The next great baseball bar debate. Pro: a career 240-138 record equals 102 more wins than losses, he won 20 games twice and holds the career postseason record win 19 wins in the playoffs. Con: a career 3.88 ERA is high and he never won the Cy Young Award. And then there's the giant elephant in the room: his usage of HGH - which, to his credit, he admitted to, testimony that is central to the Roger Clemens' doping scandal.
In either case, let the argument begin!!!
Andy Pettitte career statistics
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pettian01.shtml
Showing posts with label Andy Pettitte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andy Pettitte. Show all posts
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Thursday, October 28, 2010
NY Yankees: Core Four Represents Offseason Issues For Bronx Bombers
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/500086-ny-yankees-core-four-represents-offseason-issues-for-bronx-bombers
NY Yankees: Core Four Represents Offseason Issues For Bronx Bombers
ByScott Gyurina
October 25, 2010
Not only does the ALCS Game 6 loss to the Texas Rangers end the New York Yankees' quest to repeat as baseball's World Series champions, but it may also signify the end of an era.
No, not the end of a dynasty that some have spoken of, that would require more than one World Series title in 10 years to be spoken of in such terms. The last Yankee dynasty ended in 2001, or 2003 if you're generous.
The era in question would be that of the Yankees' "Core Four", the homegrown quartet of veteran players that have persevered in the Bronx, playing a significant role in the Yankees' five World Series titles since 1996. Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada are the first trio of players in American sports history to play together for at least 16 years, a tremendous display of loyalty in an era dominated by free agency and frequent player movement. The fourth member, Andy Pettitte, arrived in the Bronx during 1995 like the others, but spent 2004-06 pitching closer to home in Houston. Otherwise, it is likely that these four Yankees would have remained with the franchise for the entirety of their careers.
Yankee fans have long been able to count on Jeter, Mariano, Posada and Pettitte delivering standout performances throughout the regular season and then when the stakes were highest, in the crisp autumn air of baseball's postseason. Jeter, long-revered by Yankee fans as "Captain Clutch" or "Mr. November", holds a host MLB playoff records and has forged much of his reputation with dramatic postseason heroics. Mariano, considered by many to be the greatest closer the game has ever seen, is lock to join Jeter in the Hall of Fame once their playing careers conclude, and his postseason resume is one of the most impressive in baseball's history.
Will the Yankees' Core Four remain intact in 2011?
Andy Pettitte also stands a chance to join his teammates in the Hall of Fame one day. Though he has never possessed the dominant stuff or numbers of the top aces in the game, Pettitte has nevertheless had an outstanding career and owns another highly impressive playoff career, one that boasts the most career victories in baseball postseason history. His longtime battery-mate, Jorge Posada, is a top 15 all-time catcher, and will get his share of Hall of Fame consideration as well once his playing days are over.
That incredible shared history is likely something that we won't see again in baseball for quite some time. The manner in which players move between teams today makes it quite rare what this group of Yankees has accomplished together. This off-season may very well represent a turning point in the story of the Yankees' "Core Four" however.
With a devastating defeat in the American League Championship Series, comes a look toward the future for the Yankees. Constantly looking to evolve and improve their team, Brian Cashman and his fellow Yankee brass have some important decisions to make, and several significant determinations in regard to the "Core Four" with three of them at the end of their contracts. Even without the contract issues, the venerable quartet each come with their own set of questions as the Yankees head into a critical off-season.
Derek Jeter
The Yankee captain couldn't have chosen a less opportune time to have his worst season of his storied career. Playing the final year of his 10-year, $189 million contract, Jeter struggled mightily outside of approximately seven weeks of the season. After posting one of his best seasons in 2009, hopes were high for Jeter as he entered his contract year, but those hopes were never realized. He looked a step slower in the field, and his bat had trouble catching up to fastballs all year. Outside of a hot April start, Jeter looked nearly incapable of driving the ball, instead racking up a massive collection of weak infield ground-outs.
His line-drive rate was the lowest of his career, his batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage all career lows. He was impatient, swinging at everything, especially in the first half, and he found himself killing more rallies than starting them.
Even in the postseason, where we are accustomed to Jeter outshining nearly everyone, he produced a steady stream of ground-outs, and was unable to pull any Jeterian magic from his hat.
Still, unabashed Jeter supporters will tell you that it was the only bad season of his career, and that he will rebound next year, because that's just the way it is. Derek Jeter is a Yankee legend and he is their short-stop until he simply cannot do it anymore.
Some of that may be true, it may have simply been a down year. His uncharacteristic .270 batting average is actually only one point below Hall of Famer Joe Morgan's career average. Jeter could very well rebound and look like himself again, but it's never an encouraging sign to have your worst season, often appearing feeble and tired as you approach 37 years old. The established track record for players suddenly reversing decline at that age is short, especially after the end of the "steroid era".
Most players exhibiting a severe decline in production might be facing the end of the line with their team as their current contract runs out. But, this is Derek Jeter. He has been the face of the most recent Yankee dynasty, and even the highest profile player in Major League Baseball for a decade and a half. His sterling reputation both on the field and off, combined with his overall package of looks and charm have made him the most marketable player the game has seen for quite some time, if not ever.
All of these factors come into play when considering the Derek Jeter contract situation. As much as his actual on-field production, Jeter has long been revered for the intangible qualities he possesses, his leadership abilities and the grace with which he handles the pressures of New York.
The Yankees are well aware of his impact on their bottom line. Any trip through Yankee Stadium or the surrounding Bronx streets will assure you of the captain's popularity amongst Yankee fans. His jerseys are everywhere, from the old school fans that grew up with DiMaggio and Mantle, to the urban tough guys inhabiting the local neighborhoods, to little girls making their first trip to the stadium with their parents. Yankee fans, and there are many of them, love Derek Jeter.
Though out of a contract, there is no real fear that Jeter is going to ever don another uniform. There is the feeling that Jeter was born to be a Yankee, and to one day assume his place in the pantheon of career pinstriped heroes like Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra and Ford. Yes, I know Yogi had nine plate appearances with the Mets in 1965, but I'm not going to let that tarnish his stellar Yankee career.
As Jeter sits only 74 hits away from the 3,000 hit plateau, it stands to reason that he will reach it somewhere near the 2011 All-Star break. Since no Yankee has ever reached that mark, Jeter, already the all-time franchise hits leader, will undoubtedly achieve the feat in a New York uniform.
How to balance diminishing production with still undeniable value to the Yankee franchise? Jeter, though his numbers are declining, and no doubt his best days are behind him, will be paid as much for his intangible values, reputation and marketability as he will his baseball.
What is the appropriate amount to commit to a 36-year-old, singles hitting short-stop with limited range? Not only that, but how long do you let him trot out to the most important position in the infield, knowing that range and athleticism are prime attributes that top short-stops must possess to be successful? That question becomes even more complicated considering the Yankees have all three other infield positions locked up long term, and Jeter has never played an inning in the outfield.
We know Derek Jeter is not going to play anywhere but the Bronx, in all likelihood ending his career as a Yankee. However, the situation could become much more complicated than many realize when considering Jeter's future with the team. Everyone wants to see Derek Jeter play short forever, but history tells us that simply cannot happen. I don't envy Brian Cashman in this scenario.
Mariano Rivera
Another modern Yankee legend that finds himself out of contract, Mariano Rivera, at age 40, just completed one his finer seasons in pinstripes. Seemingly defying the nature of time itself, Mariano is as spry and fit as ever, providing the stable foundation for the Yankee bullpen 16 years into his career.
Completing his three-year, $45 million contract, there are suddenly worries that Mariano might be done with pitching. He will turn 41 in little over a month, and though his competitive fire still burns brightly, Mo has nothing left to prove in this game.
We also know Mo isn't going to play anywhere else. A lifelong Yankee, the man is just as responsible for the Yankees' five World Series rings during his career as anyone. Without the dominant force at the end of all those playoff games, who knows how different history could have been?
Using primarily his trademark cutter to shatter bats along with oppositional hopes as he silenced late game offensive threats, Mariano has forged a reputation in many minds as the greatest closer the game has ever seen. His value to the Yankees has been readily apparent on the mound, but the depth of his impact reaches far beyond that. Mo has called upon his vast reserve of experience and knowledge to serve as a teacher and coach in the Yankee bullpen, imparting his wisdom on a variety of Yankee hurlers.
With no apparent replacement for Mariano currently within the Yankee ranks, it would appear that his formidable presence is still required by the team. Joba has not yet matured into the pitcher the Yankees envisioned, and free agent closers of Mariano's caliber simply don't exist. The Yankees have had their eye on Joakim Soria in Kansas City, but his contract runs through 2011, with three option years following that. He may eventually be a target, but for now he doesn't appear to be available.
It remains to be seen how much longer Mariano wants to pitch. After the World Series victory last year, he boldly proclaimed that he wants to pitch five more years. He has made no such claims recently though, and will return to Panama to ponder his baseball future.
One motivating factor could be the desire to wrest the all-time saves record from Trevor Hoffman. Sitting at 559, only 42 behind Hoffman, Mariano is clearly within striking distance. Though Hoffman is still active, he struggled through an abysmal season in Milwaukee, and could very well be considering hanging up his spikes. If so, Mariano would need just over a year's worth of saves to take his rightful spot atop the all-time leader board. Whether Mo cares enough about personal records to continue playing for that reason is another story.
The other aspect of his story is that he was still one of the top relievers in the game, even as he approaches 41 years old. In 38 save opportunities, he saved 33 games for an 87 percent success rate, just below his career average of 89 percent. Though his strikeout rates may be lower, his 1.80 ERA was the fifth lowest of his career, and his 0.833 WHIP was the second lowest he has ever posted. He may not throw as hard as he once did, but his experience and veteran guile make him a more intelligent pitcher, enabling to him to continually succeed on the mound, despite the rigors of time.
The Yankees need a closer, and they appear unlikely to let the legendary closer they've employed for 16 years go anywhere. Depending upon a few other factors, we'll have to wait and see how much money and many years the Yankees are willing to commit, but it seems highly likely that this successful partnership will continue for the foreseeable future.
Jorge Posada
Derek Jeter may be the captain, but Jorge Posada has long been considered the heart and soul of this Yankee team. More of a vocal leader that Jeter, Posada has helped steer the team with his toughness and determination, while playing a pivotal role in four world championships since 1997.
Posada, just turned 39 himself, and has seen better days. Though he is still under contract for one more year, he represents a significant question for the Yankees as they look toward next season.
His days as a regular catcher are clearly over, as he has only managed to catch 30, 100, and 83 games over the last three seasons, while also seeing significant time in the designated hitter role.
Jorge a standout offensive performer relative to his position, is likely a top-15 catcher of all-time. His potent bat, patient approach and switch-hitting abilities have made him a constant fixture in the Yankee lineup for years. Though never considered a strong defensive catcher, his offensive abilities always outweighed his deficiencies behind the dish.
Never a quick-footed catcher, Jorge has always had a problem with blocking balls in the dirt and throwing out attempted base-stealers. Those problems were highlighted this postseason, as the Rangers ran rampant on a powerless Posada. Of course, some of that blame has to go to the pitchers for failing to control the running game, but Posada's throws were weak and errant, allowing the Rangers to run at will, overwhelming the Yankees.
Clearly, the Rangers running game wasn't the sole reason for the Yankee loss to Texas, but it was a significant factor. The pitchers were never able to focus on pitching because any time a base-runner reached, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he was about to steal his way into scoring position.
During the regular season, Yankee catchers threw out a measly 15 percent of attempted base-stealers, good for last in all of baseball. League average was 28 percent, and the next closest team was Boston at 20 percent. Clearly, this is a weakness that needs to be addressed.
Though his bat still contains plenty of pop, and his patient approach will still allow Posada to reach base at a steady rate, it becomes difficult to envision Jorge catching very often in 2011. With Francisco Cervelli having a solid year as his backup, and a stable full of young catching prospects waiting in the minors, Posada may be best suited for a DH role in the upcoming year.
One position the Yankees are stocked at is catcher, with uber-prospect Jesus Montero nearly MLB ready, Austin Romine making significant strides, as well as youngsters J.R. Murphy and Gary Sanchez developing in the lower minors. If Montero's much-heralded bat is as lethal as reported, his time is surely approaching. His defense, always a weakness has reportedly improved greatly over the second half of 2010, and we may very well see his Bronx arrival sometime in 2011.
