Bottom Of The Barrel

He Said, She Said

Only two people know the truth about Roger Clemens and his alleged steroid use and based on their phone conversation, they can't seem to get the whole story out into the public.

This whole thing started with Clemens long time trainer, Brian McNamee, who told investigators working on the now infamous Mitchell Report that he injected Clemens with steroids in 1998 while they were with the Toronto Blue Jays, and human growth hormone in 2000 and 2001 while they were with the Yankees.

In his first response to the report, Clemens released a video where he denied use of steroids or human growth hormone (HGH). He went on to say "I did not provide any drugs to Brian McNamee with any drugs to inject into my body." What he didn't clarify in his video was what he did have McNamee inject him with.

McNamee also told the Mitchell investigators that he injected Clemens longtime teammate, friend and training partner Andy Pettitte with HGH. McNamme said he injected Pettitte with HGH that he obtained from [former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk] Radomski. Pettitte released a statement just two days after the report was released confirming he did use HGH twice as the report stated [but not steroids].

Clemens continued his innocent plea by going on 60 Minutes and talking with Mike Wallace about the issue. He continues his denial of illegal of steroid use. He deflected the questions about McNamee and Pettitte only to state "Andy's case is totally seperate." Clemens claims in this interview that the only thing McNamee injected him with is "Lidocaine and B-12. It's for my joints, and B-12, I still take today."

I'm no medical professional but why would a trainer with a masters degree in sports medicine inject lidocaine, a local anesthetic commonly used by dentists and in minor surgery, into a professional athlete's buttocks?

Yesterday, Clemens and his lawyer played a taped conversation between himself and McNamee which took place on last Friday. During this conversation, McNamee tells Clemens 21 times "Tell me what you want me to do" at which Clemens only responded "I need somebody to tell the truth." At the end of the tape one thing is clear, both men have been well coached on how not to lead a witness and they are also being very coy about the true details of what may or may not have happened between 1998 and 2001.

So for now let's stick with the facts as we know them:

1. McNamee injected Pettitte with HGH
2. McNamee injected Clemens with something
3. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic

Next up for Clemens and McNamee is a trip to Washington DC [along with Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and Radomski] to visit the House Oversight Committee on January 16th. This should be interesting because we will finally get these two men in the same room as once and for all answer the questions on what was really injected into Clemens because, as we have scene before, you don't lie to the federal government. Just ask Martha Stewart.

posted by TheWino @ 7:56 AM