Slamming Sammy being investigated..

By the folks he lied to in 2005..Congress. From AP:

A congressional committee will look into former baseball slugger Sammy Sosa’s(notes) denial that he used illegal performance-enhancing drugs in light of a report that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003.

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Democratic Rep. Edolphus Towns of New York, says that the committee takes seriously suggestions that a witness had been misleading.

Towns said in a statement Wednesday that he will determine the appropriate steps following a review of the matter.

In 2005, Sosa told Congress that he had never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Sosa tested positive two years before his appearance at a House hearing.

There goes the Hall of Fame Sammy..say goodbye!

Y tu Manny*?

I have raged a lot about cheating, aka roid use and the idiots that try to go down that road.

But Manny, he just took a hormone that is usually prescribed to women. Keith Olbermann, former ESPN talking head and now a political talking head has a great piece on Manny Ramirez today. The video isn't available yet..when it is..I will put it up here.

As for Manny and his use of cheating materials..here is AP's take:

Whats wrong with this picture? He fucking lied for Christ's sake. Yes, he passed 15 drug tests..so fucking what?

We all remember the one you failed..and so will the sports writers that elect you fuckwits into the Hall of Fame. SI's article, which I will filch part of below:

Mannywood was rocked Thursday when the All-Star outfielder was suspended for 50 games for using a banned drug.

"Do I still think we can win without him? I think he makes us a better team when he's with us, but without him we still have a good team and we're still capable of winning us some ballgames,'' Martin said before Thursday night's game against Washington.

"He's one of the best hitters of all time, so it's definitely going to be tough. But what can you do? You've just got to move on and keep plugging away. You have to take it either as a challenge, and that's what we're going to do,'' he said.

Even before the first pitch of the game, Ramirez's penalty had a noticeable effect. The Manny-style dreadlock hats that had been on sale at the concession stands at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night had been pulled off at least one shelf. Other Manny-related memorabilia was missing, too.

The Dodgers said there may have been a misunderstanding with the Ramirez merchandise, but that it still was for sale.

Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said he called Ramirez and that the 36-year-old star called him back.

"He feels very badly. Right now he's trying to gather his thoughts,'' Torre said.

He feels badly? I bet he feels real bad about losing a third of his $25 mil salary..

What do you think? The asterisk..*..it will follow you all the days of your career dude..bet on it you fucking douchebag.

Its not looking good for The Rocket..

The more he protests the worse it gets for Roger Clemens. First Clemens pulled the big 60 Minutes interview out of his ass and then filed a defamation lawsuit against Brian McNamee.

Then Andy Pettite came clean that yes he indeed use performance-enhancing drugs, which validated half of what McNamee had claimed. Why would McNamee lie about one guy and not the other? Its a logical conclusion to say he didn't. When Andy also testified that he had spoken to Clemens about both of their use of performance-enhancing drugs that also solidified McNamee's claims.

Then Roger said he had no knowledge of McNamee's dealing in HGH. It was then discovered that McNamee had indeed shot up Rogers wife with the stuff. Roger claimed he forgot about that..Then there was the party at Jose Canseco's house that Clemens swore he never attended..that is until some pictures were produced from that fateful evening of..yes, Roger Clemens in attendance.

Now, Kurt Radomski has produced a little physical evidence. A receipt for a shipment of HGH that was sent directly to Clemen's house. From the ESPN writeup:

Convicted steroid distributor Kirk Radomski told ESPN.com that while he was moving a broken television off a dresser in the bedroom of his Long Island home last Sunday night, he found a shipping receipt for human growth hormone that he claims to have sent to Clemens' Houston home in 2002 or 2003. Radomski said he found that receipt, along with "seven or eight others" for shipments to other baseball players, under the TV.

"My TV broke and I said, 'Damn, I got to get it off the dresser,'" Radomski said Wednesday. "And it was right there."

Radomski said he turned the evidence over to federal authorities on Monday.

