Giambi defends Bonds’ efforts

CHICAGO – They are friends, forever linked by the BALCO scandal, but New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi insists that steroid allegations have nothing to do with Barry Bonds’ march toward baseball history.

Giambi won’t say whether he believes Bonds took steroids or human growth hormone, but he’s convinced that no drug is responsible for Bonds’ extraordinary career.

“Barry is one of the greatest players, if not the greatest, I’ll ever see play,” said Giambi, who has hit 355 career home runs. “I know people have a tough time accepting it, but what he’s doing is unbelievable. And I don’t care what people say – nothing is going to give you that gift of hitting a baseball.

“It’s the same thing for Barry. If it were that easy, how come you don’t see anyone else doing what he has done?”

Bonds, the San Francisco Giants’ left fielder, is 10 home runs shy of Hank Aaron’s all-time record of 755 home runs. Yet, in a USA Today/Gallup poll, fans say they will continue to call Aaron the all-time home run king.

“A lot of people still don’t want him to break the record,” Giambi said, “so it’s tough. He’s chasing one of the most celebrated records on the planet, and they’re not even giving him a chance to enjoy it. … How he can possibly enjoy it with all of the scrutiny?”

Yet Bonds continues to thrive, already hitting 11 home runs, tied for third in the National League, entering Thursday.

“Barry is like the great white shark,” Giambi said, “the greatest killing machine on the planet. All it does is swim and eat.”