http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-clemens-steroids

WASHINGTON (AP)—A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens for allegedly lying to Congress about using steroids.

Clemens faces charges of obstruction of Congress, making false statements and perjury.

The former Major League baseball pitcher and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, testified under oath at a 2008 hearing before a House committee and contradicted each other about whether Clemens had used the banned substances.

McNamee has told federal agents, baseball investigator George Mitchell and the committee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998 to 2001.

Clemens has maintained that McNamee was lying.

Clemens’ attorney, Rusty Hardin, said by telephone from Houston that he had just learned of the indictment and would wait to decide whether to comment.

I always thought "the Rocket" was lying about what "fueled" his success. I'm glad he is now paying the consequences.

Yes, and I think he also deserves to be banned from MLB, just as Pete Rose was banned for gambling. Is Roger Clemens in the HOF? If he's not, then he doesn't deserve to be inducted. Plain and simple.

Yes, and I think he also deserves to be banned from MLB, just as Pete Rose was banned for gambling. Is Roger Clemens in the HOF? If he's not, then he doesn't deserve to be inducted. Plain and simple.
I don't think Roger Clemens has been retired long enough to qualify for the HOF. I agree with you. He doesn't deserve to be inducted. He has clearly demonstrated that he doesn't have the character and integrity to be a Hall Of Famer.

I love this little blurb I read in a book called More Tales From the Tribe Dugout - regarding Cleveland Indians pitching legend, Bob Feller.

"In the press box one night a visiting scribe asked Feller about the ongoing scandal involving players' uses of steroids and growth hormones. 'Did players in your day take anything to make themselves bigger, stronger, faster?' the reporter wanted to know.

"Feller's deadpan response: 'Yes - it was called Wheaties.'"

:rofl: :brent :clap

I love this little blurb I read in a book called More Tales From the Tribe Dugout - regarding Cleveland Indians pitching legend, Bob Feller.

"In the press box one night a visiting scribe asked Feller about the ongoing scandal involving players' uses of steroids and growth hormones. 'Did players in your day take anything to make themselves bigger, stronger, faster?' the reporter wanted to know.

"Feller's deadpan response: 'Yes - it was called Wheaties.'"

:rofl: :brent :clap
That's a great story! :lol: :clap

God bless Bob Feller. He's a great guy and still loves the organization. Gotta love him. :D

I respect a man who believes in the product he endorses!

Now there's a man with integrrity and character!

^ :yeahthat Two things Roger Clemens sorely lacks!!

^ :yeahthat Two things Roger Clemens sorely lacks!!
He sure does. In fact I heard on the radio today that Roger Clemens is still denying that he used steroids. :rolleyes:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Roger-Clemens-charges-legal-expert-prison-time-081910

Updated Aug 20, 2010 12:44 AM ET

I predict that Roger Clemens will spend more than a year of his life in a federal prison. Here’s why.

The federal government indicted him today on six counts:

1. Two counts of perjury, for falsely testifying under oath at a House Committee hearing Feb. 13, 2008 that (1) Brian McNamee, his trainer, never gave him HGH, and (2) he had “never taken steroids.”

2. Three counts of falsely telling staff members of that Committee in a deposition under oath eight days before the hearing that (1) he had never used HGH, (2) he had never used steroids, and (3) McNamee gave him injections of vitamin B12 (the indictment says McNamee never gave him any B12 shots).

3. One count of obstruction of Congress, for trying to obstruct the Committee’s investigation by making 15 false statements to the Committee, including those listed above.

Each of these counts carries a sentence of 0-5 years in prison, but under the federal sentencing guidelines, the reality is that if he’s convicted of at least one of the perjury counts — regardless of whether he’s convicted of one or more of the other counts — he will receive a sentence of 15 to 21 months in prison. And under federal law, even if he’s a very good boy in prison (an assumption Mike Piazza would never make), he will have to serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence. So that works out to about 13-18 months in prison.

As of February 2008, the Committee (that’s the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, if you’re keeping score) had compiled a wealth of evidence that Clemens had lied under oath. In the 2 1/2 years since, additional evidence that he lied has been made public. Undoubtedly the government has even more evidence that we don’t know about yet.

