If only Barry Bonds and Greg Anderson had stayed this tight. Or didn’t they? Albert Pujols, as quoted by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss.

“It’s not about me. It’s not about Mike Sweeney. I don’t resent this as much for myself as I do for Chris (Mihlfeld),” Pujols said. “He’s got no way to defend himself against somebody who puts something out there that’s not true.

“I’ve said before I have nothing to worry about. If they want to test me and Mike, then let’s go. I’ll do it tomorrow. No problem. But Chris has been put in a really unfair position. I know it bothers him. I hear it every time I talk to him.”

Pujols said he would pay any legal fees should Mihlfeld seek redress for being linked to the growing scandal.

“This isn’t right,” Pujols said. “All Chris wanted was his place and a chance to help kids and help us. He doesn’t even want us to pay him.”

Pujols addressed his training habits last month, angrily dismissing suggestions he ever had used any artificial help.

(To be safe, Mihlfeld said Pujols recently stopped drinking protein shakes that include Creotine.)