civilian isn’t so clear-cut.

The grand jury investigating Bonds for perjury and tax evasion has been extended for six months, and might be preparing for an indictment as soon as a month from now, according to news reports. The U.S. Attorney’s office in San Francisco feels it has gathered enough evidence to secure an indictment once the case resumes in September.

In a New York Daily News article, an anonymous attorney with knowledge of the case said, “I think politically it would look terrible if they indicted him when he was one or two home runs away from breaking the record…I think they’ll let him break the record but I’d be very surprised if they don’t indict.”

If Bonds is indicted, Major League Baseball will more than likely try to suspend him; or, Bonds might beat MLB to the punch by retiring at season’s end, now that the record is his. In any case, if Bonds thought the pressure and scrutiny that came with chasing the home run record was intense, he hasn’t seen anything yet.