Shortly after the hearing, the evidence the Committee compiled led Congressmen Henry Waxman (chairman of the Committee and a Democrat) and Tom Davis (the Republican Ranking Member) to jointly ask the Attorney General of the United States in writing to investigate whether Clemens committed perjury. I think at that point the writing was on the wall, because, during the hearing, in a revolting display of partisan politics, the Democrats generally took the position that McNamee was telling the truth when he said he gave Clemens HGH and steroids, while the Republicans generally took the position that Clemens was telling the truth when he said McNamee had not done so. Yet after the hearing, Waxman and Davis, representing both parties, asked the Attorney General to investigate whether Clemens had lied but did not ask him to investigate whether McNamee had lied.

According to a report prepared by Waxman’s staff at that time, here’s the key evidence that already existed against Clemens:

1. Most importantly, this was not a “he said, he said” situation: Andy Pettitte’s testimony corroborated McNamee’s, despite the fact that Pettitte is and was a good friend of Clemens. Pettitte testified under oath in a deposition and affidavit (he did not testify at the hearing) that in 1999 or 2000, Clemens told him he had used HGH. Then, in 2005, according to Pettitte’s testimony, he asked Clemens what he would say if a reporter asked him whether he had ever used performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens asked what Pettitte meant, and Pettitte reminded Clemens that Clemens had told him he had used HGH. Clemens responded by saying that Pettitte must have misunderstood and that what Clemens had said was that his wife Debbie had used HGH.

But there’s just one little problem: both Clemens and McNamee told the Committee that Debbie Clemens didn’t use HGH until 2002 or 2003, so Clemens couldn’t have told Pettitte in 1999 or 2000 that his wife had used HGH. And, to top it all off, Pettitte’s wife, Laura, submitted an affidavit to the Committee in which she said that Andy told her about each of the two conversations with Clemens at the time they took place. Plus, Pettitte and McNamee both testified that they had two conversations with each other in which they discussed Clemens’ use of HGH and steroids.

2. McNamee testified that he injected Clemens, Pettitte, and Chuck Knoblauch with HGH. Pettitte testified that McNamee injected him with HGH. Knoblauch told the Committee in an interview (in which a lie would have been a crime) that McNamee injected him with HGH. In the words of the staff report: “There is little reason to believe that Mr. McNamee would provide truthful testimony about Mr. Pettitte and Mr. Knoblauch, but false testimony about Mr. Clemens.”

3. Clemens developed a large abscess (a “palpable mass,” if you’re interested) in his buttocks in 1998 when he played for the Blue Jays. McNamee said in a 2007 phone call taped by Clemens’ investigators that the abscess was from steroid injections. Clemens testified it was probably due to B12 injections. Various medical authorities, including Ron Taylor, who won a World Series ring with the Mets in 1969 and was the Blue Jays’ team doctor in 1998, told the Committee that they had never seen a palpable mass form in response to B12 injections, despite having administered many such injections (in Taylor’s case, almost 1,000). And military doctor Mark Murphey told the Committee that the MRI performed on Clemens’ posterior was more consistent with steroid injections than B12 injections. I think it’s safe to assume that over the past 2 1/2 years, the government has beefed up this medical evidence.

Now here’s what’s come to light since the time of the hearings: in early 2009, The New York Times and the Washington Post reported that McNamee had saved syringes, vials, and gauze pads that he said he used when he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, and that the government then received results of tests that showed both Clemens’ DNA and performance-enhancing drugs on these materials.

Also, the grand jury investigating Clemens subpoenaed various people associated with a Houston-area gym in an effort to determine how Clemens received steroids.

Given how important this case is to the government — its press release today stressed that it was sending a “message” to people who testify falsely before Congress that “there will be consequences” — and given that the government must prove Clemens’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a widely publicized case in which an acquittal would be deeply embarrassing, I think it’s fair to assume that the feds have developed additional evidence against Clemens that we just don’t know about yet.

