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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Sketches of players named in the Mitchell report

By The Associated Press

Here's thumbnail look at the prominent players mentioned in the Mitchell Report released Thursday (in alphabetical order):
Chad Allen
2007 team: Played in Japan
An outfielder who played with four teams in Major League Baseball between 1999 and 2005, the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, and Texas Rangers.
In the report: Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski believed he made between three and five sales to Allen involving Winstrol, testosterone, and Deca- Durabolin. According to Radomski, Allen could not afford human growth hormone. Allen met with my investigators after his return from Japan, and has been cooperating with federal authorities.

Rick Ankiel
2007 team: St. Louis Cardinals
Lefty was a rookie phenom on the mound in 2000, but wildness and injuries derailed his pitching career. So he switched to the outfield a few years later and began long climb back to the big leagues. Called up in August, he batted .358 with nine homers and 29 RBIs in first 23 games after being brought up from minors. Just as his unique comeback was making Ankiel the feel-good story of the season, the New York Daily News reported he received eight shipments of prescription human growth hormone in 2004. Ankiel admitted he used HGH, saying any drugs he took were prescribed by a doctor as part of his recovery from elbow surgery. Baseball recently concluded there was "insufficient evidence" to determine he committed a doping violation.

David Bell
2007 team: Out of baseball

Steady third baseman played very well for San Francisco in 2002 NLCS and World Series. Spent 12 years in the majors, batting .257 with 123 homers. Hampered by chronic back problems, Bell made his last big league appearance in 2006 with Mi l waukee.
In the report: According to the Sports Illustrated article, Bell reportedly purchased six packages of human chorionic gonadatropin ("HCG") from Applied Pharmacy Services of Mobile, Ala., in April 2005. The SI article reported that Bell acknowledged to reporters that he received the drugs but explained that he had received a prescription for them.

Marvin Benard
2007 team: Out of baseball

Quick outfielder played for San Francisco with Barry Bonds from 1995-2003, hitting .271 with 54 homers and 105 stolen bases. Had career-best 16 home runs and 27 steals with .290 average in '99. The San Francisco Chronicle reported in March 2004 that federal investigators were told by BALCO that Benard received performance-enhancing drugs.

Gary Bennett, Jr.
2007 team: St. Louis Cardinals

A catcher who since 1995 has played with seven teams in Major League Baseball, Bennett Jr. played for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals. Radomski said that Denny Neagle referred Bennett to him. Neagle and Bennett were teammates in 2001 and 2002 with the Colorado Rockies.

In the report: Radomski said that Denny Neagle referred Bennett to him. Radomski recalled one transaction with Bennett in July 2003 for two kits of human growth hormone. Radomski produced one check from Bennett payable to Radomski in the amount of $3,200 dated July 13, 2003. Bennett declined to meet with Mitchell.

Larry Bigbie
2007 team: Minor leagues

An outfielder who played from 2001-06 for the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals.
In the report: Radomski sold a variety of performance enhancing substances to Bigbie on a n umber of occasions. Bigbie consistently paid by check. Because Bigbie was young and "not making that much money," Radomski said he charged Bigbie no more than his cost for the substances. Radomski retrieved from his banks three checks written by Bigbie.

Barry Bonds
2007 team: San Francisco Giants
Home run king pleaded not guilty this month to perjury and obstruction of justice charges after a grand jury indicted him for allegedly lying under oath about using steroids. If convicted, legal experts say Bonds could spend up to 2½ years in prison. "I know that when all of this is over, I will be vindicated," the seven-time NL MVP said in a statement on his Web site. The case also might jeopardize his potential election to the Hall of Fame. ... In 2003, Bonds testified before a federal grand jury that he hadn't knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs, even though prosecutors say he flunked a private steroids test in 2000. In his testimony, Bonds said he thought his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was giving him flaxseed oil and an arthritic balm. Authorities suspected those substances were actually "the clear" and "the cream," two steroids linked to BALCO. ... Bonds went from a skinny, speedy outfielder early in his career to a bulked-up slugger in his mid-to-late 30s. He hit his 756th homer on Aug. 7, breaking Hank Aaron's career record, and finished the year with 762. He also holds the season mark of 73 set in 2001. The 43-year-old Bonds, who spent the past 15 seasons with San Francisco, is a free agent and is interested in playing again next season.