This surely can't help ole Roger..and frankly I could give a shit about the guy. He and Barroid Bonds can perhaps share a cell in federal prison? It could happen ya know... ;)

Congressional Steroid hearing live tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow, CSPAN will carry the MLB Steroid Hearings live starting at 9:30AM eastern and at the ungodly friggin hour of 6:30AM leftcoast time. You can watch online here..or on cable via CSPAN2

Van Morrison and Roger Waters Comfortably Numb

Congressional Hearing on steroids postponed.

From SI we get this unofficial notice:

The U.S. congressional hearing involving pitching stars Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and former trainer Brian McNamee was postponed on Wednesday until Feb. 13 so lawmakers can gather evidence and coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform was informing witnesses that the Jan. 16 session is being pushed back.

SI also has an "exclusive" interview with McNamee up here.

Clemens: He would take a lie detector test.

Update: Clemens has filed a lawsuit against McNamee

After watching The Rocket sit and seethe during his entire 60 minutes interview, I am left wondering a few things..

All the information against him IS hearsay. McNamee didn't lie about Andy Pettitte however. Was there incentive for McNamee to lie about Roger Clemens? A couple of choice quotes from Clemens during the interview:

"Twenty-four, twenty-five years Mike. You'd think I'd get an inch of respect. An inch," he adds. "How can you prove your innocence?"

"Never happened," Clemens says. "Never happened. And if I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, where did I get 'em? Where is the person out there gave 'em to me? Please, please come forward."

Clemens then steered the interview towards the drugs he did do; lidocaine, B-12 and Vioxx. He stated he ate Vioxx like candy. Vioxx has been taken off the market because of serious risk of heart damage and strokes. Clemens was quite adamant that he worries if he will have any lasting effects from eating Vioxx like "skittles". He stated he was given numerous pain medications via injections from team physicians, who also prescribed the Vioxx to him.

I still don't know about this guy. I want to believe he didn't. I feel that there is also no way to explain how he could still pitch at the level he did after the age of 40. But he wasn't the only pitcher to still be able to get it done after 40; Randy Johnson did briefly, Phil Niekro and Satchel Paige, who pitched into his 50's are a few that come to mind. ESPN lists others who pitched into their 40's:

Cy Young, 1908 (21-11, 1.26 ERA)
Pete Alexander, 1927 (21-10, 2.52)
Tom Seaver, 1985 (16-11, 3.17)
Warren Spahn, 1963 (23-7, 2.60)
Nolan Ryan, 1989 (16-10, 2.30)

Man, how could I forget Nolan Ryan? All the guys named by ESPN are in the HOF.. like I said..I just don't know..and perhaps we never will, without concrete proof, who can say?

But if Clemens can prove his innocence..they need to string up McNamee..seriously.

*Image is Cy Young's section in the HOF.

Clemens and his former trainer called to testify before Congress

Per the NYT:

The star pitcher Roger Clemens, his former personal trainer Brian McNamee and three others will be asked to testify under oath before a congressional committee at a hearing Jan. 16.

In addition to Clemens, the House Oversight Committee will call Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and Kirk Radomski, according to a person with knowledge of the hearing who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk about it.

Radomski is the former Mets clubhouse attendant who admitted distributing performance-enhancing drugs to dozens of major league players. His cooperation with federal authorities after his arrest formed the heart of the report by Senator George J. Mitchell into what Mitchell called baseball's "steroids era."

The report said that McNamee, who worked with Clemens, Pettitte and Knoblauch, said he injected Clemens with steroids.

Clemens has denied that and the congressional hearing was called to question him about the factual issues he has raised with the report. He is scheduled to appear on the CBS program "60 Minutes" on Sunday.

All five people are being asked to testify voluntarily, but the committee has not ruled out subpoenas that would force them to testify. Either way, they would be testifying under oath.

Should be interesting..and on CSPAN hopefully ;) For the rest, click the linkage..

Prior a Padre? jeez..

At least it was only a one year contract. Lets pray he actually plays this year ummkay? He last pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2006, when he made nine starts and went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA.

His last good year? 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 2003.

Kevin Towers also signed another surgery guy..Randy Wolf. Why does Towers still have a friggin job with the Padres? Does he have pictures of John Moores fucking the neighbor's dog or something?