That’s why I believe the jury will conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Clemens is guilty of perjury. To conclude otherwise would be to conclude that there is a reasonable possibility that McNamee and Pettitte (and his wife) lied under oath, despite the fact that the Pettittes had no reason to do so, and that McNamee told the truth about Pettitte and Knoblauch but lied under oath about Clemens, and that Pettitte and McNamee lied about their two conversations with each other, and that B12 shots rather than steroid shots caused a large abscess in Clemens’ derriere despite medical evidence to the contrary, and that Clemens’ DNA and performance-enhancing drugs both ended up on McNamee’s injection paraphernalia but McNamee didn’t inject Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs. I just don’t think that’s going to happen.

Oh, and one more thing: the Baseball Hall of Fame criteria include personal integrity. So Clemens can kiss that goodbye.

Don’t you wish you had taken the Fifth, Roger?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/roger-clemens-indictment-could-have-been-avoided

Updated Aug 19, 2010 11:44 PM ET

Don't know about the Hall of Fame, but the Hall of Indictments sure is growing.

Barry Bonds, now Roger Clemens.

Both indicted for perjury, a charge that is difficult to prove. Both innocent until proven guilty. Yet, both permanently stained by their alleged activities — and by their arrogance.

My initial reaction to Thursday's news about Clemens was to yawn, knowing that Bonds was indicted on Nov. 19, 2007 and will not face trial until March 2011.

I'm guessing most fans will yawn, either because A) they are no longer shocked by such developments or B) they believe that the government has better things to do than prosecute alleged users of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, no matter how famous.

I get it. I'm tired of writing about this crap. You're tired of reading it. But let's not treat this news like it's some innocuous tweet about a Pittsburgh Pirates roster move. Bonds was accused of lying to a grand jury. Clemens is accused of lying to Congress. Serious stuff.

I don't have the expertise to compare the cases. I wouldn't even try. But I know this much: Both Bonds and Clemens could have avoided this path. Instead, both treated the government as if it were just another inferior opponent.

Both were too preoccupied with protecting their legacies — and banking on the competitive edge that made them great in the first place — to see the forest for the trees.

It did not have to be this way. Bonds and Clemens could have admitted to some form of drug use, asked for forgiveness and moved on. Remember, they were not indicted for using PEDs; they were indicted for allegedly lying about it.

Ask Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte and a host of others — the Official Steroid Confessional is now as much part of the game as the Official Baseball Rules.

I know, I know — no two situations are analogous. A-Rod had nowhere to hide after Sports Illustrated revealed his steroid use. Pettitte was a much lesser name and more likable figure; fans wanted to forgive him.

Yet, Bonds and Clemens are less sympathetic than even A-Rod, who often comes off as phony, but is more self-absorbed than anything else. From Bonds and Clemens, you get the same hubris, the same antagonism, the same aggressive sense of entitlement. No one in Clemens’ camp even saw the indictment coming, a troubling sign on several levels.

Clemens, like Bonds, clearly believed he was bullet-proof — he actually requested to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, seeking to clear his name. Someone should have talked him out of it. But who could ever talk Roger Clemens out of anything?

I believe that both Bonds and Clemens used steroids, along with hundreds of other athletes in virtually every sport. Proceeding under that assumption, I believe that Bonds knew he was lying to the grand jury in the BALCO trial, but thought he could get away with it.

Clemens is not nearly as bright as Bonds, far less calculating, far more delusional. Indeed, Clemens strikes me as the type who worked himself into such a state, he actually believed his lies. Inject, deny, inject, deny.

So, away we go. Bonds' former trainer, Greg Anderson, went to jail rather than testify against him. Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, is expected to take the opposite position, serving as the government's star witness.

What does it all mean? Check back in a few years, if this sucker ever makes it to trial. Bonds is still waiting, still stewing. But in the Hall of Indictments, he no longer is alone.

Roger Clemens arrogance which served him well as a professional athlete has been and will continue to be his downfall in this matter. You may be able to stare down a batter but you can't stare down congress!

