Times wires
Monday, April 4, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO — A tape of a secretly recorded conversation with Barry Bonds' doctor that prosecutors say a key witness recently discovered appeared unlikely to be ruled admissible by the judge in the perjury trial.
On a day when there was no testimony because a juror was ill, the government said Monday that former Bonds business partner Steve Hoskins found a cassette recording of his conversation with Dr. Arthur Ting.
Prosecutors, hoping to counter Ting's testimony last week that he never discussed Bonds' alleged steroid use with Hoskins — who insisted they had — said both men might be recalled to the witness stand.
"Mostly, I could hear Mr. Hoskins. I could hear very little of what Dr. Ting said," U.S. District Judge Susan Illston told lawyers late Monday. She added that from what she could discern, the new recording was "almost entirely inadmissible or irrelevant."
Prosecutors had planned to rest their case Monday.
COMMENTS IRK RELIEVER: Injured Yankees reliever Pedro Feliciano was adamant that a heavy workload had never caused arm problems, and he was hurt by the Mets' claim that they didn't want him back.
Told that Yankees GM Brian Cashman had accused the Mets of abusing Feliciano, Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen said his overuse was the reason the team decided to not re-sign him. Feliciano said the Mets indeed proposed a one-year contract.
"I read that and it hurts," Feliciano said. "It hurts."
CLEMENS SAGA: A federal judge is not happy that Roger Clemens talked to the media about his upcoming perjury trial.
In Washington, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton reminded Clemens that he does not want the case tried in the media. He ordered all parties in the case to review his order in August prohibiting public comments that could prejudice potential jurors.
BURGLARY: Police are searching for suspects who burglarized the Mount Vernon, Wash., home of Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick in late March and took his World Series ring.
BREWERS: Manager Ron Roenicke said there's no timetable for RF Corey Hart's return from a strained oblique, an injury he sustained in late February.
CARDINALS: LF Matt Holliday said he'd been having stomach pains for more than a week before having an appendectomy Friday. He also told the team he didn't need to go on the disabled list, and he hopes to return by the weekend.
CUBS: Former Rays 1B Carlos Peña is day to day with a mild sprain of his right thumb. … Announced attendance at Wrigley Field was 26,292, dropping below 27,000 for the first time since 2002.
DODGERS: 3B Casey Blake is making rapid progress from a bad back and is trying to talk the team into activating him Thursday, the first day he's eligible to come off the disabled list.
ORIOLES: RHP Jeremy Guthrie, coming off a strong opening day start against the Rays, has pneumonia and will miss his scheduled start Wednesday against the Tigers.
RANGERS: RHP Brandon Webb hit another snag in his comeback from 2009 shoulder surgery, struggling with his location during live batting practice. Webb said he felt no pain but isn't ready for a simulated game.
ROYALS: RHP Jeff Suppan, a 16-year veteran who was Kansas City's best pitcher 10 years ago, signed a minor-league deal and will report to Triple-A Omaha.
WHITE SOX: RHP Jake Peavy threw a 59-pitch simulated game Sunday and is scheduled to start a minor-league game Friday. Peavy has had problems with his surgically repaired shoulder.