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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Pettitte told Congress Clemens admitted to using human growth hormone

Roger Clemens told Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte nearly 10 years ago that he used human growth hormone, Pettitte said in a sworn affidavit to Congress, the Associated Press learned Tuesday.

Pettitte disclosed the conversation to the congressional committee holding Wednesday’s hearings on drug use in baseball, a person familiar with the affidavit said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the document had not been made public.

According to the person familiar with the affidavit, who said it was signed Friday night, Pettitte also said Clemens backtracked when the subject of HGH came up again in conversation in 2005, before the same House committee held the first hearing on steroids in baseball.

Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked by the media about HGH, given his admission years earlier. According to the account told to the AP, the affidavit said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the previous exchange in 1999 or 2000 and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.

Thanks to Howie Menckel for pointing this out…

Repoz Posted: February 13, 2008 at 02:09 PM | 983 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, Special Topics, Steroids, NY Yankees

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101. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:08 PM (#2689817)

John Rocker probably also thinks that the moon landing was staged and that Jews were behind 9/11.

102. Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:08 PM (#2689818)

I'm not able to watch, but picked this off Stark's live blog:

Finally, Rep. Waxman went through a long list of areas in which Clemens' account was "in direct conflict" with the testimony of McNamee and Pettitte. Waxman particularly singled out Clemens' alleged conversations about HGH with Pettitte -- one in 1999 or 2000, the other in 2005. In the first, Pettitte testified that Clemens told him he'd used HGH. In the second, Clemens claimed Pettitte had misunderstood and that he'd actually said his wife had used HGH. Waxman said Clemens and McNamee agreed that McNamee had injected Debbie Clemens in 2003. And that, Waxman said, "makes it impossible" that Clemens could have told Pettitte three or four years earlier that his wife was the HGH user, not him.

Has Clemens attempted to explain this one?

103. bunyon Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:08 PM (#2689819)

That reminds me of something extremely goofy - John Rocker said he doesn't think Rafael Palmeiro used steroids. Even though he failed the drug test.

Raffy rode the 7 train a few times and clearly the drugs there just seeped into him by osmosis.

104. Famous Original Joe C Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:09 PM (#2689820)

"In my jargon"???

Jesus, this is ridiculous.

105. marko Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:09 PM (#2689821)

"Has Clemens attempted to explain this one?"

Nope. On the other-hand mcnamee acknowledged his mistakes. Clemens hasn't done so yet.

106. DosRafaels Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:10 PM (#2689822)

Rocker's IQ is probably even lower than Clemens'. Which probably means he suffers from at least a mild form of Down syndrome.

+1

107. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:10 PM (#2689823)

"He traveled with those little band-aids for his butt if he bled."

I can't believe that was just said in Congress. hahahha.

108. bunyon Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:10 PM (#2689824)

"Has Clemens attempted to explain this one?"

Nope.

She could have gotten hGH from a source other than McNamee for the earlier dose. I don't see a big conflict there.

109. marko Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:11 PM (#2689825)

lol@another steroid being injected into clemens body.

Im not sure who is more of a chemical experiment. Bonds, clemens, or canseco.

110. Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:11 PM (#2689826)

honest question - did they ever bring perjury charges against Palmiero for the finger-wagging incident?

The finger-wagging preceded the positive test, so in the absence of any earlier positive test, Rafi could always claim his first use was after his Congressional statement. (Or was the sample taken before the testimony but not tested/revealed until later?)

111. Hack Wilson Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:13 PM (#2689827)

ESPN Headline

Yanks expect Pettitte to start spring behind in prep due to distractions

Is spring a code word for syringe?

112. Joe Bivens, Schmoo from Massachoosetts Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:13 PM (#2689829)

Rafi could always claim his first use was after his Congressional statement.

Unless he was worried that someone who could provide a smoking gun would come forward and expose his second lie.

113. marko Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:14 PM (#2689830)

he admits to wanting an edge...

114. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:16 PM (#2689832)

I'm a few minutes behind, and I can say that neither side seems to be coming across very credibly right now. Clemens' conversations with Pettitte don't look good for him; McNamee's repeatedly changing stories about how often he injected players sounds more like "I went home and realized my story wasn't credible, because people use steroids more frequently than that, so I revised my story to sound better."

115. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:16 PM (#2689833)

What is wrong about a player playing a competitive game wanting an edge? An edge does not have to mean cheating.

116. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:16 PM (#2689834)

I'd agree with David Nieporent. Both Clemens and McNamee are making fools of themselves, it seems.

117. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:17 PM (#2689835)

I'd agree with David Nieporent. Both Clemens and McNamee are making fools of themselves, it seems.

I would add Cummings looked pretty bad as well.

118. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:19 PM (#2689837)

Yep.

119. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:20 PM (#2689838)

The 17 inning game mentioned. A John Cangelosi sighting!

120. marko Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:20 PM (#2689839)

I'll admit, despite the fact that I hate clemens, mcnamee looked like an idiot right there.

121. ronh Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:21 PM (#2689841)

Now Clemens brings his mother into this mess?

She's the one that told him to take B-12?

122. Greg (U)K Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:21 PM (#2689842)

Speaking of sightings!
A Holmes-Norton sighting

So she really IS a Congresswoman, and not just a bit character on Colbert's show

123. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:22 PM (#2689843)

why did he leave the NYPD?

124. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:22 PM (#2689845)

If I was a drug-dealing rapist, I'd leave the police department I worked for before they found out.

125. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:23 PM (#2689846)

I love that the picture of Clemens currently on the front page of espn.com makes him look roughly the size of a bloated Orsen Welles.

126. gef the talking mongoose Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:23 PM (#2689847)

why did he leave the NYPD?

To get to the other side.

127. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:23 PM (#2689848)

I wish the Department of Justice would be subject to this kind of scrutiny.

128. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:25 PM (#2689849)

I wish the Department of Justice would be subject to this kind of scrutiny.

Why doesn't Clemens just say, "I don't recall" over and over?

129. Smelly is so fluffy he's gonna die Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:26 PM (#2689850)

Isn't it a little much to be asking people about conversations they remember from 10 years ago? I can maybe remember something like 5-10 conversations I had 10 years ago, and not in any meaningful detail other than what the general topic was about.

If someone asked me if I had a discussion with person X about topic Y 10 years ago, the best answer I could give is a "maybe" or "probably". Reciting the whole conversation seems ridiculous.

130. DosRafaels Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:27 PM (#2689852)

Man, this looks bad for Roger. Terney's seems to be the Matlock of this panel.

131. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:28 PM (#2689853)

Clemens is getting drilled on this point about memorable conversations about HGH.

132. Joe Bivens, Schmoo from Massachoosetts Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:28 PM (#2689855)

I'm not able to watch from work. Is Clemens perspiring?

133. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:29 PM (#2689856)

McNamee was eating a sandwich near the pool.

134. DosRafaels Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:29 PM (#2689857)

I'm not able to watch from work. Is Clemens perspiring?

He's sweating, stammering, and licking his lips like he's LL Cool J.

135. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:29 PM (#2689858)

McNamee was eating a sandwich near the pool.

Looking at a lady who he described in great detail...

Just a little creepy.

136. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:30 PM (#2689859)

Clemens sounds like a dick of a husband.

137. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:30 PM (#2689860)

Did McNamee just say that he never heard of B-12? Is he just inarticulate, and he meant to say that he hadn't heard that Clemens had received the shots? Or did he actually say he hadn't heard of them?

138. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:30 PM (#2689861)

Clemens shirt seems too small in the neck region.

139. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:31 PM (#2689862)

Did McNamee just say that he never heard of B-12? Is he just inarticulate, and he meant to say that he hadn't heard that Clemens had received the shots? Or did he actually say he hadn't heard of them?

I heard that he had never heard of B-12 before.

140. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:32 PM (#2689863)

i missed the first half hour of the testimony, anybody care to do a brief recap ..

141. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:32 PM (#2689864)

Dan Burton does not look like he wants to be there.

But I love how he's hammering home how creepy and weird it is to keep used gauzepads and needles.

142. bunyon Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:33 PM (#2689866)

So, I'm not watching either - are Clemens and McNamee testifying in the same room at the same time?

143. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:34 PM (#2689868)

this is so big brother-y.

I always really wanted to be a baseball player. Under no circumstances would I want that now. Not with the scrutiny their lives are under. Not a baseball player, not a basketball player, not an actor, not a musician, nothing. No sir, I will take anonymity.