Roger Clemens arrogance which served him well as a professional athlete has been and will continue to be his downfall in this matter. You may be able to stare down a batter but you can't stare down congress!
Kind of like "you can't fight City Hall", just on a MUCH larger scale. :eek: :eek: :eek:

He sure does. In fact I heard on the radio today that Roger Clemens is still denying that he used steroids. :rolleyes:
Hey, this is a guy who cheated in baseball, cheated on his wife (with the country singer Mindy McReadey) - who in their right mind would believe ANYTHING Roger Clemens has to say anymore?

Kind of like "you can't fight City Hall", just on a MUCH larger scale. :eek: :eek: :eek:
Bingo!!

Bingo!!
I for one would not want to be in Roger Clemens' shoes right now. He can kiss his ticket into the HOF goodbye!!

Hey, this is a guy who cheated in baseball, cheated on his wife (with the country singer Mindy McReadey) - who in their right mind would believe ANYTHING Roger Clemens has to say anymore?
I think the only person who believes what Roger Clemens says is Roger Clemens. :rolleyes:

I think the only person who believes what Roger Clemens says is Roger Clemens. :rolleyes:
Yup!!

Re: The Hall of Fame

Clemens last played in 2007.

A player has to be retired for five years before his name can appear on a HOF ballot. Also, he had to have played in MLB games in at least 10 different seasons.

Clemens' name will be on the ballot in a couple of years unless MLB bans him from having any association with the game and rules him ineligible. Probably a moot point, as the writers are very unlikely to vote him in (he would need to be named on 75% of the ballots cast, and usually between 400 and 500 writers vote in these elections). In order to vote for the HOF, a person must be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for at least 10 years. Once your name appears on a BBWAA ballot, it stays on for 15 years unless a) you're elected or b) you fail to get at least 5% of the vote.

If a player appears on the ballot for 15 years and fails to win election, the power to select him is transferred to the Veterans Committee. The Vets committee used to have about a dozen members, but still requires being named on 75% of THEIR ballots in order to be selected. Now, I think the VC also includes all living HOF inductees, since earlier in this decade.

Most of the HOFers who are in the HOF but shouldn't be were selections of the Veterans Committee. Overall, the BBWAA has done a pretty good job over the years.

EVERY player who appears in MLB games in 10 different seasons will appear on the BBWAA ballot five years after he plays his last game. The vast majority don't receive 5% of the votes and are then permanently eliminated from the BBWAA ballots.

There have been a couple of exceptions to these rules (Addie Joss, Roberto Clemente among them), and at one time (in the early days of the HOFs existence), writers were allowed to vote for active players, the result of which is that guys like Lou Gehrig, Lefty Grove and Joe DiMaggio received a few HOF votes while still active.

Using Mark McGwire as an example, his percentage of the BBWAA vote during each of his first two years on the ballot was in the low 20s. Writers will have the same (and possibly a worse) view of Clemens. The writers felt like Clemens lied to them, and they won't forgive him for that.

Re: The Hall of Fame

Clemens last played in 2007.

A player has to be retired for five years before his name can appear on a HOF ballot. Also, he had to have played in MLB games in at least 10 different seasons.

Clemens' name will be on the ballot in a couple of years unless MLB bans him from having any association with the game and rules him ineligible. Probably a moot point, as the writers are very unlikely to vote him in (he would need to be named on 75% of the ballots cast, and usually between 400 and 500 writers vote in these elections). In order to vote for the HOF, a person must be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for at least 10 years. Once your name appears on a BBWAA ballot, it stays on for 15 years unless a) you're elected or b) you fail to get at least 5% of the vote.

If a player appears on the ballot for 15 years and fails to win election, the power to select him is transferred to the Veterans Committee. The Vets committee used to have about a dozen members, but still requires being named on 75% of THEIR ballots in order to be selected. Now, I think the VC also includes all living HOF inductees, since earlier in this decade.

Most of the HOFers who are in the HOF but shouldn't be were selections of the Veterans Committee. Overall, the BBWAA has done a pretty good job over the years.

EVERY player who appears in MLB games in 10 different seasons will appear on the BBWAA ballot five years after he plays his last game. The vast majority don't receive 5% of the votes and are then permanently eliminated from the BBWAA ballots.