Posada, who hit 18 HR with 57 RBI, while posting an .811 OPS in 2010 could see increased time in the designated hitter role. His experienced switch-hitting bat could serve in the spot where the Yankees used Nick Johnson, Marcus Thames and Lance Berkman in 2010, allowing younger, more defensively inclined youngsters to take over handling the pitching staff.
Though his veteran presence is preferred by the Yankees in the postseason, his stubborn methods of dealing with pitchers has helped create a difficult situation at times with various members of the Yankee staff. It has been public knowledge that specific pitchers don't enjoy throwing to him, as he doesn't frame pitches, lazily blocks balls in the dirt and butts heads with hurlers over pitch selection.
It may behoove the Yankees to minimize his time behind the plate in 2011, handing the reigns to a duo of younger backstops. Of course, no one expects Posada to take that well when it inevitably occurs, but sometimes tough decisions need to be made, even when they apply to respected veterans in your squad.
Andy Pettitte
The third member of the Yankees' Core Four to be out of contract is veteran left-hander, Andy Pettitte. A member of the Yankees since 1995, minus a three year stint in Houston, Andy is also the proud owner of five World Series rings. His contributions to those postseason odysseys have been significant, as he is the all-time baseball postseason leader in victories.
While his fellow members of the Yankee starting rotation struggled to varying degrees in the 2010 playoffs, Pettitte registered two good starts, winning one and losing the other, but lasting seven innings each time, and utilizing his vast experience to shut down two powerful offenses. His outings were the only starts that felt the least bit comfortable from the Yankee starting staff.
His participation in the postseason was never a sure thing, as Andy made a last ditch effort in the regular season's final weeks to get himself ready for the playoffs. He missed a full two months of the season due to a groin injury he suffered on July 18, and only returned on September 18, a mere two weeks before the playoffs.
Prior to his injury, Pettitte was enjoying one of the finest years of his career, going 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA through July 18. He only was able to make three starts after returning from his stint on the DL, to uneven results. The Yankees were holding their breath, praying that their most experienced hurler could contribute as they attempted to defend their 2009 World Series title.
Pettitte's triumphant return was a success on a personal level, but ultimately for naught, as the Yankees were thoroughly defeated in the ALCS, but through no fault of Andy's.
Despite his great season, it remains to be seen whether Andy wants to continue pitching. It is likely that the Yankees would welcome his veteran presence in the middle of their rotation, however he has been a threat to retire at the end of every season for several years.
Still a highly competitive hurler, Pettitte proved that he can still pitch effectively, but his desire has to be there. Always a devoted family man, Andy Pettitte has placed his fate in the hands of his wife and kids, and will only pitch if they still want him to.
He recently stated that he has nothing left to accomplish in this game, so the seeds of doubt over his return have been planted. When on the hill, there is little doubt as to the degree of his competitive nature, but one can fully comprehend the desire of a man to spend more time with his wife and children.
The Yankees may be ready to heavily pursue ace Cliff Lee after the conclusion of the World Series. That would seem to cast some doubt on the availability of a rotation slot for Pettitte, but if it came down to it, I'm sure A.J. Burnett's spot is not fully secured. I can tell you that nearly every Yankee fan I've ever met would personally help chip in for Burnett's contract if it meant they could move him to accommodate Andy Pettitte.
Not Quite the End Of An Era, But Getting There
In all likelihood, at least three members of the Core Four will remain in Yankee pinstripes for at least 2011. Posada will obviously stay for the coming season, and the overwhelming odds suggest Jeter and Mariano will sign new contracts to keep them in the Bronx for at least another few seasons.
Mariano will very likely be right where we expect him to be, anchoring the Yankee bullpen, providing security late in games as he has for years.
The time has come for Jeter and Posada to both take a serious look in the mirror, and realize that they aren't the dynamic young stars of their youth. Both Yankee leaders still have a valuable role to play with the only team they have ever known, but it may be evolving as the team needs to move forward without getting bogged down by nostalgia.
Andy Pettitte, as we have grown accustomed, will take his time to make his decision, and we very well may have seen the last of him on a mound. Sitting at 240 career victories, another season or two worth of wins would certainly garner him some significant Hall of Fame consideration when combined with his impressive postseason career. Pettitte has never been big on personal accolades, but that thought has to at least cross his mind.
Whatever happens in the off-season will have to wait a while to be revealed, but a season of change is surely approaching in the Bronx. Much of the uncertainty revolves around the Yankees' Core Four, and the manner in which change is handled will go a long way toward determining how successful the next few seasons are for the New York Yankees. No one wants to see history repeat itself and watch the dark days of the late 60's and early 70's return.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Jeter tops Gehrig, sets Yankees hit record
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/wires/09/12/2010.ap.bba.yankees.jeter.record.8th.ld.writethru.1088/
Saturday September 12, 2009
Jeter tops Gehrig, sets Yankees hit record
NEW YORK (AP) - Puddles soaked the warning track and ponchos dotted the stands when Derek Jeter stepped to the plate in the third inning, hoping to give the soggy Yankee Stadium crowd a reason for showing up in all this rain.
With one of his classic, inside-out swings, Jeter sent a sharp grounder skimming through the infield. And there it was, the record-setting hit that pushed him past Lou Gehrig.
Jeter broke the New York Yankees' hit record held by Gehrig for more than seven decades on Friday night with an opposite-field single against Baltimore. It gave Jeter 2,722 hits, one more than Gehrig, whose Hall of Fame career was cut short by illness in 1939.
"The whole experience has been overwhelming,'' Jeter said. "This is more than I could've imagined.''
The captain kept right on going, too, with an RBI single in the fourth that put New York up 4-1. He came out of the game after a 67-minute rain delay in the seventh when manager Joe Girardi pulled most of his starters with the Yankees trailing 10-4.
Once play resumed, the Yankees held an unusual in-game news conference with Jeter and then teammates Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez.
"I didn't expect that many people to be out there after the rain delay considering how hard it was raining when we started the game,'' Jeter said. "But the fans were incredible. It says a lot about how they feel about their team and more importantly how they feel about the history of their team. I appreciate each and every one that was there.''
Jeter's record-breaking hit was remarkably similar to the one that tied Gehrig on Wednesday night, a well-struck grounder inside the first-base line. After this one, Yankees players poured out of the dugout and engulfed Jeter at first base with hugs and pats on the back.
"I didn't know that they were going to do that, so that sort of caught me off-guard,'' Jeter said. "It's a special moment for me, it's a special moment for the organization. To be able to enjoy it with my teammates was a lot of fun.''
Jeter spread his arms wide after rounding first base on his record-breaking hit and gave an emphatic clap as he headed back to the bag.
Rain-drenched fans, many wearing bright ponchos, roared during an ovation that lasted about 3 minutes. Jeter twice waved his helmet to the crowd of 46,771 - just as he did after tying the record. Fans chanted his name and the ball was taken out of play as a souvenir.
"For those who say today's game can't produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter. Game in and game out he just produces,'' Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. "As historic and significant as becoming the Yankees' all-time hit leader is, the accomplishment is all the more impressive because Derek is one of the finest young men playing the game today.
"That combination of character and athletic ability is something he shares with the previous record holder, Lou Gehrig,'' the statement said.
When his grounder got past diving first baseman Luke Scott, Jeter's parents raised their arms in excitement. Joining them in an upstairs box filled with family and friends were his sister and steady girlfriend, actress Minka Kelly.
Jeter tied Gehrig's mark Wednesday night, snapping an 0-for-12 slump with three hits against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees were off Thursday, and Jeter resumed his pursuit Friday at soggy Yankee Stadium.
"I'm happy I was able to do it quickly,'' he said.
The start was delayed 87 minutes by heavy rain that had tapered off by the third inning. Jeter struck out swinging against Tillman in his first at-bat, but came through his next time up.
"It's vintage Derek Jeter. Stay inside the ball and hit it the other way,'' Girardi said. "I think everyone was just ecstatic for him. ... I think we all feel very proud to be around him.''
Gehrig's final hit came on April 29, 1939, a single against the Washington Senators. The Iron Horse had held the club record since Sept. 6, 1937, when he passed Babe Ruth.
Gehrig's career ended suddenly in 1939. Two years later, he died at 37 from the disease that would later bear his name.
Jeter got his first hit on May 30, 1995, at Seattle and set the Yankees mark with 14 seasons of splendid consistency. His two singles Friday night gave him 1,363 hits at home and 1,360 on the road.
Now, No. 2 in Yankees pinstripes is number one in the record book for baseball's most storied franchise.
"It's still hard to believe for me,'' he said.
The 35-year-old Jeter also moved past Gehrig for 53rd place on the game's career hit list. Roberto Alomar is 52nd at 2,724.
It was Jeter's 268th hit against Baltimore, his most against any opponent.
Jeter finished 2 for 4 and grounded into an inning-ending double play in the sixth.
It was a special night at Yankee Stadium in several ways. Both teams and the umpires wore red caps with stars and stripes inside the logos to commemorate the eighth anniversary of 9-11. Pregame ceremonies included a moment of silence to remember those who died in the attacks.
Dorine Gordon, president and CEO of The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter, also congratulated Jeter in a statement that was passed out in the press box at Yankee Stadium.
ALS, of course, is the disease that afflicted Gehrig.
Saturday September 12, 2009
Jeter tops Gehrig, sets Yankees hit record
NEW YORK (AP) - Puddles soaked the warning track and ponchos dotted the stands when Derek Jeter stepped to the plate in the third inning, hoping to give the soggy Yankee Stadium crowd a reason for showing up in all this rain.
With one of his classic, inside-out swings, Jeter sent a sharp grounder skimming through the infield. And there it was, the record-setting hit that pushed him past Lou Gehrig.
Jeter broke the New York Yankees' hit record held by Gehrig for more than seven decades on Friday night with an opposite-field single against Baltimore. It gave Jeter 2,722 hits, one more than Gehrig, whose Hall of Fame career was cut short by illness in 1939.
"The whole experience has been overwhelming,'' Jeter said. "This is more than I could've imagined.''
The captain kept right on going, too, with an RBI single in the fourth that put New York up 4-1. He came out of the game after a 67-minute rain delay in the seventh when manager Joe Girardi pulled most of his starters with the Yankees trailing 10-4.
Once play resumed, the Yankees held an unusual in-game news conference with Jeter and then teammates Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez.
"I didn't expect that many people to be out there after the rain delay considering how hard it was raining when we started the game,'' Jeter said. "But the fans were incredible. It says a lot about how they feel about their team and more importantly how they feel about the history of their team. I appreciate each and every one that was there.''
Jeter's record-breaking hit was remarkably similar to the one that tied Gehrig on Wednesday night, a well-struck grounder inside the first-base line. After this one, Yankees players poured out of the dugout and engulfed Jeter at first base with hugs and pats on the back.
"I didn't know that they were going to do that, so that sort of caught me off-guard,'' Jeter said. "It's a special moment for me, it's a special moment for the organization. To be able to enjoy it with my teammates was a lot of fun.''
Jeter spread his arms wide after rounding first base on his record-breaking hit and gave an emphatic clap as he headed back to the bag.
Rain-drenched fans, many wearing bright ponchos, roared during an ovation that lasted about 3 minutes. Jeter twice waved his helmet to the crowd of 46,771 - just as he did after tying the record. Fans chanted his name and the ball was taken out of play as a souvenir.
"For those who say today's game can't produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter. Game in and game out he just produces,'' Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. "As historic and significant as becoming the Yankees' all-time hit leader is, the accomplishment is all the more impressive because Derek is one of the finest young men playing the game today.
"That combination of character and athletic ability is something he shares with the previous record holder, Lou Gehrig,'' the statement said.
When his grounder got past diving first baseman Luke Scott, Jeter's parents raised their arms in excitement. Joining them in an upstairs box filled with family and friends were his sister and steady girlfriend, actress Minka Kelly.
Jeter tied Gehrig's mark Wednesday night, snapping an 0-for-12 slump with three hits against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees were off Thursday, and Jeter resumed his pursuit Friday at soggy Yankee Stadium.