In other news, Roger Clemens' attorneys are earning their keep by investigating the allegations against The Rocket..good luck with that..seriously. Most of the information in the Mitchell report was unfounded 'he said' type of bullshit. No smoking guns, although I do have a tendency to believe it..why? Because the guy bulked up and seemed to get better with age..ala Barroid Bonds..but if they can prove otherwise..more power to em, I just don't see how you counter such allegations. It would be nice if someone had proof Roger bought HGH or roids in my book.

In other drug news..MN Vikings player Darrion Scott was popped for pot. Favorite line in the article:

"He asked the officers, 'Don't you know who I am?"' Carpenter said. "They cut him a break by not placing him in handcuffs."

Touche'

Clemens talks to 60 Minutes..

According to TVNewser anyway:

Clemens to Talk Steroids on 60 Minutes

The Associated Press reports that Roger Clemens has granted his first television interview after the George Mitchell steroids report announcement with Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes. Clemens is one of the highest profile MLB players implicated in the report, and has denied any steroid use.

Clemens made the video announcement about the 60 Minutes interview on his web site.

"After Christmas, I'm [going to] sit down with Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes and I'll do an interview and he'll ask me a ton of questions on the subject and I'll answer them right there in front of him and we'll do all this again," he said. "I'm angry about it, to be honest with you. It's hurtful to me and my family."

CBS confirmed the interview is scheduled to air on January 6.

Tags: Roger Clemens, steroids, 60 Minutes

Bonds attorneys might have conflict of interest

Not that it breaks my lil black heart one damn bit, but there it is:

The judge called the hearing to decide whether the lawyers can still work for Bonds even though they previously represented other athletes who testified in the government's investigation into performance-enhancing drugs.
*snip*

In court papers made public Thursday, federal prosecutors identified Bonds' new attorney, Cris Arguedas, as having represented disgraced track star Tim Montgomery and football players Chris Cooper, Chris Hetherington and Tyrone Wheatley, all of whom testified before the grand jury.

In addition, lead attorney Allan Ruby represented Bonds' personal surgeon, Dr. Arthur Ting, when he was called before a grand jury.

"Dr. Ting is likely to be a witness for the government at trial," the government's court filing stated.

Poor Barroid..he just can't catch a break can he? tsk..tsk..


Tags: Barry Bonds, Dr. Ting, Cris Arguedas, Allan Ruby

Mo Vaughn used roids??

The only thing small about Mo is probably his testes...
He must of thought he could get high off them..My favorite picture of that fat bag of shit.

Roger Clemens used HGH and steroids per Mitchell report.

(AP-Picture of Roger Clemens and McNamee)
The following is directly out of the Mitchell Report, available on MLB.com's website:

Toward the end of the road trip which included the Marlins series, or shortly after the Blue Jays returned home to Toronto, Clemens approached McNamee and, for the first time, brought up the subject of using steroids. Clemens said that he was not able to inject himself, and he asked for McNamee’s help.

Later that summer, Clemens asked McNamee to inject him with Winstrol, which Clemens supplied. McNamee knew the substance was Winstrol because the vials Clemens gave him were so labeled. McNamee injected Clemens approximately four times in the buttocks over a several-week period with needles that Clemens provided. Each incident took place in Clemens’s apartment at the SkyDome. McNamee never asked Clemens where he obtained the steroids.

During the 1998 season (around the time of the injections), Clemens showed McNamee a white bottle of Anadrol-50.386 Clemens told McNamee he was not using it but wanted to know more about it. McNamee told Clemens not to use it. McNamee said he took the bottle and gave it to Canseco.387 McNamee does not know where Clemens obtained the
Anadrol-50.

According to McNamee, from the time that McNamee injected Clemens with Winstrol through the end of the 1998 season, Clemens’s performance showed remarkable improvement. During this period of improved performance, Clemens told McNamee that the steroids “had a pretty good effect” on him. McNamee said that Clemens also was training harder and dieting better during this time.

