'L.A. Times' Will Run Correction on Roger Clemens Drug Report on Friday

By: E&P Staff and The Associated Press 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, were not mentioned in the affidavit, despite a newspaper report last year that singled them out.

The New York Times reports tonight: "The judge who unsealed the Grimsley affidavit had harsh words for The Los Angeles Times, which printed a report in October 2006 headlined 'Clemens Is Named in Drug Affidavit.' The newspaper said its report was based on two sources, and it stood by the report when it was challenged by the United States attorney.

"Edward C. Voss, a United States magistrate judge, wrote in the unsealing order signed Thursday: 'A review of the disclosed affidavit proves that the Times never saw the unredacted affidavit. Roger Clemens is not named in the affidavit and Grimsley makes no reference to Roger Clemens in any context. At best, the article is an example of irresponsible reporting. At worst, the ?facts? reported were simply manufactured.'

"The Times said in a statement: 'We acknowledge the inaccuracies of the report and deeply regret the mistake. We plan to run a correction in tomorrow?s paper.'?

Meanwhile, Clemens' attorney Rusty Hardin released the following statement: "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."

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 this July.

In October 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported the names of Clemens, Andy 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.''

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 New York 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.

Hearst Corp. is trying to unseal an affidavit by Novitzky used in the case involving Radomski, who has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing on felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money. Hearst's request was denied in U.S. District Court, and the company asked the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to review the case.

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 contained 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.