There have been a couple of exceptions to these rules (Addie Joss, Roberto Clemente among them), and at one time (in the early days of the HOFs existence), writers were allowed to vote for active players, the result of which is that guys like Lou Gehrig, Lefty Grove and Joe DiMaggio received a few HOF votes while still active.

Using Mark McGwire as an example, his percentage of the BBWAA vote during each of his first two years on the ballot was in the low 20s. Writers will have the same (and possibly a worse) view of Clemens. The writers felt like Clemens lied to them, and they won't forgive him for that.
Thanks for clarifying the HOF rules Tweety. I'm glad Roger Clemens chance of getting in is so slim. It's an honor he doesn't deserve.

Re: The Hall of Fame

Clemens last played in 2007.

A player has to be retired for five years before his name can appear on a HOF ballot. Also, he had to have played in MLB games in at least 10 different seasons.

Clemens' name will be on the ballot in a couple of years unless MLB bans him from having any association with the game and rules him ineligible. Probably a moot point, as the writers are very unlikely to vote him in (he would need to be named on 75% of the ballots cast, and usually between 400 and 500 writers vote in these elections). In order to vote for the HOF, a person must be a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for at least 10 years. Once your name appears on a BBWAA ballot, it stays on for 15 years unless a) you're elected or b) you fail to get at least 5% of the vote.

If a player appears on the ballot for 15 years and fails to win election, the power to select him is transferred to the Veterans Committee. The Vets committee used to have about a dozen members, but still requires being named on 75% of THEIR ballots in order to be selected. Now, I think the VC also includes all living HOF inductees, since earlier in this decade.

Most of the HOFers who are in the HOF but shouldn't be were selections of the Veterans Committee. Overall, the BBWAA has done a pretty good job over the years.

EVERY player who appears in MLB games in 10 different seasons will appear on the BBWAA ballot five years after he plays his last game. The vast majority don't receive 5% of the votes and are then permanently eliminated from the BBWAA ballots.

There have been a couple of exceptions to these rules (Addie Joss, Roberto Clemente among them), and at one time (in the early days of the HOFs existence), writers were allowed to vote for active players, the result of which is that guys like Lou Gehrig, Lefty Grove and Joe DiMaggio received a few HOF votes while still active.

Using Mark McGwire as an example, his percentage of the BBWAA vote during each of his first two years on the ballot was in the low 20s. Writers will have the same (and possibly a worse) view of Clemens. The writers felt like Clemens lied to them, and they won't forgive him for that.
Thanks for clarifying that, Tweety!! :wave:

You're both welcome :)

I don't know what MLB is going to do in Clemens' case. Selig pretty much knows that the writers are not going to vote him in. I guess it'll depend on what happens after the indictment.

True journalists would have not only found out about the stuff these guys were taking during their careers, but they also would have written about it and exposed it. No one was writing about Clemens, McGwire, Bonds or Palmeiro being juiced during their careers. All most sportswriters are interested in is hanging out with the star players, to the extent that the players will permit. ESPN wasn't reporting that Bonds was juiced during his 73-HR season... they were cutting in on their regular programming to show us every Bonds at bat as he approached the record. They were putting every Cardinal game on that they could during McGwire's 70 HR season. ESPN was caught up in the McGwire/Sosa HR chase as much as any 12 year old fan out there. And today, all these sportswriters and "reporters" at ESPN are trying to tell us that they knew all along that these guys were juiced. :rolleyes: Where was the reporting when all this was going on?

One player I've always admired was Dante Bichette. Here's a guy who, after going to the Rockies, broke through with some monstrous years which, and had he sustained that level for at least 12-15 years, he might have been a viable HOF candidate (the writers are very much aware of how much a hitter's stats can be inflated playing at Coors Field, so that fact would have lessened his HOF chances somewhat).

As it happened, he played for the Rockies for 7 seasons, batting .316 and averaging 95 runs scored, 183 hits, 29 HRs 118 RBI... he also didn't go to Colorado until he was 29 years old, so these numbers were compiled while he was in his 30s... had he started his career at Colorado, he could have put up some great numbers.