Kevin Brown
2007 team: Out of baseball

A veteran starter, Brown pitched for six teams between 1986 and 2005, including the Rangers, Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Orioles and Yankees. He played in six All-Star games, was the Padres' player of the y ear in 1998 and the Dodgers' player of the year in 1999.
In the report: Brown was placed on the disabled list in June 2001 with a neck injury and in July 2001 with an elbow injury. After Brown got hurt, he called Radomski and asked for human growth hormone. Radomski sent HGH to Brown and in return received a package containing $8,000 in cash. According to Radomski, over the next two or three years he sold performance enhancing substances to Brown five or six times. Radomski recalled that Brown usually purchased multiple kits of HGH, paying with cash. At one point, Brown asked Radomski for Deca-Durabolin to help with an ailing elbow, and Radomski sold it to him.

Paul Byrd
2007 team: Cleveland Indians

Soft-tossing pitcher went 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA this season and 2-0 with a 3.60 mark in two playoff starts. Before Game 7 of the ALCS in Boston, he acknowledged taking human growth hormone after the San Francisco Chronicle reported he spent nearly $25,000 on the banned drug between August 2002 and January 2005. Byrd, expected to be interviewed by the commissioner's office about the report, said he was prescribed HGH to medicate a "pituitary tumor." The Indians picked up his $7.5 million option for 2008.

Jose Canseco
2007 team: Out of baseball

An admitted steroids user, the power-hitting outfielder won the 1988 AL MVP award with Oakland after becoming the first major leaguer to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in one season. In his 2005 book "Juiced," Canseco said he injected Mark McGwire with steroids and introduced several other players to the drugs, leading to a March 2005 congressional hearing on the issue. The former slugger, one of several players who testified at the hearing, also implicated Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez. Canseco has said he spoke with George Mit c hell as part of the former Senate Majority Leader's investigation. A six-time All-Star and '86 AL Rookie of the Year, Canseco played his final big league season in 2001. He finished with 462 homers and 1,407 RBIs.

Mark Carreon
2007 team: Out of baseball

An outfielder from 1987-96, Carreon played for the New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Indians.
In the report: Radomski said that he provided Carreon with Dianabol pills toward the end of his tenure with the Giants, where he played from 1994 through the middle of the 1996 season. According to Radomski, Carreon told him that the "ball was jumping off his bat" and that he could hit farther because of the anabolic steroids he used.

Roger Clemens
2007 team: New York Yankees

One of the game's greatest pitchers, he ranks eighth on the car e er wins list with 354 and owns a record seven Cy Young Awards. The 45-year-old right-hander was 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA this season, his 24th in the majors.
A free agent, he hasn't said if he plans to pitch next season. In October 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported Clemens' name was included in the affidavit of a federal agent who said former big league pitcher Jason Grimsley implicated several players in the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Players in the report denied using steroids. Clemens, who played with Grimsley on the Yankees in 1999 and 2000, called it "dangerous and malicious and reckless."
Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, said he was told Grimsley denied making the statements attributed to him in the affidavit of IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky. Kevin Ryan, then the U.S. Attorney in San Francisco, said the Times report contained "significant inaccuracies."

In the report: According to former New York Yankees major league strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee, from the time that McNamee injected Clemens with Winstrol through the end of the 1998 season, Clemens' performance showed remarkable improvement. During this time, Clemens reportedly told McNamee that the steroids "had a pretty good effect" on him. McNamee told investigators that "during the middle of the 2000 season, Clemens made it clear that he was ready to use steroids again. During the latter part of the regular season, McNamee injected Clemens in the buttocks four to six times with testosterone from a bottle labeled either Sustanon 250 or Deca-Durabolin."

Jack Cust
2007 team: Oakland Athletics

An outfielder, Cust began his major league career with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001, and has since played for the Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics.
In the report: Cust asked teammate Larry Bigbie at Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate in 2003 whether Bigbie had ever tried steroids. Bigbie acknowledged he had, and Cust said that he also had tried steroids.