"I'm happy I was able to do it quickly,'' he said.
The start was delayed 87 minutes by heavy rain that had tapered off by the third inning. Jeter struck out swinging against Tillman in his first at-bat, but came through his next time up.
"It's vintage Derek Jeter. Stay inside the ball and hit it the other way,'' Girardi said. "I think everyone was just ecstatic for him. ... I think we all feel very proud to be around him.''
Gehrig's final hit came on April 29, 1939, a single against the Washington Senators. The Iron Horse had held the club record since Sept. 6, 1937, when he passed Babe Ruth.
Gehrig's career ended suddenly in 1939. Two years later, he died at 37 from the disease that would later bear his name.
Jeter got his first hit on May 30, 1995, at Seattle and set the Yankees mark with 14 seasons of splendid consistency. His two singles Friday night gave him 1,363 hits at home and 1,360 on the road.
Now, No. 2 in Yankees pinstripes is number one in the record book for baseball's most storied franchise.
"It's still hard to believe for me,'' he said.
The 35-year-old Jeter also moved past Gehrig for 53rd place on the game's career hit list. Roberto Alomar is 52nd at 2,724.
It was Jeter's 268th hit against Baltimore, his most against any opponent.
Jeter finished 2 for 4 and grounded into an inning-ending double play in the sixth.
It was a special night at Yankee Stadium in several ways. Both teams and the umpires wore red caps with stars and stripes inside the logos to commemorate the eighth anniversary of 9-11. Pregame ceremonies included a moment of silence to remember those who died in the attacks.
Dorine Gordon, president and CEO of The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter, also congratulated Jeter in a statement that was passed out in the press box at Yankee Stadium.
ALS, of course, is the disease that afflicted Gehrig.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Beast of the Month - May 2008
Beast of the Month - May 2008
Roger Clemens, Cooperstown Caliber Major League Pitcher
"I yam an anti-Christ... "
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) of The Sex Pistols, "Anarchy in the UK"
"There is no joy in Mudville."
Ernest Lawrence Thayer, “Casey at the Bat”
Okay, fine, we get it. It's no longer just about unconvincing performances before Congress by Sammy or Mac, nor is it about Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro or even Barry Bonds. Steroids is no longer the exception to the rule in baseball, it is the rule. And sorry Virginia, there is no Santa Claus.
That would be lesson after the release of the Mitchell Report, the investigative report commissioned by Major League Baseball that named at least some of the names of the steroid era, a list that still is likely the tip of the iceberg. Iceberg tip or not, the names of drug dopers could field a team of All-Stars that would hold their own against the '27 Yankees. Among the roster, besides Giambi and Bonds: 200-Game winner Kevin Brown, former Philadelphia Phillies hero Lenny Dykstra, 2003 NL Cy Young winner reliever Eric Gagne, 2002 World Series MVP Troy Glaus, two-time AL MVP Juan Gonzalez, one-time rookie sensation Wally Joyner, 1990 Rookie of the Year and postseason hero David Justice, 1987 Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove catcher Benito Santiago, 2002 AL MVP Miguel Tejada, 1995 AL MVP Mo Vaughn and 1994 home run champion Matt Williams. And though many of these revelations came with the predictable denials and no comments, the general impression is that despite it being a tad politically compromised (tellingly, the report only named players who roided up and not executives or league officials who had knowledge of the widespread abuse) Senator George Mitchell did a solid job in his investigation, and all claims could be backed up in court.
Winners in the latest juicer revelations are few and far between. One could be Mark McGwire, who, after a number of doping indictments all related to perjury, seems all the more wiser for his infamous 2005 Congressional clam-up. The other would be Barry Bonds, whose defenders can repeat their insistence he was hardly some lone wolf and that his prosecution appears to be a politically motivated vendetta. The biggest winner, however, would have to be Jose Canseco once again. Even more so than the Mitchell Report and Game of Shadows, it is Canseco who has written the definitive account of the steroid era in baseball. In 2005, when Juiced was released, he became widely reviled in the sports press as a liar and shameless opportunist for pointing the finger at other dopers and making stunning claims along the way. Three years later, nothing in his book has been disproved and much has been found to be shockingly accurate. Despite this proven track record of reporting history, the publication of his recent sequel (cleverly titled Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball) led to a repeat of attacks on Canseco's honesty and character.
Meanwhile, there is little question who is the biggest loser from the Mitchell Report. That would be Roger Clemens, The Konformist Beast of the Month, who has replaced Bonds as the poster boy for steroid cheaters.
Clemens, like Bonds was for batters, is no mere pitcher. With all due respect to Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton (or even his current competitors Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez) The Rocket was named, in a 2006 ESPN poll of baseball experts, the greatest living pitcher by an overwhelming margin. He has won a record seven Cy Young Awards (two more than Randy Johnson, his closest competitor) and is the last starting pitcher to win an MVP trophy (after he went 24-4 for the Boston Red Sox in 1986.) His career record is 354-184 (nearly a 2 to 1 won-loss ratio) and is second only to Nolan Ryan in career strikeouts. He is also one of only three pitchers to strike out 20 batters in 9 innings (the others being Randy Johnson and Cubs one-time rookie flamethrower Kerry Wood) and he's done it twice.
(Granted, this has nothing to do with the rest of the article, but all these mentions of Randy Johnson bring up a good question: does a guy named Randy Johnson really need "The Big Unit" as a nickname?)
On a personal level, members of The Konformist staff have long admired Clemens for his tenacity, even if sometimes it has gone a tad psychotic. Of special infamy was his twin encounters with Mike Piazza of the New York Mets in 2000. After Piazza hit a grand slam off The Rocket a month earlier, Clemens beaned him on the hand and head with a single pitch during a July game. Then, in Game 2 of the World Series, Clemens threw a shard of Mikey's shattered bat at Piazza, leading to a bench-clearing on both sides. Even in this bizarre moment his greatness shines through: in that game he pitched a two-hitter with 9 strikeouts in eight innings of shutout ball, a performance that effectively silenced the Mets and led to Clemens' second World Series ring with the Yankees. This followed his one-hit shutout with 15 Ks in the ALCS, in the greatest postseason pitching performance besides Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Clearly, he was the true Yankee hero of their last World Championship.
And so it is this background that makes his inclusion on the Mitchell Report so tragic. What makes it even worse is his sad and sorry response. He could've owed up to his cheating (cheating that is apparent in evidence detailed below) in a tearful confession, a move that would've earned him long-term sympathy for honesty. Or he could've simply declared "no comment" and disappeared from public view for awhile. Instead, Clemens demanded a Congressional hearing to deny his usage of steroids. And, as Oscar Wilde would warn, when the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.
At first, it actually seemed like a good strategy: pit Roger Clemens word and character mano a mano against his former trainer, Brian McNamee. After all, if Canseco is, for all the accuracy of his books, a dubious character, he's got nothing on the shadiness of McNamee, a man who has since admitted lying even on the testimony that implicated Clemens. It seemed likely that, given the choice between believing McNamee against the word of Clemens, Clemens would win. He even tested this strategy somewhat successfully on 60 Minutes in an embarrassing suck-up fest "interview" by Mike Wallace.
The problem with this strategy, it turned out, is it wasn't just Clemens V. McNamee. It was Clemens V. McNamee, Andy Pettitte, and Chuck Knoblauch, two other players who McNamee outed as drug dopers. Both of them have since confirmed under oath what McNamee told Senator Mitchell. Pettitte added Clemens had admitted to him in 1999-2000 that he had received HGH injections. Clemens insists that Pettitte "misremembered" the quotes.
Not only was it Clemens V. McNamee, Pettitte and Knoblauch, it was literally Clemens V. Clemens. It was revealed by McNamee (in a rather sleazy moment) that he had injected Clemens wife Debbie with HGH for a Sports Illustrated pictorial, a claim she would later confirm. So according to Roger Clemens, Pettitte, Knoblauch and even his own wife were injected with performance enhancing drugs by his own trainer, but Clemens himself, despite his own deserved reputation for being ultra-competitive, wouldn't even dream of the doing the same.
Besides the testimony, there was physical evidence to back the charges against Clemens. McNamee may be a weasel, but he sure is a sharp weasel, saving vials, syringes and gauze pads involving his injections of Clemens, evidence McNamee handed over to prosecutors in February.
It is interesting to note how the actual Congressional hearings went. The Democrats on the committee, almost to a man and woman, pounced on Clemens' admittedly flimsy defense with glee. Perhaps it was because the case Clemens made was so beyond dubious. It certainly didn't hurt that, after Kobe, Bonds and Michael Vick, finally there was a sports scandal this decade where liberals could proclaim outrage without politically correct fears of being called a racist. But perhaps the biggest reason for the Democratic Party pounding of Clemens was due to him being a friend of the Bush family, most notably Bush Senior. As it turned out, GOP members at the hearing not-so-coincidentally seemed to go out of the way to defend Clemens and bash McNamee, making this into a partisan battle. Of course, this only inflated the circus-like nature of the hearings. In the end, neither party really won: the GOP looked like shameless defenders of outwardly deceitful testimony, while the Dems looked like a sniveling group of cowards who could only press a case in the most frivolous of causes. (Perhaps the hearings are a perfect metaphor for the last eight years on the Capitol.)
Frivolous or not, the Democrat's conclusions seem pretty solid: that Clemens did indeed take performance enhancing drugs and then perjured himself repeatedly on the issue. Despite this, it seems unlikely there will be any prosecution of Clemens over this, and even if there is, rumors are floating that Bush Jr. would pardon him at the request of his daddy. (Of course, this pardon would hardly match Scooter Libby's on the Outrage-o-meter.) In any case, it is telling to contrast the Clemens saga results with the vendetta against Bonds, and wonder, politically correct or not, if race is indeed a factor for the discrepancy.
Clemens may not face the long arm of the law, but in the court of public opinion, he has suffered the biggest loss of his career. He may be the greatest living pitcher, but five years from now (when the recently retired Clemens first becomes eligible for Cooperstown) he will likely be snubbed from Baseball's Hall of Fame over the scandal. That may the least of his worries: after filing a defamation lawsuit against McNamee, claiming his stellar reputation had been tarnished by his former trainer's allegations, reporters uncovered evidence of multiple adulterous affairs by the Rocket, including one with former country music star Mindy McCready. (When asked about the news allegation, McCready replied: "I cannot refute anything in the story.") Needless to say, besides putting obvious strain on his marriage, such revelations undercut his claim that his family man image has been unfairly tarnished by the steroid scandal.
It appears the fallout of the recent steroid revelations will soon go beyond Clemens, Bonds and others. Of special note: in Vindicated, Canseco outs current New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez as someone who asked for help in finding a trainer that would supply steroids. Rodriguez, a three-time AL MVP and a likely candidate to surpass Bonds in the career home run derby, has been hyped as a player who could supposedly restore the integrity of the game. While the charge has been hysterically denounced in the sports media in a repeat of the Juiced controversy, it is important to repeat that Canseco has a proven track record of telling the ugly truths that are eventually admitted as such.
But hopefully the steroid scandal will go beyond the current scapegoating of ballplayers. Of special note: in February, former relief ace (and infamous racist ranter) John Rocker claimed MLB commissioner Bud Selig knew he failed a drug test for steroids in 2000, and that doctors for both management and the players' association advised him and other Texas Rangers on how to effectively use steroids. (Among the other players were Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and, of course, Alex Rodriguez.) But the real issue here isn't if A-Rod, Rocker and others were drug cheats: it's that it was known and sanctioned from the highest levels of the team, the players' union and even the league itself. This is the kind of scandalous conclusions that George Mitchell, for all his meticulous work, evaded in his report. Hopefully, this complicity in the doping scandal will soon no longer be ignored.
In any case, we salute Roger Clemens as Beast of the Month. Congratulations, and keep up the great work, Roger!!!
Sources:
Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com, MLB.com, SportingNews.com and SportsIllustrated.com for help on this article
Canseco, Jose. Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.
Canseco, Jose. Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.
Fainaru-Wada, Mark and Williams, Lance. Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports. New York: Gotham Books, 2006.