Image testifying in congress about a fight you and your wife got into 7 years prior. No thank you.

144. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:34 PM (#2689869)

So, I'm not watching either - are Clemens and McNamee testifying in the same room at the same time?

They're sitting at the same table.

145. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:34 PM (#2689871)

Brian McNamee has been published in the New York Times?

146. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:35 PM (#2689872)

Rep. Burton - "Gee whiz, are you kidding me? My goodness."

147. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:35 PM (#2689873)

Haha. That actually made me laugh out loud. Burton said, "Gee whiz, are you kidding me? My goodness."

148. gef the talking mongoose Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:35 PM (#2689874)

i missed the first half hour of the testimony, anybody care to do a brief recap ..

Just for you -- no one in the history of baseball has ever even thought about PEDs.

149. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:35 PM (#2689876)

"Gee whiz. Are you kidding me?"

Question du jour.

150. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2689877)

Yeah, Burton looks pretty good. Too bad Burton is full of ####

151. gef the talking mongoose Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2689878)

Brian McNamee has been published in the New York Times?

Why not? They gave lying, murder-enabling whore Judith Miller Rumsfeld a platform.

152. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2689879)

i am moving to indiana so i can vote for dan burton

153. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:37 PM (#2689880)

i missed the first half hour of the testimony, anybody care to do a brief recap ..

Andy Pettitte has an awful memory.
Jose Canseco throws some killer parties.
Debbie Clemens did HGH and should an asterisk by her home run records.

154. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:38 PM (#2689881)

Burton is really hammering McNamee.

155. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:38 PM (#2689882)

the debbie defense ..

thanks!

Andy Pettitte has an awful memory.
Jose Canseco throws some killer parties.
Debbie Clemens did HGH and should an asterisk by her home run records

156. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM (#2689883)

I like this Burton character. I get the feeling that he just hates all of this and both these guys.

157. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM (#2689884)

Burton once called President Clinton a scumbag (wrt Lewinski)

15 years earlier, Congressmen Burton had an extramarital affair and fathered a child out of wedlock.

158. bunyon Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM (#2689885)

just got an email from my dad: "One of these guys should be taking the 5th."

159. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM (#2689886)

i am moving to indiana so i can vote for dan burton

Oh, you'd love Dan Burton, Gambling Rent.

160. Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:40 PM (#2689887)

Burton's the guy who called President Clinton a "scumbag" during the Lewinsky saga, right? I'll never forget how in covering the story, media outlets described the epithet as "a euphemism for a condom," which had never dawned on me before. One of those odd "aha" moments in life.

161. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:40 PM (#2689888)

Burton: That's a lie, right?

Again, wish you'd take this kind of attitude towards Alberto Gonzalez, Condoleeza Rice, Michael Hayden, Mike Brown, Dick Armitage, Michael Mukasey, Donald Rumsfeld, etc., etc.

162. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:40 PM (#2689889)

i am moving my whole family to indiana, so they can vote for dan burton too!!!!

163. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:41 PM (#2689890)

Burton is a hypocrite!

164. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:42 PM (#2689891)

I wonder if Burton's going to deal with Clemens this way. Lotsa luck.

And now he's talking about "trial by media." This is too much coming from one of the biggest fans of the Clinton impeachment fiasco.

165. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:42 PM (#2689892)

The gauze pads moved to 2002 now, even though he never gave Clemens anything after 2001 (as per the MR). And yes, McNamee's getting hammered on the gauze issue. He looks really bad. His story makes no sense.

166. gef the talking mongoose Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:42 PM (#2689893)

i am moving my whole family to indiana, so they can vote for dan burton too!!!!

They've all fathered children out of wedlock? Weird.

167. Repoz

Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:43 PM (#2689894)

Burton was a thing of beauty!

168. Boots Day Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:44 PM (#2689895)

Burton's also the guy who shot a melon in his backyard as part of an "investigation" into Vince Foster's suicide, isn't he?

169. Repoz

Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:44 PM (#2689896)

Ray Donovan was indeed a shady dude as I used to do some work with him.

170. Hack Wilson Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:45 PM (#2689897)

I can't imagine anyone making Dan Burton look good, I'm glad I can't see this.