Brendan Donnelly
2007 team: Boston Red Sox

A free-agent after the Red Sox non-tendered his contract, Donnelly was selected to play in the All-Star game in 2003. He has also played with the Los Angeles Angels.
In the report: Radomski recalled that Donnelly called him in 2004 looking for Anavar, an anabolic steroid. Radomski made one sale to Donnelly of Deca-Durabolin for which Donnelly paid $250 to $300.
In considering whether to trade for Donnelly in 2007, Red Sox baseball operations personnel internally discussed concerns that Donnelly was using performance enhancing substances. That conversation is detailed in an e-mail to vice president of player personnel Ben Charington dated Dec. 13, 2006, from Zack Scott of the Red Sox baseball operations staff.

Lenny Dykstra
2007 team: Out of baseball

Nicknamed "Nails" for his daring play, the three-time All-Star was runner-up for NL MVP in 1993, when he led Philadelphia to the World Series. A productive leadoff hitter, he went from a skinny speedster with the New York Mets to a muscular outfielder with the Phillies.
In the report: According to Radomski, when Dykstra reported to spring training in 1989, "his increased size was noticeable." When Radomski asked him about his increased size, Dykstra admitted to taking steroids.
After the Phillies lost the 1993 World Series, Dykstra called Radomski and asked whether Radomski could get Dykstra steroids. Although Radomski does not remember the exact time frame, he recalled providing Dykstra with Deca-Durabolin, Dianabol, and testosterone.

Bobby Estalella
2007 team: Out of baseball

Light-hitting catcher played nine seasons in the majors from 1996-2004, batting .216 with 48 homers. In December 2004, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Estalella told a grand jury he used HGH and undetectable BALCO drugs, provided by Greg Anderson.

Ryan Franklin
2007 team: St. Louis Cardinals

Right-hander went 4-4 with a 3.04 ERA in 69 relief appearances this year, his eighth major league season. While pitching for Seattle, he was suspended 10 days in August 2005 for violating the steroids policy. He said he had no idea how he tested positive, though he did say he took supplements he bought at a nutrition store. "There's got to be a flaw in the system," Franklin said. "I have no clue. I tested in (early) May and again three weeks later. The first was positive, the second was negative."

Jason Giambi
2007 team: New York Yankees

A five-time All-Star and the 2000 AL MVP, the first baseman has been hampered by injuries and batted .235 with 14 homers and 39 RBIs this year.
Under threat of discipline from commissioner Bud Selig, Giambi became the first active player known to have spoken with George Mitchell when he interviewed on July 13 after he appeared to admit using steroids in a USA Today report.
"I will address my own personal history regarding steroids. I will not discuss in any fashion any other individual," Giambi said in a statement issued by the players' association. Testified to the BALCO grand jury in December 2003 that he used steroids obtained from Greg Anderson and used HGH, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in December 2004.

Jeremy Giambi
2007 team: Out of baseball

Brother of Jason, the outfielder/first baseman played in the major leagues from 1998-2003. Testified before the BALCO grand jury and was quoted as saying in Marc h 2005 by The Kansas City Star as admitting he used steroids. "It's something I did," Giambi told the newspaper. "I apologize. I made a mistake. I moved on."

Jay Gibbons
2007 team: Baltimore Orioles

Batted .230 with six homers and 28 RBIs this year. It was the poorest season of his seven-year big league career, and it ended in mid-August because of a torn labrum that required surgery. The Los Angeles Times reported in October 2006 that the outfielder was among the blacked-out names in an affidavit by IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky claiming pitcher Jason Grimsley implicated him in drug use.
In September, SI.com reported Gibbons received steroids and HGH from Signature Pharmacy from October 2003 and July 2005.
On Dec. 6, Gibbons was suspended for the first 15 days of the 2008 season for violating baseball's drug policy. Gibbons chose not to contest the penalty, saying he was prescribed HGH.
"I am deeply sorry for the mistakes that I have made," he said.