Bichette retired after the 2001 season. The reason he retired was because he refused to take steroids, and he didn't think it was fair that he had to compete for a job with guys who were juicing. So rather than juice himself (and take on whatever long term health risks were involved), he simply chose to walk away at age 37. If he had been juiced, he could have made several million more dollars a year for another 4-5 years. But he'd had enough.

What a contrast between him and guys like Raphael Palmeiro, who pointed his finger at all of us during his testimony in Washington DC and told us all that he never took anything (even I was tempted to believe him, I'd always heard that he was a man of integrity on and off the field).

The 400 (Jason Giambi), 500 (McGwire, Palmeiro, Manny), 600 (Sosa and A-Rod) AND 700 (Bonds) HR "clubs" have all been cheapened by these guys.

^ Dante Bichette was/is indeed a class act. Same goes for Edgar Martinez - who I always respected after readng that he was the first guy approached for being the Viagra spokesman, and he refused. Who then became the "face" of Viagra? Rafael Palmiero. :rolleyes:

When he played in Cleveland, Manny always was a pure hitter. He didn't really hit much for power for the first couple of years, but hit a lot of line drives and was a gap hitter. It really wasn't until he left the Indians that Manny began to look juiced up - plus, I think he let himself go and started packing on some serious pounds. Speaking of the Indians, I highly suspect Albert Belle was using performance-enhancing drugs. He was already busted for being caught with corked bats, so it wouldn't surprise me a bit.

Here are the days when Manny actually looked NORMAL - and let his bat do the talking. Back then, he was very shy and didn't do many interviews and whatnot. Sure, he made goofy baserunning and fielding gaffes - not to mention had that la-dee-da attitude - even then. But at least he didn't look like a freak (he even had a completely shaved head for awhile) and didn't shoot his mouth off like he does now. It's coming up on 10 (!!!!) years since he bolted the Indians. What a difference a decade can do:

Monika - are you sure they didn't photoshop Manny's head on someone else's body? :lol:

When you mentioned him shaving his head, I thought that was really scary...but judging by that first pic (the B&W one), having his head shaved probably wasn't all that bad.

Actually, it looked like his numbers were about the same in Cleveland (6 seasons, 1995-2000), as in Boston... Cleveland Manny averaged .319, with 36 HR and 123 RBI (avg 142 games/year once he was a full time player).

In Boston (Fenway Park), he averaged 36, 114 and .313 during his six full seasons there (avg 140 games per year).

But in Cleveland, he was about age 23-28, and in Boston, he played there until about age 35.

And yeah, I was going to name Albert Belle as well, but I couldn't remember whether he was really under major suspicion for that. Belle was not well liked by writers, and that not only cost him the MVP award in 1995, but he drew only 3% of the HOF vote in his second year of eligibility (about 7% the first year), so he's no permanently off the HOF ballot. Belle only played 10 full seasons (and a little bit of two others), so his career numbers were 381 and 1,239 and .295. He was forced to retire at 34, but did hit a HR in his last at bat in the majors. He played in only 1,539 career games, or the equivalent of 9 and 1/2 seasons. Kirby Puckett, elected in his first year of eligibility, played only 12 seasons, but he played in almost 1,800 games.

And lol, I forgot all about Edgar Martinez and how the blue pill tried to get him to pitch their product!

It's hard to believe that Manny actually looked that different in those days, isn't it? :lol: Looking back on those days (and pics), I'm surprised myself - and I was watching all those games!! :eek: How is it that so much time has passed? Here are more pics of Manny before he looked like a freak. Another thing is, had he stayed in Cleveland, he wouldn't have been allowed to get away with his sloven appearance - or play. Then-manager Mike Hargrove was on Manny's case (and rightfully so) whenever he made dumb mistakes on the bases or in the field, and even benched him a few times. I can't tell you how many times I would be watching a game on TV and Manny would go in to second base jogging instead of sliding whenever someone would hit a ground ball for a double play. It would drive me up the wall!! I would scream, "Hustle and SLIDE to try to break up the double play!!" GRRRRR...:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Never mind that I had quite the crush on Manny in those days (hey, I was in high school back then! :crazy:) plus his jersey and several Tshirts with his face on them - but I would not accept his sloppy baserunning and lack of hustle. Or, as it is more commonly known - "Manny Being Manny". :rolleyes:

