Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens could get Hall snub

News item: Grand jury convenes for perjury investigation of Roger Clemens.

On a day baseball celebrated the election of Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice to the Hall of Fame, the shadow of the steroid era lingered.

McGwire drew 21.9% of the vote this year, down from 23.6% last year. Although he admitted using androstenedione at a time the substance had not yet been banned in baseball, and although he refused to discuss steroid use in the sport at a congressional hearing convened for that very purpose, McGwire never has been charged with a crime.

But Barry Bonds has been charged with perjury, and Clemens soon could be. The federal government claims it can prove Bonds lied when he said he never knowingly used steroids, and would make the same claim about Clemens.

Bonds is scheduled for trial in March. He and Clemens are scheduled to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot four years from now, the time of reckoning for baseball's steroid era.

Bonds, the all-time home run leader, and Clemens, winner of an unprecedented seven Cy Young Awards, normally would be locks for first-ballot election to the Hall of Fame.

But, when 28 voters deprive Henderson of a first-ballot election, how many might vote against Bonds or Clemens the first time as a vote against the steroid era?

Each man is innocent until proven guilty, of course. But, by the time the feds are finished, this might be the question for the Hall of Fame electorate: How many might vote against Bonds or Clemens every time?

Mr. Longevity

Who says there are no more secrets in baseball? The Angels negotiated the outline of their contract extension with Manager Mike Scioscia in September and finalized the deal in November.

General Manager Tony Reagins confirmed the agreement last week, following news reports, although the Angels have not publicly specified the terms. However, the extension runs through 2018, with an opt-out clause through 2015, according to two sources familiar with the agreement but not authorized to speak publicly about it.

If Scioscia completes the deal, he would have managed more games for the Angels than Tom Lasorda managed for the Dodgers.

Remember when . . .

The Dodgers' Brad Penny started the 2006 All-Star game by striking out Ichiro Suzuki, Derek Jeter and David Ortiz with 100-mph fastballs, conjuring up visions of him as a dominant closer, pumping gas with no concern about pacing himself.