171. jonm Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:45 PM (#2689898)

Burton was also famous for re-enacting the "murder" of Vincent Foster in his backyard with a pistol and a pumpkin.

172. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:45 PM (#2689899)

This is great TV. Congress talking about masses on buttocks.

173. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:46 PM (#2689900)

"Palpable mass on his buttocks" should be a new Primer handle.

174. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:46 PM (#2689901)

the committee received the MRI from Clemens, Congress can subpoena medical records?

175. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:46 PM (#2689903)

"The MRI provides important information about the palpable mass on Mr. Clemens' buttocks."

176. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:47 PM (#2689904)

I am comforted to know that Congress apparently can access my medical records.

177. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:47 PM (#2689906)

isn't b-12 an intramuscular injection

178. Fat Al Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:47 PM (#2689907)

the committee received the MRI from Clemens, Congress can subpoena medical records?

They didn't subpoena it. They "requested" it. Just like this testimony is "voluntary."

179. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:47 PM (#2689908)

I am comforted to know that Congress apparently can access my medical records.

WHAT FOR? WHAT IS THIS ALL FOR?!?

180. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:48 PM (#2689909)

are they not letting him talk to his lawyer?

181. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:48 PM (#2689910)

This is a bit unfair, asking Clemens to comment on the report of a medical expert.

182. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:50 PM (#2689911)

are they not letting him talk to his lawyer?

They're not letting the lawyer talk to the committee.

183. Chris Hansen, NBC Dateline Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:50 PM (#2689912)

WHAT FOR? WHAT IS THIS ALL FOR?!?

The words you are looking for are 'bread' and 'circuses'.

184. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:51 PM (#2689913)

wait, there is an alternate medical opinion? and they are not going to have Clemens comment on that?

185. gef the talking mongoose Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:51 PM (#2689914)

This is a bit unfair, asking Clemens to comment on the report of a medical expert.

Or, really, much of anything else.

186. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:51 PM (#2689915)

This makes me feel sorry I'm an American.

187. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:51 PM (#2689916)

I don't know how that can be a proper question.

188. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:52 PM (#2689917)

Roger is very well prepared.

very well.

189. marko Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:52 PM (#2689918)

winstrol...

190. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:52 PM (#2689919)

So far, my evaluation is that this certainly isn't an exoneration of Clemens; he doesn't look good. At best, he's a terrible witness; at worst, he's lying. But at the same time, anybody who would take a case to trial with McNamee as star witness is insane; he's got less credibility than George Bush would have at a DailyKos meetup.

191. gef the talking mongoose Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:53 PM (#2689920)

Roger is very well prepared.

very well.

How does the BBTF saying go? Are you the biggest idiot ever?

192. Big Train Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:53 PM (#2689921)

Congressman Lynch, do you mean it was difficult to obtain private medical records from Roger Clemens? Why could that be?

193. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:53 PM (#2689922)

anybody else get the feeling that a massive contribution was made to the RNC.

194. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2689923)

Whoops! Looks like an uninterested party testified that Clemens <u>did</u> get B-12 shots.

195. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2689924)

Some congressdude just pointed out that its unfair to have Clemens' give his opinion on a medical assessment.

196. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2689927)

Yikes, asking Clemens to testify without a lawyer's advice is akin to a "lynching"???? Not a good choice of terms Rep. Davis.

197. E., Hinske Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:55 PM (#2689929)

Who is that said Clemens has been lynched? Is that Hardin? Good on whoever it is that's making this point.

EDIT: The point being that it's unfair to ask a lay witness to comment on a medical report, particularly when that report was apparently produced this morning.

198. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:55 PM (#2689930)

How does the BBTF saying go? Are you the biggest idiot ever?

you don't think he is well prepared..
i missed the first half hour, but he has handled himself very well in my biased opinion

199. DosRafaels Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:55 PM (#2689931)

McNamee isn't ideal but I've seen people get convicted with far worse "star" witnesses. The problem for Clemens is if the evidence corroborates what McNamee's testimony is. You may not like his methods, but if those gauze pads have extensive DNA from a few years ago, that's still pretty damning evidence. The revelations about Roger's wife also are pretty compelling as well.

200. HGM Posted: February 13, 2008 at 04:55 PM (#2689932)

It's Rep. Davis.

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Pettitte told Congress Clemens admitted to using human growth hormone

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