Gammons, Peter. "Ample Living Proof of Clemens' Greatness." ESPN.com 1 May 2006 <http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=gammons_peter&id=2426053>.
Mitchell, George. Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball. 13 December 2007.
Roger Clemens, Cooperstown Caliber Major League Pitcher
"I yam an anti-Christ... "
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) of The Sex Pistols, "Anarchy in the UK"
"There is no joy in Mudville."
Ernest Lawrence Thayer, “Casey at the Bat”
Okay, fine, we get it. It's no longer just about unconvincing performances before Congress by Sammy or Mac, nor is it about Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro or even Barry Bonds. Steroids is no longer the exception to the rule in baseball, it is the rule. And sorry Virginia, there is no Santa Claus.
That would be lesson after the release of the Mitchell Report, the investigative report commissioned by Major League Baseball that named at least some of the names of the steroid era, a list that still is likely the tip of the iceberg. Iceberg tip or not, the names of drug dopers could field a team of All-Stars that would hold their own against the '27 Yankees. Among the roster, besides Giambi and Bonds: 200-Game winner Kevin Brown, former Philadelphia Phillies hero Lenny Dykstra, 2003 NL Cy Young winner reliever Eric Gagne, 2002 World Series MVP Troy Glaus, two-time AL MVP Juan Gonzalez, one-time rookie sensation Wally Joyner, 1990 Rookie of the Year and postseason hero David Justice, 1987 Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove catcher Benito Santiago, 2002 AL MVP Miguel Tejada, 1995 AL MVP Mo Vaughn and 1994 home run champion Matt Williams. And though many of these revelations came with the predictable denials and no comments, the general impression is that despite it being a tad politically compromised (tellingly, the report only named players who roided up and not executives or league officials who had knowledge of the widespread abuse) Senator George Mitchell did a solid job in his investigation, and all claims could be backed up in court.
Winners in the latest juicer revelations are few and far between. One could be Mark McGwire, who, after a number of doping indictments all related to perjury, seems all the more wiser for his infamous 2005 Congressional clam-up. The other would be Barry Bonds, whose defenders can repeat their insistence he was hardly some lone wolf and that his prosecution appears to be a politically motivated vendetta. The biggest winner, however, would have to be Jose Canseco once again. Even more so than the Mitchell Report and Game of Shadows, it is Canseco who has written the definitive account of the steroid era in baseball. In 2005, when Juiced was released, he became widely reviled in the sports press as a liar and shameless opportunist for pointing the finger at other dopers and making stunning claims along the way. Three years later, nothing in his book has been disproved and much has been found to be shockingly accurate. Despite this proven track record of reporting history, the publication of his recent sequel (cleverly titled Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball) led to a repeat of attacks on Canseco's honesty and character.
Meanwhile, there is little question who is the biggest loser from the Mitchell Report. That would be Roger Clemens, The Konformist Beast of the Month, who has replaced Bonds as the poster boy for steroid cheaters.
Clemens, like Bonds was for batters, is no mere pitcher. With all due respect to Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton (or even his current competitors Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez) The Rocket was named, in a 2006 ESPN poll of baseball experts, the greatest living pitcher by an overwhelming margin. He has won a record seven Cy Young Awards (two more than Randy Johnson, his closest competitor) and is the last starting pitcher to win an MVP trophy (after he went 24-4 for the Boston Red Sox in 1986.) His career record is 354-184 (nearly a 2 to 1 won-loss ratio) and is second only to Nolan Ryan in career strikeouts. He is also one of only three pitchers to strike out 20 batters in 9 innings (the others being Randy Johnson and Cubs one-time rookie flamethrower Kerry Wood) and he's done it twice.
(Granted, this has nothing to do with the rest of the article, but all these mentions of Randy Johnson bring up a good question: does a guy named Randy Johnson really need "The Big Unit" as a nickname?)
On a personal level, members of The Konformist staff have long admired Clemens for his tenacity, even if sometimes it has gone a tad psychotic. Of special infamy was his twin encounters with Mike Piazza of the New York Mets in 2000. After Piazza hit a grand slam off The Rocket a month earlier, Clemens beaned him on the hand and head with a single pitch during a July game. Then, in Game 2 of the World Series, Clemens threw a shard of Mikey's shattered bat at Piazza, leading to a bench-clearing on both sides. Even in this bizarre moment his greatness shines through: in that game he pitched a two-hitter with 9 strikeouts in eight innings of shutout ball, a performance that effectively silenced the Mets and led to Clemens' second World Series ring with the Yankees. This followed his one-hit shutout with 15 Ks in the ALCS, in the greatest postseason pitching performance besides Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Clearly, he was the true Yankee hero of their last World Championship.
And so it is this background that makes his inclusion on the Mitchell Report so tragic. What makes it even worse is his sad and sorry response. He could've owed up to his cheating (cheating that is apparent in evidence detailed below) in a tearful confession, a move that would've earned him long-term sympathy for honesty. Or he could've simply declared "no comment" and disappeared from public view for awhile. Instead, Clemens demanded a Congressional hearing to deny his usage of steroids. And, as Oscar Wilde would warn, when the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.
At first, it actually seemed like a good strategy: pit Roger Clemens word and character mano a mano against his former trainer, Brian McNamee. After all, if Canseco is, for all the accuracy of his books, a dubious character, he's got nothing on the shadiness of McNamee, a man who has since admitted lying even on the testimony that implicated Clemens. It seemed likely that, given the choice between believing McNamee against the word of Clemens, Clemens would win. He even tested this strategy somewhat successfully on 60 Minutes in an embarrassing suck-up fest "interview" by Mike Wallace.
The problem with this strategy, it turned out, is it wasn't just Clemens V. McNamee. It was Clemens V. McNamee, Andy Pettitte, and Chuck Knoblauch, two other players who McNamee outed as drug dopers. Both of them have since confirmed under oath what McNamee told Senator Mitchell. Pettitte added Clemens had admitted to him in 1999-2000 that he had received HGH injections. Clemens insists that Pettitte "misremembered" the quotes.
Not only was it Clemens V. McNamee, Pettitte and Knoblauch, it was literally Clemens V. Clemens. It was revealed by McNamee (in a rather sleazy moment) that he had injected Clemens wife Debbie with HGH for a Sports Illustrated pictorial, a claim she would later confirm. So according to Roger Clemens, Pettitte, Knoblauch and even his own wife were injected with performance enhancing drugs by his own trainer, but Clemens himself, despite his own deserved reputation for being ultra-competitive, wouldn't even dream of the doing the same.
Besides the testimony, there was physical evidence to back the charges against Clemens. McNamee may be a weasel, but he sure is a sharp weasel, saving vials, syringes and gauze pads involving his injections of Clemens, evidence McNamee handed over to prosecutors in February.
It is interesting to note how the actual Congressional hearings went. The Democrats on the committee, almost to a man and woman, pounced on Clemens' admittedly flimsy defense with glee. Perhaps it was because the case Clemens made was so beyond dubious. It certainly didn't hurt that, after Kobe, Bonds and Michael Vick, finally there was a sports scandal this decade where liberals could proclaim outrage without politically correct fears of being called a racist. But perhaps the biggest reason for the Democratic Party pounding of Clemens was due to him being a friend of the Bush family, most notably Bush Senior. As it turned out, GOP members at the hearing not-so-coincidentally seemed to go out of the way to defend Clemens and bash McNamee, making this into a partisan battle. Of course, this only inflated the circus-like nature of the hearings. In the end, neither party really won: the GOP looked like shameless defenders of outwardly deceitful testimony, while the Dems looked like a sniveling group of cowards who could only press a case in the most frivolous of causes. (Perhaps the hearings are a perfect metaphor for the last eight years on the Capitol.)
Frivolous or not, the Democrat's conclusions seem pretty solid: that Clemens did indeed take performance enhancing drugs and then perjured himself repeatedly on the issue. Despite this, it seems unlikely there will be any prosecution of Clemens over this, and even if there is, rumors are floating that Bush Jr. would pardon him at the request of his daddy. (Of course, this pardon would hardly match Scooter Libby's on the Outrage-o-meter.) In any case, it is telling to contrast the Clemens saga results with the vendetta against Bonds, and wonder, politically correct or not, if race is indeed a factor for the discrepancy.
Clemens may not face the long arm of the law, but in the court of public opinion, he has suffered the biggest loss of his career. He may be the greatest living pitcher, but five years from now (when the recently retired Clemens first becomes eligible for Cooperstown) he will likely be snubbed from Baseball's Hall of Fame over the scandal. That may the least of his worries: after filing a defamation lawsuit against McNamee, claiming his stellar reputation had been tarnished by his former trainer's allegations, reporters uncovered evidence of multiple adulterous affairs by the Rocket, including one with former country music star Mindy McCready. (When asked about the news allegation, McCready replied: "I cannot refute anything in the story.") Needless to say, besides putting obvious strain on his marriage, such revelations undercut his claim that his family man image has been unfairly tarnished by the steroid scandal.
It appears the fallout of the recent steroid revelations will soon go beyond Clemens, Bonds and others. Of special note: in Vindicated, Canseco outs current New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez as someone who asked for help in finding a trainer that would supply steroids. Rodriguez, a three-time AL MVP and a likely candidate to surpass Bonds in the career home run derby, has been hyped as a player who could supposedly restore the integrity of the game. While the charge has been hysterically denounced in the sports media in a repeat of the Juiced controversy, it is important to repeat that Canseco has a proven track record of telling the ugly truths that are eventually admitted as such.
But hopefully the steroid scandal will go beyond the current scapegoating of ballplayers. Of special note: in February, former relief ace (and infamous racist ranter) John Rocker claimed MLB commissioner Bud Selig knew he failed a drug test for steroids in 2000, and that doctors for both management and the players' association advised him and other Texas Rangers on how to effectively use steroids. (Among the other players were Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and, of course, Alex Rodriguez.) But the real issue here isn't if A-Rod, Rocker and others were drug cheats: it's that it was known and sanctioned from the highest levels of the team, the players' union and even the league itself. This is the kind of scandalous conclusions that George Mitchell, for all his meticulous work, evaded in his report. Hopefully, this complicity in the doping scandal will soon no longer be ignored.
In any case, we salute Roger Clemens as Beast of the Month. Congratulations, and keep up the great work, Roger!!!
Sources:
Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com, MLB.com, SportingNews.com and SportsIllustrated.com for help on this article
Canseco, Jose. Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.
Canseco, Jose. Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.
Fainaru-Wada, Mark and Williams, Lance. Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports. New York: Gotham Books, 2006.
Gammons, Peter. "Ample Living Proof of Clemens' Greatness." ESPN.com 1 May 2006 <http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=gammons_peter&id=2426053>.
Mitchell, George. Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball. 13 December 2007.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Is It Time for Clemens to Dial Nanny 911?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/sports/baseball/26araton.html
February 26, 2008
Sports of The Times
Is It Time for Clemens to Dial Nanny 911?
By HARVEY ARATON
The nanny, it turns out, speaks English and speaks it well, idioms and all.
A reading of an online transcript and a telephone call to the press office of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform revealed that Roger Clemens, aided by political muscle, distorted the linguistic skills of a former employee and grandmother of two.
“And her English, as I understand it, is not that good,” Tom Davis, the Virginia Republican and ranking minority committee member, cued Clemens at the Capitol Hill hearing earlier this month.
“It is not that good,” Clemens replied, seizing the opportunity to make the masses understand why the nanny had to be summoned to his Houston Ponderosa before her interview with committee investigators — for her own good, of course.
But Steven G. Glickman, counsel to the majority and a participant in the telephone interview, indicated through a committee press officer that the unnamed nanny spoke English that was only accented, not deficient.
For instance, when told she had the right to representation, the nanny replied she didn’t have a lawyer before adding: “But I’m not afraid, I’m telling the truth, so bring it on.”
Make her day.
Sounds like an opening line scripted by Clint Eastwood, or Clemens, the cold-blooded gunslinger from 60 feet 6 inches away, but now closer than ever to staring down at Jeff Novitzky, the I.R.S. special agent and sultan of steroid-enforcement swat.
Monday came the news that a draft letter was drawn up last week by committee staff members for the purposes of referring the Clemens case to the Justice Department. Get those scorecards ready. The real game, not the exhibition spitting contest the Clemens and Brian McNamee camps have waged all winter, may be about to begin.