In 1999, Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees. McNamee remained under contract with the Blue Jays for the 1999 season. In 2000, the Yankees hired McNamee as the assistant strength and conditioning coach under Jeff Mangold. According to McNamee, the Yankees hired him because Clemens persuaded them to do so. In this capacity, McNamee worked with all of the Yankees players. McNamee was paid both by the Yankees and by Clemens personally. Clemens hired McNamee to train him during portions of several weeks in the off-season. McNamee also trained Clemens personally for one to two weeks during spring training and a few times during the season. McNamee served as the Yankees’ assistant strength and conditioning coach through the 2001 season.

According to McNamee, during the middle of the 2000 season Clemens made it clear that he was ready to use steroids again. During the latter part of the regular season, McNamee injected Clemens in the buttocks four to six times with testosterone from a bottle labeled either Sustanon 250 or Deca-Durabolin that McNamee had obtained from Radomski. McNamee stated that during this same time period he also injected Clemens four
to six times with human growth hormone he received from Radomski, after explaining toClemens the potential benefits and risks of use. McNamee believed that it was probably his idea that Clemens try human growth hormone. Radomski instructed McNamee how to inject human growth hormone. On each occasion, McNamee administered the injections at Clemens’s apartment in New York City.

McNamee said that he and Clemens did not have any conversations regarding performance enhancing substances from late 2000 until August 2001. McNamee did, however train Clemens and Andy Pettitte during the off-season at their homes in Houston. Clemens often invited other major league players who lived in the Houston area to train with him. McNamee’s training relationship with Clemens and others has been described publicly.

Its pretty pathetic this entire report. I just spent a couple of hours slogging through it. The Clemens material is culled from a section devoted exclusively to him which starts on roughly page 167 of the report.

Tags: Clemens used HGH and steroids, Roger Clemens, HGH,Steroids in Baseball
Mitchell report

Mitchell, steroids and baseball..

MLB.com has the full report online here in PDF format. Some high/lowlights:

Mitchells recommendations for MLB:

(1) Major League Baseball must significantly increase its ability to investigate allegations of use outside of the testing program and improve its procedures for keeping performance enhancing substances out of the clubhouse;

(2) there must be a more comprehensive and effective program of education for players and
others about the serious health risks incurred by users of performance enhancing substances; and

(3) when the club owners and the Players Association next engage in collective bargaining on the joint drug program, I urge them to incorporate into the program the principles that characterize a state-of-the-art program, as described in this report.

The report is over 400 pages long..its going to take time to digest this sucker. But Mitchell did say that all 30 teams have or had steroid users on their teams.

Eric Gagne and Paul Lo Duca were among other current players named in the report, both linked to Human Growth Hormone. From ESPN's writeup:

Mitchell and his staff interviewed former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski four times. Radomski identified a number of former and current MLB players he said he sold steroid and Human Growth Hormone to. Checks and money orders, mailing receipts or shipments, statements of other witnesses were used to back up Radomski's allegations. Much of this was found in Radomski's seized telephone records.

They got 'the goods' on many of the players, i.e., checks and money orders, who still refused to speak with Mitchell. Mitchell's investigation found that some players had advanced notice regarding upcoming drug tests, which is total bullshit. Jason Giambi was the only player involved in the BALCO case to speak freely with Mitchell about steroid use. From the report:

"Concerning BALCO and Major League Baseball I requested interviews of all the major league players who had been publicly implicated in the BALCO case: Marvin Benard; Barry Bonds; Bobby Estalella; Jason Giambi; Jeremy Giambi; Armando Rios; Benito Santiago; Gary Sheffield; and Randy Velarde. Jason Giambi agreed to be interviewed, and Randy Velarde provided information through his attorney. All the other players implicated in the BALCO case refused my requests to be interviewed or did not respond to them. Gary Sheffield initially declined my request for an interview. Sheffield later said that he would agree to an interview, subject to the availability of his lawyer who was undergoing medical treatments."

