Contrary to report, Clemens, Pettitte not named in Grimsley affidavit

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NEW YORK -- Jose Canseco, Lenny Dykstra, Glenallen Hill and Geronimo Berroa were accused of using steroids by former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley in a federal agent's affidavit unsealed Thursday.

Grimsley also accused Chuck Knoblauch of using human growth hormone; David Segui and Allen Watson of using performance-enhancing drugs; and Rafael Palmeiro and Pete Incaviglia of taking amphetamines, according to IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky's sworn statement.

All but Incaviglia, Berroa and Watson were mentioned last week in the Mitchell report on doping in baseball.

Four names, including that of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, were not mentioned in the affidavit, despite a newspaper report last year that singled them out.

At the request of federal prosecutors, a judge in Phoenix unsealed the 20-page affidavit signed by Novitzky in May 2006, used to obtain a search warrant for Grimsley's home in Scottsdale, Ariz. When the affidavit first was released in June 2006, players' names were blacked out. The Associated Press asked a federal magistrate judge to make the complete statement public, but the request was denied until July 2007.

In October 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that the names of Clemens, Pettitte, Miguel Tejada, Brian Roberts and Jay Gibbons were among those blacked out. Tejada's name was mentioned when Grimsley described a conversation he had with Baltimore Orioles teammates Tejada, Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa about how they would play after baseball banned amphetamines.

Segui said last year that his name was in the affidavit.

Just after the newspaper's report was published, Kevin Ryan, then the U.S. Attorney in San Francisco, said it contained "significant inaccuracies."

Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, released a statement Thursday night: "When this grossly inaccurate story broke in October 2006, Roger said it was untrue and the Los Angeles Times chose not to believe him. As the record now clearly proves, Roger was telling the truth then, just as he continues to tell the truth today. Roger Clemens did not take steroids, and anybody who says he did had better start looking for a hell of a good lawyer."

On Thursday, the Times said it would run a correction in Friday's paper.

"We acknowledge the inaccuracies of the report and deeply regret the mistake," Times spokesman Stephan Pechdimaldji said.

In a separate two-page order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward C. Voss in Phoenix cited the newspaper for "abusive reporting" in its article that linked Clemens to the affidavit.

"At best, the article is an example of irresponsible reporting," Voss wrote. "At worst, the 'facts' reported were simply manufactured. ... Hopefully, any reference to the Times article as authoritative will now cease."

Pettitte and Jay Gibbons have admitted in recent weeks that they used human growth hormone, with the pitcher saying he used HGH twice in 2002 -- three years before it was banned by baseball. Earlier this month, Gibbons was suspended for the first 15 days of next season.

Roberts admitted a single use of steroids in 2003, and Clemens has denied using any performance-enhancing drugs.

Grimsley declined to cooperate with former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and his staff. Grimsley did not wish to comment on the affidavit, according to his agent, Joe Bick, who spoke with the former pitcher Thursday after it was unsealed.

Canseco, Grimsley, Knoblauch, Watson and Hill all played on the 2000 Yankees.

According to Novitzky, Grimsley said he had been referred to an amphetamine source by former Yankees strength coach Brian McNamee. Grimsley said he obtained steroids, HGH and amphetamines from that source, Novitzky said. The source was not identified.

In Mitchell's report, McNamee said he injected Clemens with steroids and that he provided Pettitte with HGH.

The report also said federal law enforcement identified McNamee as a customer of former Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski, who told Mitchell he had sold performance-enhancing drugs to many players.

Late Thursday, an affidavit by Novitzky used in the case involving Radomski was unsealed, revealing several low-profile names, including former Mets All-Star Sid Fernandez.

Radomski has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing on felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money.

Investigators in the BALCO case in San Francisco said last year Grimsley initially cooperated with their investigation, but then withdrew his assistance. Authorities tracked a package containing HGH to Grimsley's house in April 2006 and raided it in June.

Grimsley, who spent 15 seasons in the major leagues, asked for and was given his release by the Arizona Diamondbacks the day after the raid. He has not pitched in the big leagues since.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

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