Clemens Disputes Trainer

Jan 07, 05:00 AM

Roger Clemens said during an interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday that he was never injected with illegal performance-enhancing drugs by his former trainer and doesn't know what he can do to prove his innocence.

"Never happened," Clemens told CBS' Mike Wallace. "And if I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, what, where did I get them? Where is the person out there (who) gave them to me? Please, please come forward."

Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner with 354 career wins, has disputed the claims of his former trainer, Brian McNamee, who told former senator George Mitchell he injected Clemens with steroids in 1998 and with steroids and human growth hormone in 2000 and 2001. Mitchell investigated illegal performance-enhancing drug use in baseball and released his report last month.

Clemens was angry, direct and defiant during his first interview since the Mitchell Report was released. He said of McNamee, "I treated him as great as anybody else. I helped him."

Wallace asked Clemens about specific allegations McNamee makes in the Mitchell Report. Each time Clemens said using steroids "Never happened."

"My body never changed. If he's putting that stuff up in my body, if what he's saying, which is totally false, if he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I should be pulling tractors with my teeth."

Clemens said McNamee injected him with vitamins and painkillers but nothing illegal. He said he took Vioxx, a prescription painkiller that was taken off the market in 2004 because of safety concerns.

"I was eating Vioxx like it was Skittles. And these people who are supposedly regulating it, tell me it's bad for my heart," Clemens said. "I don't know what the future holds because of the medicine that I've eaten, but I trusted that it was not harmful. And I didn't want to put anything in my body that was harmful."

Wallace pointed out that McNamee's testimony to Mitchell was compelled by threat of criminal prosecution and asked Clemens what the trainer stood to gain by lying about Clemens. "I think he's been buying and moving steroids," Clemens said.

McNamee's lawyers said last week they would consider filing a defamation lawsuit if Clemens called McNamee a liar on 60 Minutes. Richard Emery said Sunday night Clemens was "not believable."

He added he hasn't decided if they are going to sue Clemens and will see what Clemens says should he accept Congress' invitation to testify under oath Jan.16. McNamee, pitcher Andy Pettitte, former infielder Chuck Knoblauch and Kirk Radomski, a former clubhouse attendant, were also invited.

Wallace noted that McNamee gained credibility when Pettitte -- Clemens' friend, longtime teammate and training partner -- admitted to taking HGH on two occasions, as stated in the Mitchell Report. Clemens said he had "no knowledge of what Andy was doing," and was "shocked to learn about Andy's situation."

Clemens, 45, told Wallace he will probably not pitch next season and said he's disturbed when people believe the steroids allegations.

"I'm angry that what I've done for the game of baseball. I don't get the benefit of the doubt," Clemens said. "The stuff that's being said, it's ridiculous. You'd think I'd get an inch of respect. An inch. How can you prove your innocence?"

Clemens said McNamee asked him a few days before the Mitchell Report was released if he could use some fishing equipment, but McNamee didn't tell the pitcher what he had told Mitchell.

"Doesn't say a word that, you know, 'I'm fixing to bury you with all these accusations and what do we have to do about it,'" Clemens said. "Didn't say a word about it. That's what p----- me off."

Clemens spoke with McNamee by telephone Friday, according to the Associated Press, citing an individual close to the situation, and (New York) Newsday.

Short hops: The New York Mets acquired outfielder Angel Pagan from the Chicago Cubs for two minor leaguers. Pagan, 26, batted .264 with four home runs and 21 RBI for Chicago last year. ... Ben Broussard and the Texas Rangers agreed to a one-year, $3.85million contract, avoiding arbitration. (c) Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. Clemens Disputes Trainer
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