Pettitte discusses his use of HGH

TAMPA, Florida: Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte spoke frankly about his own use of human growth hormone here Monday, but declined to to talk about whether his friend, star pitcher Roger Clemens, used it.

"I'm just not going to go there," Pettitte said as he arrived at Yankees training camp for the 2008 baseball season.

"I've had to testify under oath, and so has Roger, and I don't think that's anything I need to sit here and try to elaborate on with anyone else."

Pettitte had already admitted that the allegation in the Mitchell Report on doping in baseball, that he used the performance-enhancer HGH, was true.

On Monday he spoke publicly for the first time about the report and acknowledged he used HGH in 2002 and 2004.

Pettitte spoke of his friendship with Clemens and his former personal trainer Brian McNamee, who told the investigation headed by former US Senator George Mitchell that he injected Clemens with steroids and provided the star pitcher and Pettitte HGH for several years.

Clemens has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying the injections were painkillers and vitamins.

Last week he testified under oath before Congress and said that Pettitte "misremembered" a conversation in which Pettitte indicated Clemens had acknowledged HGH use.

"I think Roger knows how I feel about him," Pettitte said on Monday. "He knows that I've admired him and I continue to admire him...He's been a great friend to me and I've spent an awful lot of time with him and I love him like a brother.

"The situation is a horrible situation. Mac's (McNamee) an extremely good friend of mine also. In my situation Mac told the truth about me so it's not like I have some vendetta against Mac. It's just an extremely horrible situation. Both these men are my friends and I've know them for a long time and care about them dearly."

Pettitte, 35, has signed a one-year deal worth $16 million to pitch for the Yankees in 2008.

In the days after the Mitchell Report was published, Pettitte issued a statement admitting to McNamee's claims that he had injected him in 2002.

Then, when giving sworn testimony to the House Committee on Government and Oversight before last week's hearings, Pettitte admitted to a second incidence of HGH use in 2004, when he said he obtained the hormone through his father.

"I am sorry for not telling the whole truth in my statement after the Mitchell Report was released," Pettitte said. "I am human just like anyone else and people make mistakes. I never wanted to bring my dad into a situation like this. This was between me and him and no one else."

Pettitte said he used HGH both times to try to recover from injury. In 2002, he said McNamee had told him that it could help repair damaged tissue, but Pettitte said that McNamee also advised him against using it.

Claiming he felt guilty being on the disabled list while drawing a big salary, Pettitte said the decision to use HGH was entirely his.

Pettitte said the second time he used HGH - again just on a couple of occasions in 2004 - was born of "stupidity" and "desperation" as he tried to avoid elbow surgery before he started his new contract with the Houston Astros.

Pettitte said that he did not feel as though HGH had helped him, but said he realized many fans will now regard him as a cheat.

"I didn't do it to try and get an edge on anyone. I didn't do it to get stronger or faster or throw harder," he said. "I did it because I was told it might be able to help me."

Pettitte said he didn't expect to be suspended because HGH wasn't banned by major league baseball when he used it.

AFP

(China Daily 02/20/2008 page24)