As for Albert Belle, as long as he kept mashing the ball, no one here really cared what he did when the game was over. I will never forget his first appearance in Cleveland (1997) after he took off to the White Sox for more money in the offseason. He got a standing boo!!! It was long, loud, and seemed to last forever. It was beautiful. :lol: :lol: :lol:

If I remember correctly, the "Batgate" incident happened in July 1994 and A.B. was suspended for 7 games, but on appeal the suspension was cut down to 4 or 5 games. A couple of weeks later, the strike happened and wiped out the rest of the season, so nothing more could really be done.

I found this old blog from 2007 about the Mitchell Report - interesting to read now in light of the whole Roger Clemens thing.

http://www.letsgotribe.com/2007/12/16/21464/163

God bless Bob Feller. He's a great guy and still loves the organization. Gotta love him. :Dmy mother met him a few times as a teen and said he seemed really nice

my mother met him a few times as a teen and said he seemed really nice
Awesome!! :cool: :D

^ Dante Bichette was/is indeed a class act. Same goes for Edgar Martinez - who I always respected after readng that he was the first guy approached for being the Viagra spokesman, and he refused. Who then became the "face" of Viagra? Rafael Palmiero. :rolleyes:

When he played in Cleveland, Manny always was a pure hitter. He didn't really hit much for power for the first couple of years, but hit a lot of line drives and was a gap hitter. It really wasn't until he left the Indians that Manny began to look juiced up - plus, I think he let himself go and started packing on some serious pounds. Speaking of the Indians, I highly suspect Albert Belle was using performance-enhancing drugs. He was already busted for being caught with corked bats, so it wouldn't surprise me a bit.

Here are the days when Manny actually looked NORMAL - and let his bat do the talking. Back then, he was very shy and didn't do many interviews and whatnot. Sure, he made goofy baserunning and fielding gaffes - not to mention had that la-dee-da attitude - even then. But at least he didn't look like a freak (he even had a completely shaved head for awhile) and didn't shoot his mouth off like he does now. It's coming up on 10 (!!!!) years since he bolted the Indians. What a difference a decade can do:
Edgar Martinez was indeed a class act. I watch him play for many years with the Seattle Mariners. He was a class act both on and off the field. He never gave less than 100% on the field and off it he was very involved in the community.

He still lives in the Seattle area, I believe.

He still lives in the Seattle area, I believe.
You are correct. Edgar and his family currently reside in the Seattle suburb of Bellvue, Washington.

Another question - HOW/WHY is Selig still at the helm??? I have never, ever understood how he has held onto the AL Commissioner job for over 15 years. :confused: :eek: :rolleyes:

Another question - HOW/WHY is Selig still at the helm??? I have never, ever understood how he has held onto the AL Commissioner job for over 15 years. :confused: :eek: :rolleyes:

Now THAT...is truly one of life's great mysteries! Selig is a terrible commissioner... although I get the sense that the MLB commissioner has a bit less power than the NFL or NBA commissioners. I don't know if that's literally true, but it seems like it to me.

Plus, Selig did MLB no favors by looking the other way throughout most of this PED (performance enhancing drug) scandal. True, the NL is at fault, too, but Selig truly represents all that is wrong with MLB today - and has no one to blame but himself.

That said, there have been entertaining moments with Clemens - especially vs. Mike Piazza. :eek: :lol: I love how one year (it was between 2001-03, I'm not sure the exact one), both were named as NL starters for the All-Star Game. Piazza, I think was still on the Mets at the time, and Clemens had gone to the Astros. The two of them REALLY put the "battery" in battery!! :eek: :crazy: :lol:

I think Selig keeps his job by default. No one else wants it.

I sure don't want it!! :eek: :eek: :eek: Juice or no juice, though, THIS is still one of the most beautiful moments in baseball history...at least to me...:D

Plus, Selig did MLB no favors by looking the other way throughout most of this PED (performance enhancing drug) scandal. True, the NL is at fault, too, but Selig truly represents all that is wrong with MLB today - and has no one to blame but himself.