Troy Glaus
2007 team: Toronto Blue Jays

MVP of the 2002 World Series and a four-time All-Star, Glaus batted .262 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs in 115 games this year. The third baseman's season was limited to 115 games because of foot and leg injuries, including a damaged nerve that was operated on in September. That same month, SI.com reported Glaus received steroids from Signature Pharmacy between September 2003 and May 2004. On Dec. 6, MLB said it found insufficient evidence to discipline Glaus.

Jason Grimsley
2007 team: Out of baseball

A journeyman who pitched in 552 games over 15 seasons, Grimsley admitted he used HGH, steroids and amphetamines, according to a May 2006 affidavit by IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky. Authorities tracked a package containing HGH to Grimsley's house that April 19. Grimsley, according to Novitzky, implicated other players in drug use. After his home was raided by federal agents in June 2006, Grimsley asked for Arizona to release him, and the team complied.

Jose Guillen
2007 team: Seattle Mariners

A veteran of 11 major league seasons, the 31-year-old batted .290 with 23 homers, 99 RBIs and 28 doubles for the Seattle Mariners this year. The San Francisco Chronicle reported in October 2007 that Guillen bought nearly $20,000 worth of steroids and HGH from 2003-05. Guillen was suspended Dec. 6 for the first 15 days of next season for violating MLB's drug agreement, and the players' association filed a grievance four days later to overturn the penalty. On the day he was suspended, Guillen agreed to a $36 million, three-year contract with the Kansas City Royals.

Jerry Hairston Jr.
2007 team: Texas Rangers

He is the son of Jerry Hairston, grandson of Sammy Hairston, brother of Scott Hairston and nephew of Johnny Hairston - all major leaguers. Currently a free agent, the utilityman batted .189 last season for Texas.

In the report: Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski said that he sold human growth hormone to Hairston on two or three occasions during 2003 and 2004 and had one check from Hairston.

Darren Holmes
2007 team: Out of baseball

A 13-year veteran, the reliever had a 35-33 record during a major league career that ended in 2003. Holmes received HGH and testosterone from Palm Beach Rejuvenation in October 2003, SI.com reported in March 2007. Holmes said he did order and receive the HGH but that the testosterone was unsolicited and unused, SI.com reported.

Ryan Jorgenson
2007 team: Cincinnati Reds

The 28-year-old catcher has appeared in eight big league games, four with Florida in 2005 and four with Florida this year. He was suspended for 50 games on Sept. 7 for violating the drug program.

Gary Matthews Jr.
2007 team: Los Angeles Angels

After signing a $50 million, five-year contract with the Angels, was slowed by injuries this year and batted .252 with 18 homers and 72 RBIs. Was sent HGH by Applied Pharmacy in August 2004, SI.com reported in February 2007. "I have never taken HGH - during the 2004 season or any other time," Matthews said in a statement. On Dec. 6, MLB said there was insufficient evidence to discipline Matthews.

Rafael Palmeiro
2007 team: Out of baseball

A four-time All-Star, Palmeiro batted .288 with 569 homers and 1,835 RBIs over 20 seasons in the maj o rs. He dramatically pointed his finger and told Congress in 2005 that he had never used steroids, then tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol about six weeks later, leading to a 10-day ban from Major League Baseball. He denied intentionally taking steroids, saying teammate Miguel Tejada gave him vitamin B-12 that might have been tainted with performance-enhancing drugs. Tejada denied any wrongdoing.

Andy Pettitte
2007 team: New York Yankees

Went 15-9 with a 4.05 ERA this year, and has 201 career wins in 13 seasons in the majors. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2006 that Pettitte was among the players former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, according to a federal agent's affidavit. Pettitte denied the allegations, and a federal prosecutor said the newspaper report contained "significant inaccuracies."

In the report: According to former New York Yankees major league strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee, he recalled injecting Pettitte in 2002 with human growth hormone that McNamee obtained from Radomski on two to four occasions. Pettitte was rehabilitating an injury at the time.

