As the Barry Bonds saga winds excruciatingly through the courts and Bonds himself ages on the shelf until his legal problems are finished, fans in both southern and northern California watch with appalled fascination the spectacle of the Manny Ramirez contract negotiations. On Thursday night the negotiations between the Dodgers, for whom Ramirez last played, and his agent exploded into public recriminations as accusatory emails flew back and forth. The more things like this happen, the more Giants ownership has to wonder, do they really want another headache like the one they had with Bonds?

Bonds’ trial was postponed indefinitely after his “friend” and former “trainer” Greg Anderson again refused to testify about what he knows about Bonds’ steroid use, which he allegedly facilitated. Anderson spent a year in jail on contempt charges already, and he might be headed for another spell if this keeps up. Yesterday on KNBR Ralph Barbieri and Tom Tolbert went on a hilarious riff about how the prisoners and guards at the Pleasanton federal lockup where Anderson vacations probably ask him for Bonds memorabilia and that the prison is likely festooned with Bonds signed balls, jerseys and posters.