You wonder: Is Clemens finally seeing the big picture, fearing that a hastily stitched tapestry of tall tales dating to 1998 is about to unravel?
It should by now be fairly well established that he was at José Canseco’s place in South Florida when they visited with the Blue Jays that year in June to drop off his family, or to take a tour of the property or a performance-enhancement tutorial.
We also know that Canseco has said Clemens was not at the party, while the nanny said that Clemens was at the house but she did not recall a party, while a photograph that reportedly has surfaced places Clemens at the possible party, while Clemens has a golf receipt to prove that while he might have stopped by, he wasn’t there long enough to party or be party to any discussion of drugs.
•
Questioned about the dizzying timeline of Clemens’s appearance and exit, the nanny — again, not as verbally challenged as Davis understood her to be and Clemens agreed she was — cut to the heart of the matter, as it relates to the possibility of meaningful disclosure.
“Well, first of all, that’s kind of hard to tell because I wasn’t with him 24/7,” she said, speaking to the absurdity of the ongoing party dissection, 10 years after. With the exception of the Republican cheerleaders who allowed Clemens and his lawyers to set this smoke screen during the hearing, who actually believed it was ever germane to the McNamee claims of injecting Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone?
Surely not Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat and committee chairman, who made himself clear after the hearing that he did not think much of what Clemens had to say. Common sense tells us that Waxman is driving the bus and ready to hand Clemens, if not McNamee, off to Novitzky and the Balco bashers that brought down Marion Jones and brought perjury and obstruction of justice charges against Barry Bonds.
Obviously, an investigation by the Justice Department does not guarantee an eventual indictment on perjury charges, Ã la Jones and Bonds. It does mean that Clemens’s public relations campaign against McNamee and anyone whose version of events contrasted his own has failed. In the court of public opinion, and to the committee members who did not want his autograph, the more Clemens went on the attack, the less believable he was.
When he publicly aired a secretly taped telephone conversation with McNamee, his former trainer sounded distraught over having to give him up to George Mitchell, not like some deluded soul bent on destroying an all-time great. When Clemens was confronted with the damaging testimony of Andy and Laura Pettitte, his attempts to question his protégé’s comprehension skills made you wonder if Clemens comprehended the gravity of his denials, under oath.
•
Everyone’s reputation was deemed sacrificial to save his own. His agents took hits for his troubles. His wife, Debbie, was exposed as an H.G.H. user. The nanny, whose interview included an eloquent expression of affection seven years after she left Clemens’s employ, was made to sound like someone who had just slipped into the country in the back of a truck.
Bring it on, Clemens kept saying, while everyone around him took a hit. Now there is a draft letter that probably leads to a criminal investigation. No turning back now. No promise of relief up ahead. For his last act in baseball, he may have to go the distance.
E-mail: hjaraton@nytimes.com
February 26, 2008
Sports of The Times
Is It Time for Clemens to Dial Nanny 911?
By HARVEY ARATON
The nanny, it turns out, speaks English and speaks it well, idioms and all.
A reading of an online transcript and a telephone call to the press office of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform revealed that Roger Clemens, aided by political muscle, distorted the linguistic skills of a former employee and grandmother of two.
“And her English, as I understand it, is not that good,” Tom Davis, the Virginia Republican and ranking minority committee member, cued Clemens at the Capitol Hill hearing earlier this month.
“It is not that good,” Clemens replied, seizing the opportunity to make the masses understand why the nanny had to be summoned to his Houston Ponderosa before her interview with committee investigators — for her own good, of course.
But Steven G. Glickman, counsel to the majority and a participant in the telephone interview, indicated through a committee press officer that the unnamed nanny spoke English that was only accented, not deficient.
For instance, when told she had the right to representation, the nanny replied she didn’t have a lawyer before adding: “But I’m not afraid, I’m telling the truth, so bring it on.”
Make her day.
Sounds like an opening line scripted by Clint Eastwood, or Clemens, the cold-blooded gunslinger from 60 feet 6 inches away, but now closer than ever to staring down at Jeff Novitzky, the I.R.S. special agent and sultan of steroid-enforcement swat.
Monday came the news that a draft letter was drawn up last week by committee staff members for the purposes of referring the Clemens case to the Justice Department. Get those scorecards ready. The real game, not the exhibition spitting contest the Clemens and Brian McNamee camps have waged all winter, may be about to begin.
You wonder: Is Clemens finally seeing the big picture, fearing that a hastily stitched tapestry of tall tales dating to 1998 is about to unravel?
It should by now be fairly well established that he was at José Canseco’s place in South Florida when they visited with the Blue Jays that year in June to drop off his family, or to take a tour of the property or a performance-enhancement tutorial.
We also know that Canseco has said Clemens was not at the party, while the nanny said that Clemens was at the house but she did not recall a party, while a photograph that reportedly has surfaced places Clemens at the possible party, while Clemens has a golf receipt to prove that while he might have stopped by, he wasn’t there long enough to party or be party to any discussion of drugs.
•
Questioned about the dizzying timeline of Clemens’s appearance and exit, the nanny — again, not as verbally challenged as Davis understood her to be and Clemens agreed she was — cut to the heart of the matter, as it relates to the possibility of meaningful disclosure.
“Well, first of all, that’s kind of hard to tell because I wasn’t with him 24/7,” she said, speaking to the absurdity of the ongoing party dissection, 10 years after. With the exception of the Republican cheerleaders who allowed Clemens and his lawyers to set this smoke screen during the hearing, who actually believed it was ever germane to the McNamee claims of injecting Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone?
Surely not Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat and committee chairman, who made himself clear after the hearing that he did not think much of what Clemens had to say. Common sense tells us that Waxman is driving the bus and ready to hand Clemens, if not McNamee, off to Novitzky and the Balco bashers that brought down Marion Jones and brought perjury and obstruction of justice charges against Barry Bonds.
Obviously, an investigation by the Justice Department does not guarantee an eventual indictment on perjury charges, Ã la Jones and Bonds. It does mean that Clemens’s public relations campaign against McNamee and anyone whose version of events contrasted his own has failed. In the court of public opinion, and to the committee members who did not want his autograph, the more Clemens went on the attack, the less believable he was.
When he publicly aired a secretly taped telephone conversation with McNamee, his former trainer sounded distraught over having to give him up to George Mitchell, not like some deluded soul bent on destroying an all-time great. When Clemens was confronted with the damaging testimony of Andy and Laura Pettitte, his attempts to question his protégé’s comprehension skills made you wonder if Clemens comprehended the gravity of his denials, under oath.
•
Everyone’s reputation was deemed sacrificial to save his own. His agents took hits for his troubles. His wife, Debbie, was exposed as an H.G.H. user. The nanny, whose interview included an eloquent expression of affection seven years after she left Clemens’s employ, was made to sound like someone who had just slipped into the country in the back of a truck.
Bring it on, Clemens kept saying, while everyone around him took a hit. Now there is a draft letter that probably leads to a criminal investigation. No turning back now. No promise of relief up ahead. For his last act in baseball, he may have to go the distance.
E-mail: hjaraton@nytimes.com
Photo could tie Clemens to Canseco's party
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5563210.html
Feb. 22, 2008, 8:10PM
THE MITCHELL REPORT
Photo could tie Clemens to Canseco's party
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Houston Chronicle
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Brian McNamee's lawyers have informed the Justice Department that there is a picture that was supposedly taken of Roger Clemens at Jose Canseco's Miami home during a 1998 party that has become a central point of contention in the aftermath of the Mitchell Report.
"I think the Justice Department will get the picture or pictures," McNamee's New York-based attorney, Richard Emery, told the Chronicle via phone. "And perhaps the congressional (House Oversight and Government Reform) Committee will get them, too. I have not seen the picture. I do believe the people who have the picture are credible and acting responsibly."
In the Mitchell Report, which was prepared by former Sen. George Mitchell and released Dec. 13, McNamee, Clemens' former trainer, claimed he discussed steroids with the embattled pitcher not long after the June 1998 party at Canseco's home.
Clemens and Canseco were teammates with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998, and McNamee has claimed Clemens attended the party Canseco threw for his teammates while they were in town to play an interleague series against the Florida Marlins.
"This is a very respectful, decent upstanding family," Emery said of the family who reportedly have the picture.
According to Emery young man who was about 10 or 11 years old at the time attended the party and took a picture with Clemens.
"The boy remembers the party," Emery said. "He's 10 years older now, but it was the only time he was ever at Canseco's house. And all the baseball players were there. It was a big event in this kid's life. He has this picture on his wall, both pictures on his wall. He kept those pictures.
"The mother remembers dropping him off at 1:30 and picking him up two hours later. And Clemens was still at the party. It was very clear, but they didn't want to give us the picture because they were all concerned. Apparently he's a baseball player in college, draft-eligible perhaps. They were very worried about this picture affecting this kid's life."
According to a person who has spoken to the young man's family, he is from Florida and playing baseball in college. Emery declined to divulge the man's name.
McNamee claimed to Mitchell's investigators that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone multiple times. He also claimed he gave performance-enhancing drugs to Deer Park's Andy Pettitte and Bellaire High graduate Chuck Knoblauch, two of Clemens' former New York Yankees teammates who also trained with McNamee.
Pettitte and Knoblauch, who were called in for depositions by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, have admitted to McNamee's claims. Pettitte went a step further, admitting he also used HGH in 2004 with the Astros after receiving the drug from his father, Tom.
Pettitte also held a news conference in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, apologizing to his fans and former teammates for using HGH and for lying about the use earlier. Clemens has fiercely McNamee's claims, even denying that he took steroids or HGH while testifying under oath on Feb. 13 before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Not long after the Mitchell Report was released, Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, questioned the methodology Mitchell used in preparing the report, which was commissioned by Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. Joe Householder, Hardin's spokesman on the Clemens matter, even chastised reporters from around the country often for not investigating McNamee's claims about Clemens being at Canseco's party.
On Friday, however, the New York Daily News first reported that the man has the picture of Clemens at that June 1998 party. Reached in Hawaii, where he was giving a speech to a trade group, Hardin didn't want to comment on the Daily News' report.
"It's impossible for us to intelligently comment on it until we see any photos that may exist," Hardin said. "I do know that TV baseball announcers at the time and Jose Canseco have all said that Roger was not at the party."
Canseco's party has been a central theme used by Clemens' supporters to undermine the credibility of the Mitchell Report and McNamee. Last week before the congressional hearing in which McNamee and Clemens testified, Hardin presented the House Oversight and Government Reform committee an affidavit from Canseco claiming Clemens wasn't at the party.
Clemens' lawyers also presented the committee with a receipt of greens fees showing Clemens golfed near Canseco's home that day. Moreover, they handed over video footage of announcers saying how the righthander had not attended the party.
McNamee stuck by his claims during last week's hearing, telling the committee that he remembered seeing Clemens' nanny run after one of the 11-time All-Star's children near Canseco's pool during that party. McNamee even described the bikini the nanny was wearing.
The committee asked Clemens' lawyers for the nanny's name and phone number on Feb. 8. Two days later, Clemens had her at his home even though the two hadn't seen each other in years. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., reprimanded Clemens during the hearing for inviting the nanny to his home in Memorial before giving the committee her number.
"Was it your idea to meet with her before forwarding her name to us, or did someone suggest that to you?" Waxman asked Clemens during the hearing, prompting Hardin and Clemens' D.C. lawyer, Lanny Breuer, to protest at the insinuation of possible witness tampering.
"Mr. Chairman, I was doing you all a favor," Clemens replied.
At those hearings, McNamee took the most vicious criticism from Dan Burton, R-Ind.
"I know one thing I don't believe, and that's you," Burton told McNamee at the hearings during one of his many statements implying that the former trainer was a liar.
Burton's comments may have helped inspire the young man's family to contact McNamee's lawyers about the photo. Emery also claims that the family with the picture first contacted Hardin on Feb. 12 to tell him about its existence.
"On the 12th of February when they read that Rusty Hardin and Roger Clemens were asserting that Roger Clemens wasn't at the party, they called Rusty Hardin," Emery said. "Then they watched the hearing. They weren't going to do anything. Then they watched the hearing.