Armando Rios
2007 team: Out of baseball

Rios hit .269 with 36 homers and 167 RBIs over six seasons. He testified before the BALCO grand jury in 2003. The San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2004 that Rios told a federal agent that he purchased human growth hormone and testosterone from Barry Bonds' trainer, Greg Anderson.

Brian Roberts
2007 team: Baltimore Orioles

A two-time All-Star, Roberts batted .290 with 12 homers and 57 RBIs this year. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2006 that Roberts was among the players former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, according to a federal agent's affidavit.
Roberts derided the accusations as "ridiculous," and a federal prosecutor said the newspaper report contained "significant inaccuracies."

John Rocker
2007 team: Out of baseball

Rocker went 13-22 with 88 saves and a 3.42 ERA in six seasons in the majors, last appearing with Tampa Bay in 2003. Jeopardized his career by making disparaging remarks against several groups while pitching for Atlanta. SI.com reported in March that Rocker received two prescriptions for somatropin, a form of human growth hormone, between April and July 2003. In an interview on ESPN Radio, Rocker denied ever having an HGH prescription.

Benito Santiago
2007 team: Out of baseball

Five-time All-Star catcher won three Gold Gloves and was the 1987 NL Rookie of the Year . Spent 20 seasons in the majors, finishing in 2005. Santiago told the BALCO grand jury he got HGH and an injectable steroid from Greg Anderson, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Scott Schoeneweis
2007 team: New York Mets

Lefty was 0-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 70 games this season. Durable reliever helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series. He received six shipments of steroids in 2003 and 2004 from Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, Fla., ESPN.com reported. Baseball recently concluded there was "insufficient evidence" to determine he committed a doping violation. Schoeneweis, who survived testicular cancer, told the New York Daily News he had never received shipments from Florida or even heard of Signature Pharmacy.

David Segui
2007 team: Out of baseball

Slick-fielding first baseman played 15 seasons, finishing with Baltimore in 2004. Acknowledged he used HGH and said he was among the players mentioned by ex-teammate Jason Grimsley to federal investigators.
Segui told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" he used HGH with a doctor's prescription because of a growth hormone deficiency. This week, he told the Baltimore Sun that he bought steroids and drugs from former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski.
Segui said he refused to talk to the Mitchell investigation.

Gary Sheffield
2007 team: Detroit Tigers

Hit 25 homers this season. Nine-time All-Star has 480 career HRs after 20 years. Told HBO he took the "clear" and the "cream," two designer steroids distributed by BALCO, but said he didn't know they were steroids.
"Steroids is something you shoot in your butt," he said. Once worked out with Barry Bonds, then had a falling-out with the star.

Miguel Tejada
2007 team: Baltimore Orioles

Four-time All-Star shortstop and former AL MVP. In 2005, then-teammate Rafael Palmeiro implied his positive test for steroids might have come from an injection of B-12 vitamin provided by Tejada. Earlier that year, Tejada denied taking steroids. "I know I'm clean. I know who I am, and I know everything that I do is right," he said.

Ismael Valdez
2007 team: Out of baseball

Went 104-105 in a 12-year career that ended in 2005. Valdez bought $11,300 worth of growth hormone and other performance-enhancing drugs in 2002 from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center after he was traded from Texas to Seattle, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Mo Vaughn
2007 team: Out of baseball

Plump slugger was a three-time All-Star and AL MVP before finishing up with the Mets in 2003. In his last season , Vaughn told The New York Times he used supplements that contained ephedra. Vaughn said he did it to build energy, not to lose weight.

Randy Velarde
2007 team: Out of baseball

Solid infielder for 16 years, turned an unassisted triple play for Oakland. Got 200 hits in 1999 - never had more than 151 in any other season. Velarde received steroids and human growth hormone from BALCO, according to information given to federal investigators, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2004.

Matt Williams
2007 team: Out of baseball

Five-time All-Star won four Gold Gloves at third base. Retired after playing in 2003 with Arizona, now a Diamondbacks broadcaster.
Williams bought $11,600 worth of growth hormone, steroids and other drugs in 2002, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. He said a doctor advised him to try growth hormone to heal an injured ankle.

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