Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield used steroids.......

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds received steroids and human growth
hormone from a nutritional supplements lab implicated in a
steroid-distribution ring, according to information given to federal
investigators, the San Francisco Chronicle reported late Monday on its
Web site.

Investigators also were told that New York Yankees stars Jason Giambi
and Gary Sheffield, as well as three other major leaguers and one NFL
player, were given steroids, the newspaper reported.

Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, gave the players the drugs
from the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, according to information
given to the government and shared with the newspaper.

The newspaper stated that its information did not "explicitly state"
that the athletes used the steroids after obtaining them.

Bonds, Giambi and Sheffield, all of whom testified last fall before
the grand jury that indicted four men in the alleged
steroid-distribution ring, have denied steroid use. The three men
declined comment Monday when contacted by the newspaper.

"We continue to adamantly deny that Barry was provided, furnished or
supplied any of those substances at any time by Greg Anderson," Bonds'
attorney Michael Rains told the newspaper.

Sheffield's attorney, Paula Canny, told the paper: "Gary Sheffield has
never knowingly ingested a steroid ... and Gary Sheffield has never
knowingly applied an anabolic steroid cream to his body."

Prosecutors released documents last month saying Anderson told federal
agents he gave steroids to several professional baseball players. None
of those players was identified in those documents.

Anderson's attorney, Tony Serra, said last Friday that Bonds "never
took anything illegal" and that the slugger was offered -- but
rejected -- a substance at the heart of the government's case against
the four indicted men.

That substance, according to government documents, was the recently
unmasked steroid THG.

Anderson has been charged with participating in a steroid-distribution
ring that provided performance-enhancing drugs to professional
athletes. Also charged have been BALCO founder Victor Conte and the
lab's vice president, James Valente, as well as track coach Remi
Korchemny.

All four have pleaded not guilty and are free on bond.

The Chronicle reported that two of Bonds' former teammates -- Marvin
Benard of the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City catcher Benito
Santiago -- and former Oakland infielder Randy Velarde also received
performance-enhancing drugs, as did Oakland Raiders linebacker Bill
Romanowski.

An anonymous source told the Chronicle that Anderson provided Bonds
with steroids and human growth hormone as far back as 2001, when the
slugger hit 73 homers to break the single-season record. Bonds has 658
career homers -- 97 shy of Hank Aaron's career mark.