"When Dan Burton started harassing Brian McNamee, they were offended by that. The day after the hearing or two days after, they contacted us, and we spoke to them extensively. They told us about the picture and said they felt bad about the way McNamee was treated."
Clemens filed a defamation suit against McNamee in early January. There remains a possibility that Waxman's committee could ask the Department of Justice to investigate whether Clemens perjured himself last week at the hearings and earlier in his deposition to the committee.
Hardin, who is expected to attend a wedding in Florida on Saturday, said he doesn't expect to be back at his Houston office until Tuesday.
jesus.ortiz@chron.com
Feb. 22, 2008, 8:10PM
THE MITCHELL REPORT
Photo could tie Clemens to Canseco's party
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Houston Chronicle
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Brian McNamee's lawyers have informed the Justice Department that there is a picture that was supposedly taken of Roger Clemens at Jose Canseco's Miami home during a 1998 party that has become a central point of contention in the aftermath of the Mitchell Report.
"I think the Justice Department will get the picture or pictures," McNamee's New York-based attorney, Richard Emery, told the Chronicle via phone. "And perhaps the congressional (House Oversight and Government Reform) Committee will get them, too. I have not seen the picture. I do believe the people who have the picture are credible and acting responsibly."
In the Mitchell Report, which was prepared by former Sen. George Mitchell and released Dec. 13, McNamee, Clemens' former trainer, claimed he discussed steroids with the embattled pitcher not long after the June 1998 party at Canseco's home.
Clemens and Canseco were teammates with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998, and McNamee has claimed Clemens attended the party Canseco threw for his teammates while they were in town to play an interleague series against the Florida Marlins.
"This is a very respectful, decent upstanding family," Emery said of the family who reportedly have the picture.
According to Emery young man who was about 10 or 11 years old at the time attended the party and took a picture with Clemens.
"The boy remembers the party," Emery said. "He's 10 years older now, but it was the only time he was ever at Canseco's house. And all the baseball players were there. It was a big event in this kid's life. He has this picture on his wall, both pictures on his wall. He kept those pictures.
"The mother remembers dropping him off at 1:30 and picking him up two hours later. And Clemens was still at the party. It was very clear, but they didn't want to give us the picture because they were all concerned. Apparently he's a baseball player in college, draft-eligible perhaps. They were very worried about this picture affecting this kid's life."
According to a person who has spoken to the young man's family, he is from Florida and playing baseball in college. Emery declined to divulge the man's name.
McNamee claimed to Mitchell's investigators that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone multiple times. He also claimed he gave performance-enhancing drugs to Deer Park's Andy Pettitte and Bellaire High graduate Chuck Knoblauch, two of Clemens' former New York Yankees teammates who also trained with McNamee.
Pettitte and Knoblauch, who were called in for depositions by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, have admitted to McNamee's claims. Pettitte went a step further, admitting he also used HGH in 2004 with the Astros after receiving the drug from his father, Tom.
Pettitte also held a news conference in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, apologizing to his fans and former teammates for using HGH and for lying about the use earlier. Clemens has fiercely McNamee's claims, even denying that he took steroids or HGH while testifying under oath on Feb. 13 before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Not long after the Mitchell Report was released, Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, questioned the methodology Mitchell used in preparing the report, which was commissioned by Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. Joe Householder, Hardin's spokesman on the Clemens matter, even chastised reporters from around the country often for not investigating McNamee's claims about Clemens being at Canseco's party.
On Friday, however, the New York Daily News first reported that the man has the picture of Clemens at that June 1998 party. Reached in Hawaii, where he was giving a speech to a trade group, Hardin didn't want to comment on the Daily News' report.
"It's impossible for us to intelligently comment on it until we see any photos that may exist," Hardin said. "I do know that TV baseball announcers at the time and Jose Canseco have all said that Roger was not at the party."
Canseco's party has been a central theme used by Clemens' supporters to undermine the credibility of the Mitchell Report and McNamee. Last week before the congressional hearing in which McNamee and Clemens testified, Hardin presented the House Oversight and Government Reform committee an affidavit from Canseco claiming Clemens wasn't at the party.
Clemens' lawyers also presented the committee with a receipt of greens fees showing Clemens golfed near Canseco's home that day. Moreover, they handed over video footage of announcers saying how the righthander had not attended the party.
McNamee stuck by his claims during last week's hearing, telling the committee that he remembered seeing Clemens' nanny run after one of the 11-time All-Star's children near Canseco's pool during that party. McNamee even described the bikini the nanny was wearing.
The committee asked Clemens' lawyers for the nanny's name and phone number on Feb. 8. Two days later, Clemens had her at his home even though the two hadn't seen each other in years. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., reprimanded Clemens during the hearing for inviting the nanny to his home in Memorial before giving the committee her number.
"Was it your idea to meet with her before forwarding her name to us, or did someone suggest that to you?" Waxman asked Clemens during the hearing, prompting Hardin and Clemens' D.C. lawyer, Lanny Breuer, to protest at the insinuation of possible witness tampering.
"Mr. Chairman, I was doing you all a favor," Clemens replied.
At those hearings, McNamee took the most vicious criticism from Dan Burton, R-Ind.
"I know one thing I don't believe, and that's you," Burton told McNamee at the hearings during one of his many statements implying that the former trainer was a liar.
Burton's comments may have helped inspire the young man's family to contact McNamee's lawyers about the photo. Emery also claims that the family with the picture first contacted Hardin on Feb. 12 to tell him about its existence.
"On the 12th of February when they read that Rusty Hardin and Roger Clemens were asserting that Roger Clemens wasn't at the party, they called Rusty Hardin," Emery said. "Then they watched the hearing. They weren't going to do anything. Then they watched the hearing.
"When Dan Burton started harassing Brian McNamee, they were offended by that. The day after the hearing or two days after, they contacted us, and we spoke to them extensively. They told us about the picture and said they felt bad about the way McNamee was treated."
Clemens filed a defamation suit against McNamee in early January. There remains a possibility that Waxman's committee could ask the Department of Justice to investigate whether Clemens perjured himself last week at the hearings and earlier in his deposition to the committee.
Hardin, who is expected to attend a wedding in Florida on Saturday, said he doesn't expect to be back at his Houston office until Tuesday.
jesus.ortiz@chron.com
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A-Rod Says He Expects Questions on Drugs
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCj65bmE8AEQ7MvFQrBVYXwwJp9QD8UUAVI80
A-Rod Says He Expects Questions on Drugs
By RONALD BLUM
2-20-8
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Alex Rodriguez sat in the first-base dugout at Legends Field, surrounded by the usual circle of cameras, microphones and reporters. He knows the scrutiny will only increase as he approaches Barry Bonds' career home-run record, especially in an era when all top athletes must prove they haven't juiced up on performance-enhancing drugs.
In his first session with reporters during spring training, Rodriguez talked about baseball's drug-testing program and made a curious statement.
"Last year, I got tested 9-to-10 times," Rodriguez said. "We have a very, very strict policy, and I think the game is making tremendous strides."
Rodriguez could have been exaggerating about the amount of tests, he could have been selected for an unusually high number of checks or he might have dropped a clue to something else.
Under baseball's drug-testing rules, players are tested at least twice: within five days of arriving at spring training and again at a randomly picked unannounced date. There also are 600 additional random tests throughout the major leagues, of which as many as 60 may be conducted during the offseason.
If Rodriguez's statement was correct, that means he was selected repeatedly for the random tests. Another possible explanation is that he tested positive for a stimulant, which would have subjected him to six additional unannounced tests over the following year.
Initial positive tests for stimulants are not subject to discipline and are not announced.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that because of the confidentiality of baseball's drug program, he didn't know if Rodriguez was tested that many times. Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, and Michael Weiner, general counsel of the players' association, didn't immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
"I don't know many times he was tested. We don't talk about that," baseball spokesman Rich Levin said. "Theoretically, it is possible. But I don't know if he was just throwing those numbers out."
Rodriguez wasn't available for questions after the Yankees' workout.
"Right now, the game is in a very not-trusting situation with our public, with our fans," A-Rod said during his morning session with reporters. "Some of the things that I've accomplished and potentially some of the things that people think I can accomplish, my name has come up and will probably come up again in the future."
A-Rod stated categorically that he had never taken steroids or human growth hormone. He said he isn't worried about Jose Canseco, who has hinted without going into detail that he will make allegations of some sort against Rodriguez in an upcoming book.
Rodriguez also denied a claim last week by former Texas teammate John Rocker that doctors from management and the players' association told A-Rod, Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and Rocker following a spring training meeting how to effectively use steroids. Rodriguez and Rocker were with the Rangers in 2002.
"That did not happen," A-Rod said.
Rodriguez said he still hasn't spoken with Scott Boras since negotiating his new contract without his longtime agent. A-Rod, however, has been dealing with others in Boras' office.
Rodriguez signed a record $275 million, 10-year contract to remain with the New York Yankees.
Just 32, he is an 11-time All-Star who led the with 54 home runs and 156 RBIs last season and won his third AL MVP award. Heading into this year, he's 17th on the career list with 518 home runs, 244 behind the record Bonds established last year.
He wouldn't talk about why he opted out of his record $252 million, 10-year contract last October only to return a few weeks later.
"It was just a big misunderstanding," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. "We really didn't know that he wanted to come back and he was very concerned, very alarmed when he found out we didn't know he wanted to come back and he made it clear he did, and everything was great from there."
Wherever A-Rod goes, there are questions. He is 8-for-59 (.136) in the postseason dating to 2004 and hitless in 18 consecutive playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position.
No matter how many home runs he hits, without a World Series ring he can't take a place alongside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio, can't be mentioned with Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson.
"I think there's a sense of urgency," new manager Joe Girardi said. "There's no better year than the present, right?"
Playing for the Yankees has largely robbed A-Rod of his privacy. Whether he's sunbathing in Central Park or walking through a Toronto hotel lobby with a blond stripper, paparazzi are usually hiding nearby.
"When you're as good as Alex, you're going to be scrutinized more, and people are always watching," Girardi said. "When you're a great player, people never take their eyes off of you, so everything that you do is under a microscope, and he's doing it at the highest level in New York."
Across town, the Mets have their own icon to show off this year. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana is the Queens ace to play opposite A-Rod's Bronx bravura.
"I'm glad for a guy like Santana, gets to play in a city like New York," Rodriguez said. "He's the best pitcher. He deserves to be in the city, and in a forum. I thought it was a fantastic move by the New York Mets."
Rodriguez also praised teammate Andy Pettitte, who was forced to give a deposition and affidavit to Congress in which he admitted using HGH in 2002 and 2004. Pettitte also said Roger Clemens discussed HGH use nearly a decade ago — Clemens said Pettitte "misremembers."
"Andy is one of the greatest human beings I've ever met," Rodriguez said. "I have two daughters — well, I have one and one on the way. If I had a daughter, I would want 'em to marry Andy Pettitte. The age difference might be a little awkward, but in today's day and age anything is possible."
A-Rod Says He Expects Questions on Drugs
By RONALD BLUM
2-20-8
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Alex Rodriguez sat in the first-base dugout at Legends Field, surrounded by the usual circle of cameras, microphones and reporters. He knows the scrutiny will only increase as he approaches Barry Bonds' career home-run record, especially in an era when all top athletes must prove they haven't juiced up on performance-enhancing drugs.
In his first session with reporters during spring training, Rodriguez talked about baseball's drug-testing program and made a curious statement.
"Last year, I got tested 9-to-10 times," Rodriguez said. "We have a very, very strict policy, and I think the game is making tremendous strides."
Rodriguez could have been exaggerating about the amount of tests, he could have been selected for an unusually high number of checks or he might have dropped a clue to something else.
Under baseball's drug-testing rules, players are tested at least twice: within five days of arriving at spring training and again at a randomly picked unannounced date. There also are 600 additional random tests throughout the major leagues, of which as many as 60 may be conducted during the offseason.
If Rodriguez's statement was correct, that means he was selected repeatedly for the random tests. Another possible explanation is that he tested positive for a stimulant, which would have subjected him to six additional unannounced tests over the following year.
