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-->Brad Ausmus, left, feels for his friend and former teammate Roger Clemens, right.
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Feb. 14, 2008, 4:50PM
Astros Ausmus sticks up for Clemens
Former teammate: 'Even if it is 100 percent true, he wasn't hurting anybody'
By BRIAN McTAGGART
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Astros catcher Brad Ausmus went to bat for his friend and former teammate Roger Clemens on Thursday, saying if the embattled pitcher did use drugs it didn't hurt anyone and that he hopes he's eventually vindicated.
Clemens, who played with the Astros from 2004-06, was questioned for nearly five hours during Wednesday's session before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
Despite a sworn affidavit from former teammate and friend Andy Pettitte that he spoke to Clemens about using human growth hormone nearly 10 years ago, Clemens repeatedly denied he has used performance-enhancing drugs as alleged by former trainer Brian McNamee in the Mitchell Report.
"I think it's upsetting because Roger is a friend of mine, and certainly you don't want to see friends suffer,'' Ausmus said. "But because I didn't see (the hearing), I wasn't watching the television and feeling the angst and tension that was occurring.''
Ausmus flew to Orlando from his home in San Diego on Wednesday and was able to watch only about 15 minutes of the hearings. He said he hasn't spoken to Clemens since just before the Mitchell Report was released Dec. 13, though they have exchanged text messages.
"Whether this is a complete fabrication or 100 percent true, he's a friend of mine,'' Ausmus said. "Even if it is 100 percent true, he wasn't hurting anybody.
"We're not talking about a violent crime here. He was a good person, he was a good teammate and he's a good friend. I'm pulling for him 100 percent to be completely vindicated.''
Meanwhile, Richard Emery, a lawyer for Brian McNamee, said Thursday that if Clemens were convicted of any crime in connection with the baseball steroids scandal, he would be pardoned by President Bush. Emery said some Republicans treated his client harshly because of the pitcher's friendship with the Bush family.
"It would be the easiest thing in the world for George W. Bush, given the corrupt proclivities of his administration, to say Roger Clemens is an American hero, Roger Clemens helped children,'' Emery said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. "It's my belief they have some reason to believe they can get a pardon.''
Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, scoffed at the notion.
"Richard Emery just has to quit smoking his own dope,'' Hardin said. :lol::lol::lol::lol:
Ausmus wasn't the only player in the Astros' clubhouse during the first day of spring training answering questions about steroids.
Lefthander Stephen Randolph, a non-roster invitee who played with the Astros last season, spoke for the first time since being mentioned in the Mitchell Report.
"There's nothing I can do about it,'' said Randolph, who didn't discuss the specifics in the report. "It's there, and I'm glad they're cleaning up the game. That's about it.''
In the report, Randolph is accused by former New York Mets clubhouse attendant and admitted steroids provider Kirk Radomski of receiving a package of human growth hormone to an address that was in a book seized by federal agents.
Radomski recalled that Chris Donnels referred Randolph to him while Randolph was with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Radomski said that he spoke to Randolph several times about human growth hormone and then told Randolph to do some research before using it. Radomski said that he sold Randolph human growth hormone thereafter, in 2003 or 2004.
Randolph said he has not spoken to anyone from the Astros about the report.
"I don't let it faze me,'' he said. "I just want to come out here and make the team and go about my business every day.''
Ausmus believes the hearings were somewhat unnecessary.
"It almost seemed like it was a civil suit taking form in front of Congress, which to me is a waste of time,'' he said. "I understand why Congress was getting involved. They want to see baseball clean up its act and rightly so, but I think baseball is doing that.
"Baseball has turned the corner and is on the right track in terms of trying to eradicate performance-enhancing drugs in the sport. Is it ever going to be 100 percent foolproof? Absolutely not. No chance. You're always going to have someone tying to beat the system, but they're taking every steps they can at this point to try and clean it up, and that's all you can ask.''
With millions of dollars at stake and no steroid testing in Major League Baseball until 2003, Ausmus said he understands why some players would have been tempted to use steroids.
"With that being said, it's very important young men and women understand it can be very dangerous to their bodies, especially if they're still growing,'' he said. "It's an extreme health risk, and I think that's why Congress is taking the stance that it is. It wants to get the very important message out that, 'Hey, we don't want people to do this because it can be a health risk and can, at times, even kill you.' '' brian.mctaggart@chron.com
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-->Brad Ausmus, left, feels for his friend and former teammate Roger Clemens, right.
