In a move that seemed inevitable, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has decided to launch an investigation of the use of steroids in Major League Baseball as a result of the allegation made in the book Game of Shadows. Former Senator and current Chairman of the Board of the Walt Disney Company George Mitchell will head up the investigation.

The players that are part of this investigation will be allowed to play during the probe, which means that Barry Bonds could move into second place on the all-time home run list while under scrutiny.

Baseball will be in an embarrassing and difficult position if this inquiry finds that Bonds did use steroids at some point in the past and therefore committed perjury when he testified before the Balco Labs Grand Jury.

If Commissioner Selig felt under the gun when he sat in front of Congress last year and if he felt queasy when reading Game of Shadows, just imagine how Selig will feel if the findings of this investigation necessitate some kind of statistical revisions.

HERE'S THE QUESTION THAT HAS YET TO BE ASKED AND ANSWERED

This probe will no doubt revisit much of the Balco Labs trial testimony, especially where Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson was involved. Anderson was the connection between Balco and Bonds, and has pled guilty to distributing steroids, so his testimony should be of the most interest to investigators.

New York Yankee Gary Sheffield is another ballplayer who should be very concerned about this investigation, as it is alleged in the Game of Shadows that he injected himself with testosterone and human growth hormone in addition to using the illegal steroid known as "the cream." Sheffield has denied all and has claimed - as has Bonds - that he did not know that "the cream" was an illegal steroid. Bonds claimed that he did not know what was in "the clear" - another illegal steroid - and thought this substance was flaxseed oil.

There is no doubt the both Bonds and Sheffield had dealings with, and took drugs from, Greg Anderson and Balco. So here's the big question...