NEW YORK (TICKER) -- Barry Bonds has bolstered his legal team and could be preparing to slap a lawsuit on Curt Schilling, the New York Daily News reported on its web site Thursday.
According to the report, Bonds retained San Francisco attorney Todd Schneider and Oakland attorney John Burris to represent him in a possible defamation lawsuit against the veteran Boston Red Sox pitcher.
"There's no guarantee any action will be taken," Burris told the newspaper. "The most important thing to communicate is that Barry's silence up until now is not an admission to anything."
Bonds, who hit career home run No. 756 on August 7 to pass Hank Aaron for the most in baseball history, already is the subject of the BALCO steroids investigation and is represented by Michael Rains in that matter. The BALCO grand jury reconvenes next month.
On the HBO program "Costas Now," Schilling discussed Bonds' former mistress, Kimberly Bell, and her potentially damaging grand-jury testimony. She reportedly testified that Bonds told her about his steroid use.
"If I wrote a book about Bob Costas and in that book I wrote about Bob Costas' girlfriend being on the road, and Bob Costas giving that girlfriend card-show money and I outlined your daily steroid regimen, I've got to believe your first line of defense is to sue my (butt) off," Schilling said on the program.
Schneider and Burris issued joint statements, the newspaper reported.
"Mr. Bonds retained Schneider and Burris because of the false nature of these statements," the statement read. "While pursuing Hank Aaron's home run record, Barry felt that it was more prudent to remain silent. Now that the record has been broken, Burris and Schneider will evaluate any and all statements attributed to him that are false."
Bonds belted his 759th career homer on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves.
According to the report, Bonds retained San Francisco attorney Todd Schneider and Oakland attorney John Burris to represent him in a possible defamation lawsuit against the veteran Boston Red Sox pitcher.
"There's no guarantee any action will be taken," Burris told the newspaper. "The most important thing to communicate is that Barry's silence up until now is not an admission to anything."
Bonds, who hit career home run No. 756 on August 7 to pass Hank Aaron for the most in baseball history, already is the subject of the BALCO steroids investigation and is represented by Michael Rains in that matter. The BALCO grand jury reconvenes next month.
On the HBO program "Costas Now," Schilling discussed Bonds' former mistress, Kimberly Bell, and her potentially damaging grand-jury testimony. She reportedly testified that Bonds told her about his steroid use.
"If I wrote a book about Bob Costas and in that book I wrote about Bob Costas' girlfriend being on the road, and Bob Costas giving that girlfriend card-show money and I outlined your daily steroid regimen, I've got to believe your first line of defense is to sue my (butt) off," Schilling said on the program.
Schneider and Burris issued joint statements, the newspaper reported.
"Mr. Bonds retained Schneider and Burris because of the false nature of these statements," the statement read. "While pursuing Hank Aaron's home run record, Barry felt that it was more prudent to remain silent. Now that the record has been broken, Burris and Schneider will evaluate any and all statements attributed to him that are false."
Bonds belted his 759th career homer on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves.