Initial positive tests for stimulants are not subject to discipline and are not announced.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that because of the confidentiality of baseball's drug program, he didn't know if Rodriguez was tested that many times. Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, and Michael Weiner, general counsel of the players' association, didn't immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
"I don't know many times he was tested. We don't talk about that," baseball spokesman Rich Levin said. "Theoretically, it is possible. But I don't know if he was just throwing those numbers out."
Rodriguez wasn't available for questions after the Yankees' workout.
"Right now, the game is in a very not-trusting situation with our public, with our fans," A-Rod said during his morning session with reporters. "Some of the things that I've accomplished and potentially some of the things that people think I can accomplish, my name has come up and will probably come up again in the future."
A-Rod stated categorically that he had never taken steroids or human growth hormone. He said he isn't worried about Jose Canseco, who has hinted without going into detail that he will make allegations of some sort against Rodriguez in an upcoming book.
Rodriguez also denied a claim last week by former Texas teammate John Rocker that doctors from management and the players' association told A-Rod, Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and Rocker following a spring training meeting how to effectively use steroids. Rodriguez and Rocker were with the Rangers in 2002.
"That did not happen," A-Rod said.
Rodriguez said he still hasn't spoken with Scott Boras since negotiating his new contract without his longtime agent. A-Rod, however, has been dealing with others in Boras' office.
Rodriguez signed a record $275 million, 10-year contract to remain with the New York Yankees.
Just 32, he is an 11-time All-Star who led the with 54 home runs and 156 RBIs last season and won his third AL MVP award. Heading into this year, he's 17th on the career list with 518 home runs, 244 behind the record Bonds established last year.
He wouldn't talk about why he opted out of his record $252 million, 10-year contract last October only to return a few weeks later.
"It was just a big misunderstanding," Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. "We really didn't know that he wanted to come back and he was very concerned, very alarmed when he found out we didn't know he wanted to come back and he made it clear he did, and everything was great from there."
Wherever A-Rod goes, there are questions. He is 8-for-59 (.136) in the postseason dating to 2004 and hitless in 18 consecutive playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position.
No matter how many home runs he hits, without a World Series ring he can't take a place alongside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio, can't be mentioned with Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson.
"I think there's a sense of urgency," new manager Joe Girardi said. "There's no better year than the present, right?"
Playing for the Yankees has largely robbed A-Rod of his privacy. Whether he's sunbathing in Central Park or walking through a Toronto hotel lobby with a blond stripper, paparazzi are usually hiding nearby.
"When you're as good as Alex, you're going to be scrutinized more, and people are always watching," Girardi said. "When you're a great player, people never take their eyes off of you, so everything that you do is under a microscope, and he's doing it at the highest level in New York."
Across town, the Mets have their own icon to show off this year. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana is the Queens ace to play opposite A-Rod's Bronx bravura.
"I'm glad for a guy like Santana, gets to play in a city like New York," Rodriguez said. "He's the best pitcher. He deserves to be in the city, and in a forum. I thought it was a fantastic move by the New York Mets."
Rodriguez also praised teammate Andy Pettitte, who was forced to give a deposition and affidavit to Congress in which he admitted using HGH in 2002 and 2004. Pettitte also said Roger Clemens discussed HGH use nearly a decade ago — Clemens said Pettitte "misremembers."
"Andy is one of the greatest human beings I've ever met," Rodriguez said. "I have two daughters — well, I have one and one on the way. If I had a daughter, I would want 'em to marry Andy Pettitte. The age difference might be a little awkward, but in today's day and age anything is possible."
Friday, February 22, 2008
Clemens shelled by Congress
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=dw-clemenspettitte021308
Clemens shelled by Congress
By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports
February 13, 2008
WASHINGTON – Question by question, disputed answer by disputed answer, Roger Clemens' house of lies came tumbling down upon him Wednesday.
Whatever Clemens thought he'd get out of turning a sporting controversy into a federal case courtesy of this congressional hearing never materialized. He scored few points while getting caught up in his own words, nonsensical logic and twisted timelines, even before his friend and former teammate Andy Pettitte laid him out.
Presumably there are people in America who still believe Clemens is the only honest man in this entire sordid steroid scandal, that the entire world (friends included) decided one day to gang up and frame him, that he is just a trusting victim here, but other than those on his considerable payroll, they were hard to find anywhere near room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building on this cold, rainy day.
Clemens was doomed from the start, crushed by sworn affidavits and repeated under-oath testimony from Pettitte and his wife Laura – almost unimpeachable witnesses – who not only backed up the words of former trainer Brian McNamee, but blew Clemens' own stories out of the water.
Congressmen Henry Waxman of California and Elijah Cummings of Maryland double-teamed Clemens early, and no amount of ensuing sympathetic lawmakers, McNamee creepiness or Clemens campaign speeches could bail him out.
"I found McNamee very credible," Waxman said after the hearing. "I thought what he said had a lot of credibility."
Clemens is almost assuredly going to face federal perjury charges after he continued to stick to a story that stood in stark contrast with repeated under-oath testimony of everyone else. Once the Pettittes – and former teammate Chuck Knoblauch – backed McNamee's word over Clemens', this was no longer about he said, he said.
This was he said, everyone said.
"You understand you're under oath," Cummings kept asking Clemens, almost dumbfounded that the pitcher could be so brazen under oath.
What else could Cummings do? It was stunning to watch Clemens hang himself, trying to worm his way out from under Pettitte's testimony.
"I'm looking for an independent source to tell me what to believe," Cummings said. "There are a number of things that make (Pettitte's) testimony swing the balance over to Mr. McNamee. And a number of them come from your own words."
It was one thing for Clemens to attack the credibility of McNamee, who has his own ethical issues, but Pettitte testified not only about his own drug use. Just for honesty's sake, he admitted a few more things, and thereby became unassailable.
Clemens could only offer that Pettitte must have "misheard" or "misremembered" the detailed account Pettitte gave about Clemens telling him that he took HGH. But he had no answer for the fact that Pettitte's wife, in a sworn affidavit, said that her husband told her of the conversations at that time and the stories haven't changed.
It was a double barrel shot of destruction, the Pettittes asserting that their close friend was now not just a cheat, but a liar.
Clemens had nothing, just pathetic ramblings about how he was a great American for pitching at the Olympics, how if he was guilty of anything it was "being too nice," and throwing everyone from his agents, to his mother, to his wife under the bus of blame.
According to Clemens, this was just one big conspiracy, apparently. But he looked like a guy who's been surrounded by yes men for decades, someone so removed from reality he figured he could come to Capitol Hill, talk loud, and everyone would nod and leave him alone.
Only a couple of our most inane lawmakers bought any part of his nonsense defense.
His factual arguments were particularly ridiculous. He claimed Pettitte must be confused, because if Pettitte really thought Clemens had used HGH, he would have come and asked Clemens about the drug before taking it himself.
But Pettitte did think Clemens was using HGH and didn't discuss it with Clemens.
Cummings pointed out the failed logic behind that argument. Only to have Clemens repeat it a couple more times.
When Clemens claimed McNamee lied to save himself from prosecution, Cummings pointed out that McNamee told Pettitte about Clemens' drug use in 2002, which means he would have been predicting the future. How is that possible?
"I don’t know," Clemens said.
It was all he had, like a struggling pitcher waiting for a bullpen to come save him.
"It's hard to believe you, sir," Cummings said. "It's hard to say that; you are one of my heroes. But it's hard to believe you."
And Rep. Mark Souder added the hearings: "I found Clemens almost as believable as Rafael Palmeiro."
The lengthy hearings were predictably foolish and distracted at times, unnecessary tangents explored for no apparent reason.
In classic Washington fashion, things occasionally broke along partisan lines. Somehow Republicans and Democrats around here can't agree on anything, even the circumstances surrounding the formation of a "palpable mass" on Clemens' backside.
Clemens' best moments came when McNamee was skewered for his tendency to lie – mostly to newspaper reporters. But even that was Washington gumption; the idea that politicians should lecture anyone about telling the truth is absurd.
The most vocal grandstander was Rep. Dan Burton of rural Indiana, who absolutely skewered McNamee.
"This is really disgusting," Burton said. "I don't know what to believe. I know what I don't believe and that's you."
Strong words from a guy who while cheating on his wife knocked up his girlfriend and went years without visiting his son (though he was kind enough to cut him some checks).
But that's America and this is its pastime.
Clemens could never counter why McNamee was telling the truth about Pettitte and Knoblauch, but lying about him. Or why Pettitte was lying at all.
"Andy would have no reason to (lie)," Clemens said. "He's my friend."
Since everyone here acknowledged that one side must be lying and no one thought it was Pettitte, guess who that left with a self-imposed, ill-fated and unnecessary perjury charge on the horizon?
Dan Wetzel is Yahoo! Sports' national columnist. Send Dan a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Clemens shelled by Congress
By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports
February 13, 2008
WASHINGTON – Question by question, disputed answer by disputed answer, Roger Clemens' house of lies came tumbling down upon him Wednesday.
Whatever Clemens thought he'd get out of turning a sporting controversy into a federal case courtesy of this congressional hearing never materialized. He scored few points while getting caught up in his own words, nonsensical logic and twisted timelines, even before his friend and former teammate Andy Pettitte laid him out.
Presumably there are people in America who still believe Clemens is the only honest man in this entire sordid steroid scandal, that the entire world (friends included) decided one day to gang up and frame him, that he is just a trusting victim here, but other than those on his considerable payroll, they were hard to find anywhere near room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building on this cold, rainy day.
Clemens was doomed from the start, crushed by sworn affidavits and repeated under-oath testimony from Pettitte and his wife Laura – almost unimpeachable witnesses – who not only backed up the words of former trainer Brian McNamee, but blew Clemens' own stories out of the water.
Congressmen Henry Waxman of California and Elijah Cummings of Maryland double-teamed Clemens early, and no amount of ensuing sympathetic lawmakers, McNamee creepiness or Clemens campaign speeches could bail him out.
"I found McNamee very credible," Waxman said after the hearing. "I thought what he said had a lot of credibility."
Clemens is almost assuredly going to face federal perjury charges after he continued to stick to a story that stood in stark contrast with repeated under-oath testimony of everyone else. Once the Pettittes – and former teammate Chuck Knoblauch – backed McNamee's word over Clemens', this was no longer about he said, he said.
This was he said, everyone said.
"You understand you're under oath," Cummings kept asking Clemens, almost dumbfounded that the pitcher could be so brazen under oath.
What else could Cummings do? It was stunning to watch Clemens hang himself, trying to worm his way out from under Pettitte's testimony.
"I'm looking for an independent source to tell me what to believe," Cummings said. "There are a number of things that make (Pettitte's) testimony swing the balance over to Mr. McNamee. And a number of them come from your own words."
It was one thing for Clemens to attack the credibility of McNamee, who has his own ethical issues, but Pettitte testified not only about his own drug use. Just for honesty's sake, he admitted a few more things, and thereby became unassailable.
Clemens could only offer that Pettitte must have "misheard" or "misremembered" the detailed account Pettitte gave about Clemens telling him that he took HGH. But he had no answer for the fact that Pettitte's wife, in a sworn affidavit, said that her husband told her of the conversations at that time and the stories haven't changed.
It was a double barrel shot of destruction, the Pettittes asserting that their close friend was now not just a cheat, but a liar.
Clemens had nothing, just pathetic ramblings about how he was a great American for pitching at the Olympics, how if he was guilty of anything it was "being too nice," and throwing everyone from his agents, to his mother, to his wife under the bus of blame.
According to Clemens, this was just one big conspiracy, apparently. But he looked like a guy who's been surrounded by yes men for decades, someone so removed from reality he figured he could come to Capitol Hill, talk loud, and everyone would nod and leave him alone.
Only a couple of our most inane lawmakers bought any part of his nonsense defense.
His factual arguments were particularly ridiculous. He claimed Pettitte must be confused, because if Pettitte really thought Clemens had used HGH, he would have come and asked Clemens about the drug before taking it himself.
But Pettitte did think Clemens was using HGH and didn't discuss it with Clemens.
Cummings pointed out the failed logic behind that argument. Only to have Clemens repeat it a couple more times.
When Clemens claimed McNamee lied to save himself from prosecution, Cummings pointed out that McNamee told Pettitte about Clemens' drug use in 2002, which means he would have been predicting the future. How is that possible?