That said, there have been entertaining moments with Clemens - especially vs. Mike Piazza. :eek: :lol: I love how one year (it was between 2001-03, I'm not sure the exact one), both were named as NL starters for the All-Star Game. Piazza, I think was still on the Mets at the time, and Clemens had gone to the Astros. The two of them REALLY put the "battery" in battery!! :eek: :crazy: :lol:
I looked it up myself. It was the 2001 All-Star Game, which was played in Seattle that year.

http://www.fox8.com/sports/sns-ap-us-clemens-steroids,0,3058534.story

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of lying to Congress about whether he used steroids or human growth hormone.

When asked for a plea by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, the retired Major League Baseball pitcher said in a clear voice: "Not guilty, your honor."

Clemens and another of baseball's premier stars sullied by steroid accusations, all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, could both begin their day in court next spring, turning the spotlight back on major league baseball's long-running drug scandal just as it opens the 2011 season.

Wearing a dark jacket, brown pants and tie, Clemens appeared in federal court only a few blocks from where he swore under oath to a House committee in 2008 that he had not used performance-enhancing drugs.

Clemens, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros, got into a van and left shortly after his plea without speaking to the throngs of reporters and television cameras waiting outside the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse.

Federal prosecutors didn't believe Clemens' testimony to Congress, and they subsequently charged him with making false statements, perjury and obstruction of Congress.

The 48-year-old baseball star had vowed all along to fight the charges.

After hearing Clemens' plea, Walton set an April 5 date for choosing a jury. That would be four days after Opening Day of the 2011 major league baseball season and two weeks after the scheduled start of Bonds' trial on charges of lying to a federal grand jury when he said he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

Clemens was arraigned on three counts of making false statements, two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of Congress.

If convicted, Clemens could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine, though under U.S. sentencing guidelines, he would probably face no more than 15 to 21 months in prison.

Any conviction, however, could catastrophically damage his reputation, future earning potential and his chances of getting into baseball's Hall of Fame.

He entered the courthouse well before his hearing, which was scheduled for a ceremonial courtroom that seats about 300 people.

After spending the morning in the back rooms of the courthouse, where defendants often go to get their fingerprints and mug shots taken, Clemens and his attorney, Rusty Hardin, went to the main cafeteria, where the pitcher sat at a corner table and had a salad and a bottle of water for lunch.

Clemens was friendly, but declined comment when approached by an Associated Press reporter. Hardin said plans hadn't changed for the hearing, but he wanted to honor the gag order imposed by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, who last week ordered interested participants to refrain from making public comments that could have a material effect on the case.

Clemens' early arrival may have been because he wanted to make a quick exit after his hearing is over. The New York Daily News reports that Clemens and his wife, Debbie, planned to fly to Myrtle Beach, S.C., later Monday to play in the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship.

Clemens had come to Congress after being mentioned repeatedly in the Mitchell Report — the damning breakdown of the sport's steroid problem released in 2007.

In front of a House committee the next year, Clemens said: "Let me be clear. I have never taken steroids or HGH."

Former Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, the top Republican on the House panel at the time, called Clemens' testimony "a self-inflicted wound. Clemens was not under subpoena. He came voluntarily."

Before his indictment was handed down Aug. 19, Clemens was offered a plea deal that he turned down, and afterward, he showed no signs of backing down.

"I look forward to challenging the Governments accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trial," Clemens wrote on Twitter after the indictment. "I appreciate all the support I have been getting. I am happy to finally have my day in court."

At the hearing in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, said the pitcher did, in fact, use steroids and HGH. Former teammate Andy Pettitte also told congressional investigators that Clemens told him he had used HGH.

Clemens told Congress that Pettitte "misremembers" the conversation.

All that testimony figures to be rehashed in a trial that could irrevocably tarnish the reputation of one of the most dominant pitchers in history. Over 23 seasons, Clemens recorded 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.12 — Hall of Fame numbers that might not land him in the Hall of Fame.

___

Associated Press writers Eddie Pells and Larry Margasak contributed to this report.