PHOENIX -- The United States lost Wednesday afternoon in the World Baseball Classic. Chase Field was about one-third full as it happened.

And that wasn't the worst of it for Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

Selig's arrival in Arizona to view the U.S. squad against Canada came one day after the release of excerpts of a book detailing the alleged steroid use of San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Instead of promoting the World Baseball Classic, Selig again was left to do damage control as baseball's dark side assumed the spotlight.

"Believe me," Selig said before Canada's 8-6 upset victory, "today, if I had my choice, I would have gone to have a root canal job."

If it were mere novocaine to worry about, Selig's job would be far less complicated. Instead, his chore is to make good from having Bonds bearing down on both Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron in the upper reaches of the career home-run charts while dogged reporters are bearing down on Bonds' legacy.

The book "Game of Shadows" portrays steroid use by Bonds following the 1998 season and through his power surge of the next five years as far greater than any previous indications. Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle, used more than 200 sources for the book, which is to be released March 27. Sports Illustrated published excerpts in this week's issue and put them on its Web site Tuesday, sparking the media firestorm.

Measuring his words and intentionally avoiding the word "investigate", Selig on Wednesday said he is compelled to look into the matter.

"I will review all the material that's relative in either way," the commissioner said. "And, obviously, we've only seen parts of things. … We'll review everything that there is to look at. And at the appropriate time, I'll have further comment."

Selig was noncommittal about whether his "review" would include a meeting with Bonds. Nor did he indicate any course of action should he find the books allegations to be true and substantial. He did say Bonds will remain on the active roster pending the review.

Bonds was absent Wednesday from the Giants' workout in nearby Scottsdale. He was in California to attend a previously scheduled child custody hearing.

On his Web site, Bonds responded with a statement from his lawyer, Michael Rains.

"The exploitation of Barry's good name and these attempts to eviscerate his sensational accomplishments in all phases of the game of baseball (throughout high school and college, as well as 20 years playing professionally) may make those responsible wealthy, but in the end, they need to live with themselves," Rains wrote. "Beyond this, Barry has no further comment now nor in the foreseeable future."

Whether the central parties comment or not, baseball again suffered a black eye at an inopportune moment. The book on Bonds pushed the first U.S. game in the World Baseball Classic off many a front page. And it against casts suspicion on many of the on-field accomplishments of the recent past.

Baseball did not test major-league players for steroids until the 2003 season.

Even then, critics regarded the penalties as woefully insufficient. Only until after the Congressional hearings last spring did the players union agree to the current tougher consequences and expand the testing to include amphetamines.

In place for the first time this season, a first-time offender will be suspended 50 games. It's 100 for the second offense and a lifetime ban for a third.

"I believe we have the toughest testing program in American sports," Selig said. "I can only deal with the present and the future. There's a lot of people who already have significantly different observations about what's happened, even the latest things. I'll have to let nature take its course in that regard."

Pitcher Roger Clemens has thrived during the steroid-fueled long-ball era. He was indifferent to the sanctity of the record book when asked about Bonds.

"I worry about the man's health more than I do about him hitting home runs or whatever this witch hunt we're on after him for that," Clemens said. "You still have to hit the baseball."

Witch hunt?

"Well, I just don't think it's going to change anything that's going to happen," Clemens explained. "I think that he got hammered pretty good last year, and it seems to be happening again this year. I don't know if it's going to change anything."