"I don’t know," Clemens said.
It was all he had, like a struggling pitcher waiting for a bullpen to come save him.
"It's hard to believe you, sir," Cummings said. "It's hard to say that; you are one of my heroes. But it's hard to believe you."
And Rep. Mark Souder added the hearings: "I found Clemens almost as believable as Rafael Palmeiro."
The lengthy hearings were predictably foolish and distracted at times, unnecessary tangents explored for no apparent reason.
In classic Washington fashion, things occasionally broke along partisan lines. Somehow Republicans and Democrats around here can't agree on anything, even the circumstances surrounding the formation of a "palpable mass" on Clemens' backside.
Clemens' best moments came when McNamee was skewered for his tendency to lie – mostly to newspaper reporters. But even that was Washington gumption; the idea that politicians should lecture anyone about telling the truth is absurd.
The most vocal grandstander was Rep. Dan Burton of rural Indiana, who absolutely skewered McNamee.
"This is really disgusting," Burton said. "I don't know what to believe. I know what I don't believe and that's you."
Strong words from a guy who while cheating on his wife knocked up his girlfriend and went years without visiting his son (though he was kind enough to cut him some checks).
But that's America and this is its pastime.
Clemens could never counter why McNamee was telling the truth about Pettitte and Knoblauch, but lying about him. Or why Pettitte was lying at all.
"Andy would have no reason to (lie)," Clemens said. "He's my friend."
Since everyone here acknowledged that one side must be lying and no one thought it was Pettitte, guess who that left with a self-imposed, ill-fated and unnecessary perjury charge on the horizon?
Dan Wetzel is Yahoo! Sports' national columnist. Send Dan a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Pettitte Will Not Testify at Public Hearing
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/sports/baseball/12clemens.html
February 12, 2008
Pettitte Will Not Testify at Public Hearing
By DUFF WILSON and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
WASHINGTON — Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee will face off at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday, without any testimony from two other ballplayers or a steroids distributor who had also been scheduled to testify, the committee announced Monday night.
Clemens, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner, says he never used performance-enhancing drugs. McNamee, the former trainer, says he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. They will be joined by Charlie Scheeler, a Baltimore lawyer, who led the staff work on the investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball that was compiled by former Senator George J. Mitchell.
Dropped from the witness list were Andy Pettitte, Clemens’s longtime friend, former teammate and training partner; Chuck Knoblauch, a former major league infielder and outfielder; and Kirk Radomski, a former clubhouse attendant and drug distributor who became an informant for federal investigators and the Mitchell report.
Pettitte’s recusal came amid growing indications that he made statements that linked Clemens with steroids or H.G.H., or both, in his deposition to the committee on Feb. 4. A congressional staff member and several other people familiar with the case said that Pettitte did not want to have to testify publicly, on national television, and perhaps be forced to reiterate statements that would not be in Clemens’s interest. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.
The statement excusing Pettitte, Knoblauch and Radomski was issued Monday evening by the committee chairman, Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California, and the panel’s ranking Republican, Tom Davis of Virginia. It said, in part: “Kirk Radomski, Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch will not be testifying at the Feb. 13 hearing. Charlie Scheeler of Senator Mitchell’s staff will be testifying. Mr. Knoblauch and Mr. Pettitte answered all the committee’s questions and their testimony at the hearing is not needed.”
One person who is a friend of Clemens’s and who also knows Pettitte said the two pitchers had not spoken since shortly after the release of the Mitchell report on Dec. 13. In the Mitchell report, McNamee asserted that he injected Clemens with steroids and H.G.H. on at least 16 occasions from 1998 through 2001, an allegation Clemens adamantly disputed. Meanwhile, Pettitte has confirmed McNamee’s statement in the Mitchell report that he injected Pettitte with H.G.H. in 2002.
Lanny A. Breuer, one of Clemens’s lawyers, said in a telephone interview Monday night that Clemens would not seek a way out of Wednesday’s hearing, regardless of the absence of others.
“Whether Roger is asked questions about Andy Pettitte’s deposition or anything else whatsoever, he will answer the questions,” Breuer said. “He’s going to continue to answer them forthrightly. He never took steroids, he never took H.G.H., and that is abundantly clear and will be abundantly clear throughout the hearing.”
He added: “It’s my view that Andy Pettitte should do whatever makes sense for Andy Pettitte, and whatever makes him most comfortable.”
Pettitte’s lawyers declined comment.
Breuer said that Clemens planned to meet with about a half-dozen more members of the oversight committee privately on Tuesday afternoon. Last week, Clemens met with 19 of the committee members, and, in some instances, signed autographs for committee staff members, actions that have drawn criticism.
Clemens’s denials of drug use include the statements he made in a sworn deposition to committee lawyers last week. His lawyers say Clemens will testify Wednesday that he never talked with Pettitte about drug use and that he never used steroids or growth hormone.
After Pettitte gave a two-and-a-half-hour deposition to committee lawyers Feb. 4, he emerged looking shaken. Since then, many people involved in the case say they think he gave testimony that could hurt Clemens.
Because Pettitte’s deposition is available to all committee members, the information he provided can still be used by them to question Clemens during Wednesday’s hearing and to evaluate his answers. If that occurs, Pettitte will not be there to witness it.
Rusty Hardin, one of Clemens’s lawyers, reacted angrily to the idea that Pettitte sought to be excused from public testimony because of discomfort he felt over what he had said in the deposition about Clemens. He said such a notion was “a tremendous disservice to both Andy and Roger.”
“Look, we’ve always welcomed Andy’s comments publicly, as well as Roger’s comments publicly,” Hardin said in a telephone interview Monday night. Hardin said Clemens still considered Pettitte a good friend.
Hardin also had some strong words for Waxman, who is leading the investigation. Hardin and Waxman exchanged letters over the weekend after Hardin criticized Jeff Novitzky, a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service, for planning to attend the hearing. Waxman said it sounded as if Hardin were trying to intimidate a federal officer.
“You have a chairman who is going down the tubes because his own committee doesn’t support what he is doing,” Hardin said in the phone interview.
He added, “You guys are being used by people that want to get Roger Clemens, and you should be looking deep within yourselves.”
Radomski did not want to give a scheduled deposition Tuesday or testify Wednesday because of concerns that he would incriminate himself, according to two other people familiar with the proceedings.
Radomski was sentenced to five years’ probation in a plea agreement last week, but was concerned that he could be prosecuted for other acts within the past five years.
Pettitte, 35, who often seemed to consider Clemens a big brother, signed a one-year, $16 million contract with the Yankees on Dec. 12, one day before the release of the Mitchell report. Two days after the report, Pettitte admitted the truth of the allegations about him.
Pettitte has a career record of 201-113 in 13 seasons with the Yankees and the Houston Astros. Last year, he was 15-9 with a 4.05 E.R.A. with the Yankees, and, for the part of the season, Clemens was again his teammate.
Now the two men seem to stand apart. Instead, it will be Clemens and McNamee on Wednesday, with Scheeler no doubt sitting in between them.
February 12, 2008
Pettitte Will Not Testify at Public Hearing
By DUFF WILSON and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
WASHINGTON — Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee will face off at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday, without any testimony from two other ballplayers or a steroids distributor who had also been scheduled to testify, the committee announced Monday night.
Clemens, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner, says he never used performance-enhancing drugs. McNamee, the former trainer, says he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. They will be joined by Charlie Scheeler, a Baltimore lawyer, who led the staff work on the investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball that was compiled by former Senator George J. Mitchell.
Dropped from the witness list were Andy Pettitte, Clemens’s longtime friend, former teammate and training partner; Chuck Knoblauch, a former major league infielder and outfielder; and Kirk Radomski, a former clubhouse attendant and drug distributor who became an informant for federal investigators and the Mitchell report.
Pettitte’s recusal came amid growing indications that he made statements that linked Clemens with steroids or H.G.H., or both, in his deposition to the committee on Feb. 4. A congressional staff member and several other people familiar with the case said that Pettitte did not want to have to testify publicly, on national television, and perhaps be forced to reiterate statements that would not be in Clemens’s interest. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.
The statement excusing Pettitte, Knoblauch and Radomski was issued Monday evening by the committee chairman, Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California, and the panel’s ranking Republican, Tom Davis of Virginia. It said, in part: “Kirk Radomski, Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch will not be testifying at the Feb. 13 hearing. Charlie Scheeler of Senator Mitchell’s staff will be testifying. Mr. Knoblauch and Mr. Pettitte answered all the committee’s questions and their testimony at the hearing is not needed.”
One person who is a friend of Clemens’s and who also knows Pettitte said the two pitchers had not spoken since shortly after the release of the Mitchell report on Dec. 13. In the Mitchell report, McNamee asserted that he injected Clemens with steroids and H.G.H. on at least 16 occasions from 1998 through 2001, an allegation Clemens adamantly disputed. Meanwhile, Pettitte has confirmed McNamee’s statement in the Mitchell report that he injected Pettitte with H.G.H. in 2002.
Lanny A. Breuer, one of Clemens’s lawyers, said in a telephone interview Monday night that Clemens would not seek a way out of Wednesday’s hearing, regardless of the absence of others.
“Whether Roger is asked questions about Andy Pettitte’s deposition or anything else whatsoever, he will answer the questions,” Breuer said. “He’s going to continue to answer them forthrightly. He never took steroids, he never took H.G.H., and that is abundantly clear and will be abundantly clear throughout the hearing.”
He added: “It’s my view that Andy Pettitte should do whatever makes sense for Andy Pettitte, and whatever makes him most comfortable.”
Pettitte’s lawyers declined comment.
Breuer said that Clemens planned to meet with about a half-dozen more members of the oversight committee privately on Tuesday afternoon. Last week, Clemens met with 19 of the committee members, and, in some instances, signed autographs for committee staff members, actions that have drawn criticism.
Clemens’s denials of drug use include the statements he made in a sworn deposition to committee lawyers last week. His lawyers say Clemens will testify Wednesday that he never talked with Pettitte about drug use and that he never used steroids or growth hormone.
After Pettitte gave a two-and-a-half-hour deposition to committee lawyers Feb. 4, he emerged looking shaken. Since then, many people involved in the case say they think he gave testimony that could hurt Clemens.
Because Pettitte’s deposition is available to all committee members, the information he provided can still be used by them to question Clemens during Wednesday’s hearing and to evaluate his answers. If that occurs, Pettitte will not be there to witness it.
Rusty Hardin, one of Clemens’s lawyers, reacted angrily to the idea that Pettitte sought to be excused from public testimony because of discomfort he felt over what he had said in the deposition about Clemens. He said such a notion was “a tremendous disservice to both Andy and Roger.”
“Look, we’ve always welcomed Andy’s comments publicly, as well as Roger’s comments publicly,” Hardin said in a telephone interview Monday night. Hardin said Clemens still considered Pettitte a good friend.
Hardin also had some strong words for Waxman, who is leading the investigation. Hardin and Waxman exchanged letters over the weekend after Hardin criticized Jeff Novitzky, a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service, for planning to attend the hearing. Waxman said it sounded as if Hardin were trying to intimidate a federal officer.
“You have a chairman who is going down the tubes because his own committee doesn’t support what he is doing,” Hardin said in the phone interview.
He added, “You guys are being used by people that want to get Roger Clemens, and you should be looking deep within yourselves.”
Radomski did not want to give a scheduled deposition Tuesday or testify Wednesday because of concerns that he would incriminate himself, according to two other people familiar with the proceedings.
Radomski was sentenced to five years’ probation in a plea agreement last week, but was concerned that he could be prosecuted for other acts within the past five years.
Pettitte, 35, who often seemed to consider Clemens a big brother, signed a one-year, $16 million contract with the Yankees on Dec. 12, one day before the release of the Mitchell report. Two days after the report, Pettitte admitted the truth of the allegations about him.
Pettitte has a career record of 201-113 in 13 seasons with the Yankees and the Houston Astros. Last year, he was 15-9 with a 4.05 E.R.A. with the Yankees, and, for the part of the season, Clemens was again his teammate.
Now the two men seem to stand apart. Instead, it will be Clemens and McNamee on Wednesday, with Scheeler no doubt sitting in between them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
