The Sommer Frieze

Who’s telling the truth? Who’s to say? One thing is for certain, and that is that Andy Pettitte’s testimony sure didn’t help Clemens.

I basically kept up with things by checking out Jayson Stark’s running blog during my lunch and afternoon breaks. Some of the testimony was interesting, some were new revelations and some are things I’d rather not have known.

First off, Andy Pettitte admitted that he didn’t just use HGH twice in 2002, but that he also used it in 2004 shortly before he had elbow surgery. What was also surprising is that he got the HGH from his dad, who got it for a medical condition, unbeknownst to Pettitte.

Debbie Clemens admitted to using it once.

Brian McNamee stated that he actually injected Clemens more than originally stated. McNamee did have various inconsistencies in his reports, but one thing was damaging to Clemens—the simple fact that Knoblauch and Pettitte corraborated what McNamee stated, but Clemens denies it. If the other two made statements matching McNamee’s testimony, how is it that his testimony on Clemens doesn’t jibe?

Roger stated that Pettitte was and will remain his friend, and vouched for Pettitte’s honesty, integrity and character but stated that Andy “misheard” him when Pettitte testified to talking HGH with Clemens years ago.

At one point, Clemens seemed to criticize the Blue Jays team doctor for a “bad shot.” Do you know who the Blue Jays team doctor was in 1997 and 1998? It was Ron Taylor, who was a reliever for both the 1964 World Champion Cardinals and the closer for the 1969 World Champion Amazin’ Mets. I have to be suspicious of Clemens’ knocking of Taylor in this regard.

Clemens still denied using steroids or HGH, but Congressmen brought up an MRI which supposedly revealed abscesses on Roger’s butt (did we really need to know this?) that Roger stated were because of B-12 injections but others state are consistent with Winstrol (a steroid) usage.

There was also allegations that Mike Stanton noticed and mentioned something about a bleeding buttock Clemens had in 2001, the allegation being that it was bleeding because of an injection.

Will there be a perjury investigation, and if so, against whom? I do think that Roger will be facing one, just as Barry Bonds is now. As far as who was telling the truth today, who knows?

One telling remark from today was when one Congressman called McNamee a drug dealer. McNamee protested, but the congressman stated, “as a former policeman, what do you call dealing drugs?” McNamee tried to protest, stating he dealt IN drugs but he wasn’t dealing drugs. McNamee, though, had little response when the Congressman asked, “were they legal?” Touche, Congressman.

Congress did praise Pettitte for his honesty and forthrightness (as did Roger, who said nothing against his friend but did say Pettitte was a good man who “misheard” him). Interesting that Congress said Pettitte was a role model on and off the field despite his HGH admissions. I like Andy and think he’s a good man who made a mistake, but I’ll be honest and say I can’t think of him in the same light again.

You do have to wonder if the recent events have affected Pettitte’s off-season conditioning program (the legit kind, that is) or if it will affect his spring training. It’s got to affect him. No one who is respectable—and Andy is respectable—wants to rat out a friend. The Yanks need Pettitte to give them 15 wins. Will his mind be on baseball? Will he be physically and mentally ready to pitch? Some players use the playing field or various courts (basketball, tennis) or rinks as an escape from their troubles. Will Pettitte do this? It’ll be interesting to see if and how he puts this behind him. One thing is for sure. The abuse Pettitte will hear on the road (think Fenway) will be brutal. He may even get a little from the home fans, but I don’t think the home crowd will be on Andy that much. The road fans? Hoo-boy.

Based on today, would I vote for Clemens for the HOF if I had a vote? No. As with McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Palmeiro, Bonds—anyone I would suspect or have evidence on using steroids, I’d vote no. If I sense of whiff that they may have been involved, I wouldn’t vote for them. Period. That 2013 vote may be interesting because there is a great chance that Bonds, Sosa and Clemens will all be on the ballot for the first time, and none of the three could be elected despite 762 and 609 HR and 354 wins.

This isn’t over. Not by a long shot. Next up we see about perjury indictments.