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BRIAN KERSEY: AP
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Feb. 14, 2008, 4:50PM
Astros Ausmus sticks up for Clemens
Former teammate: 'Even if it is 100 percent true, he wasn't hurting anybody'
By BRIAN McTAGGART
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Astros catcher Brad Ausmus went to bat for his friend and former teammate Roger Clemens on Thursday, saying if the embattled pitcher did use drugs it didn't hurt anyone and that he hopes he's eventually vindicated.
Clemens, who played with the Astros from 2004-06, was questioned for nearly five hours during Wednesday's session before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
Despite a sworn affidavit from former teammate and friend Andy Pettitte that he spoke to Clemens about using human growth hormone nearly 10 years ago, Clemens repeatedly denied he has used performance-enhancing drugs as alleged by former trainer Brian McNamee in the Mitchell Report.
"I think it's upsetting because Roger is a friend of mine, and certainly you don't want to see friends suffer,'' Ausmus said. "But because I didn't see (the hearing), I wasn't watching the television and feeling the angst and tension that was occurring.''
Ausmus flew to Orlando from his home in San Diego on Wednesday and was able to watch only about 15 minutes of the hearings. He said he hasn't spoken to Clemens since just before the Mitchell Report was released Dec. 13, though they have exchanged text messages.
"Whether this is a complete fabrication or 100 percent true, he's a friend of mine,'' Ausmus said. "Even if it is 100 percent true, he wasn't hurting anybody.
"We're not talking about a violent crime here. He was a good person, he was a good teammate and he's a good friend. I'm pulling for him 100 percent to be completely vindicated.''
Meanwhile, Richard Emery, a lawyer for Brian McNamee, said Thursday that if Clemens were convicted of any crime in connection with the baseball steroids scandal, he would be pardoned by President Bush. Emery said some Republicans treated his client harshly because of the pitcher's friendship with the Bush family.
"It would be the easiest thing in the world for George W. Bush, given the corrupt proclivities of his administration, to say Roger Clemens is an American hero, Roger Clemens helped children,'' Emery said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. "It's my belief they have some reason to believe they can get a pardon.''
Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, scoffed at the notion.
"Richard Emery just has to quit smoking his own dope,'' Hardin said. :lol::lol::lol::lol:
Ausmus wasn't the only player in the Astros' clubhouse during the first day of spring training answering questions about steroids.
Lefthander Stephen Randolph, a non-roster invitee who played with the Astros last season, spoke for the first time since being mentioned in the Mitchell Report.
"There's nothing I can do about it,'' said Randolph, who didn't discuss the specifics in the report. "It's there, and I'm glad they're cleaning up the game. That's about it.''
In the report, Randolph is accused by former New York Mets clubhouse attendant and admitted steroids provider Kirk Radomski of receiving a package of human growth hormone to an address that was in a book seized by federal agents.
Radomski recalled that Chris Donnels referred Randolph to him while Randolph was with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Radomski said that he spoke to Randolph several times about human growth hormone and then told Randolph to do some research before using it. Radomski said that he sold Randolph human growth hormone thereafter, in 2003 or 2004.
Randolph said he has not spoken to anyone from the Astros about the report.
"I don't let it faze me,'' he said. "I just want to come out here and make the team and go about my business every day.''
Ausmus believes the hearings were somewhat unnecessary.
"It almost seemed like it was a civil suit taking form in front of Congress, which to me is a waste of time,'' he said. "I understand why Congress was getting involved. They want to see baseball clean up its act and rightly so, but I think baseball is doing that.
"Baseball has turned the corner and is on the right track in terms of trying to eradicate performance-enhancing drugs in the sport. Is it ever going to be 100 percent foolproof? Absolutely not. No chance. You're always going to have someone tying to beat the system, but they're taking every steps they can at this point to try and clean it up, and that's all you can ask.''
With millions of dollars at stake and no steroid testing in Major League Baseball until 2003, Ausmus said he understands why some players would have been tempted to use steroids.
"With that being said, it's very important young men and women understand it can be very dangerous to their bodies, especially if they're still growing,'' he said. "It's an extreme health risk, and I think that's why Congress is taking the stance that it is. It wants to get the very important message out that, 'Hey, we don't want people to do this because it can be a health risk and can, at times, even kill you.' '' brian.mctaggart@chron.com
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