Damn..wotta trip. Check this out from page 290 about one of the American doctors involved:

Dr. Claire Godfrey, an Orlando obstetrician, also pleaded guilty; she said that she was directed by Signature Pharmacy executives to several Florida rejuvenation clinics that faxed prescriptions for her signature knowing that she would never examine the customers.457 Within a six-month time period, she wrote approximately $1.3 million worth of prescriptions and earned $200,000.458

You know that the doctors giving up their 'clients' is the most damning evidence I would think. Clemens is nailed for roid use big time per ESPN, which I am watching now.

Mitchell report will be released within the hour

According to ESPN three names are already dropped:

The Rocket
Andy Pettitte
Tejada

I will put up anything that sounds interesting since I am watching it on ESPN. Buddy-boy Selig plans his very OWN announcement after Mitchells. So..stay tuned..

From SI we get this:
Former American League MVP Miguel Tejada is mentioned in the Mitchell Report, due to be released by 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, SI.com has learned.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts also is in the report, as are seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Mike Stanton and Jason Grimsley.

One or two other Yankees are expected to be named on the list as well.

Tejada spent the past four seasons with the Orioles and was acquired in trade by the Astros this week for five players.

ESPN.com first reported Clemens and Pettitte as being in the Mitchell Report.

MLB's Mitchell report due out..

On the heels of Barroids case hitting the court docket, seems the Mitchell Report is due soon:

Baseball is about to get its official boxscore on the Steroids Era.

It's the Mitchell Report, the findings of former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's 20-month investigation into performance-enhancing drug use that has tarnished some of the game's greatest stars and records.

It's due out next week, possibly Thursday, and while critics are sure to claim it's one-sided and outdated, it has given players and executives cause for pause and led some to fear a modern-day Black Sox scandal.

"Well, it ain't Merry Christmas or Happy New Year for somebody," Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

I don't know about that Mr. Baker..bet its pretty weak..but we will see..

Barroid pleads not guilty..

I am sure no one expected him to come clean..but like Marion he will be brought down as long as the Federal Prosecutor's have done their fucking homework. From Sportsline:

Barry Bonds let one of his six lawyers say the words: "Not guilty." No courtroom drama, no surprises. Flanked by an entourage of lawyers and family members, baseball's home run king smiled, waved and made eye contact with fans Friday as he made his first court appearance since being charged with lying under oath about using steroids. Bonds' new lawyer entered a not guilty plea in U.S. District Court to the four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice contained in the Nov. 15 indictment. Afterward, defense attorney Allen Ruby didn't waste any time, saying he would soon ask a judge to toss out the case because of "defects" in the indictment. He declined to elaborate. If convicted, legal experts say Bonds could spend up to 2½ years in prison.

Interesting Bonds didn't say the words..his flunkies did.

Barroid finally busted..

Whether it sticks remains to be seen. I hope it does, damn I hope it does. I don't have to give you the particulars..its all over the internets. Three months after becoming the home run king, Barry Bonds is indicted for perjury and obstruction. He is charged with lying when he told a federal grand jury he didn't knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs. Full story

PayRod has reached a deal with the Yankees..did anyone think he was actually going anywhere?

Barroid Bonds throws a hissy fit.

Keith Olbermann has an interesting piece on his nightly news show this evening. Barroid is highly pissed about his homerun ball being marked with an asterisk.

He has now stated that 'when' he is inducted into the HOF, he will most likely not attend the ceremony if the Hall puts 'that ball' on display.

Oh fuck you dude..you and your shrunken testes. From the writeup linked above:

Barry Bonds said in an interview to be aired on Countdown with Keith Olbermann that he will boycott baseball's Hall of Fame if it decides to display his record-breaking home run ball with an asterisk.

The free-agent slugger told Jim Gray: "I don't think you can put an asterisk in the game of baseball and I don't think that the Hall of Fame can accept an asterisk in their Hall of Fame. You can't, you cannot give people the freedom, the right to alter history, you can't do it. There's no such thing as an asterisk in baseball."

Well Barroid, I got one thing to say; HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..fuck you jackass, long and hard and with a double-edged sword. I love the irony here..and there is still the possibility that Barroid won't be inducted into the HOF anyway..so he just might be jumping the gun here.

amazing...


tags: Barry Bonds