Grimsley's MLB Drug Accusations Unsealed

Jose Canseco, Lenny Dykstra and Rafael Palmeiro were among nine players accused of doping by former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley in a federal agent's affidavit unsealed Thursday.

Roger Clemens wasn't one of them, despite a published report last year that singled him out. He was, however, prominently mentioned in last week's Mitchell Report on doping, but has denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs.

Grimsley accused Canseco, Dykstra, Glenallen Hill and Geronimo Berroa of taking steroids. He also accused Chuck Knoblauch of using human growth hormone; David Segui and Allen Watson of using performance-enhancing drugs; and 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.

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.

Another Novitzky affidavit involving former Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski, who told Mitchell he had sold performance-enhancing drugs to many players, also was unsealed late Thursday.

ESPN.com reported the only players implicated by Radomski that weren't mentioned in Mitchell's report were former New York Mets All-Star pitcher Sid Fernandez, Pete Rose Jr. and minor leaguers Ryan Schurman and Rick Holyfield.

When Grimsley's 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."

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 admitted in recent weeks that they used HGH, with the pitcher saying he used it 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.

"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," Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement. "Roger Clemens did not take steroids, and anybody who says he did had better start looking for a hell of a good lawyer."

The affidavit was released late in the day, and it was not possible to contact the players' union to find out the last known representatives of the retired players.

Grimsley did not wish to comment on the affidavit, according to his agent, Joe Bick, who spoke with the former pitcher after the document was unsealed. Grimsley also declined to cooperate with former Senate majority leader George Mitchell and his staff.

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 Radomski.

Hearst Corp. had been 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.

Hearst, however, was not given a copy late Thursday when the affidavit was unsealed.

"Once again the government is selectively providing information to only certain members of the public, as it did with Mr. Mitchell, rather than making it widely available to all Americans who care about baseball," Hearst lawyer Eve Burton said. "This is a disservice to everyone involved."

According to ESPN.com, Radomski received a $3,500 check from Fernandez that was written in February 2005, eight years after El Sid's final major league appearance. Phone records cited in the affidavit say Rose Jr. called Radomski several times in 2001, ESPN.com reported. Rose Jr., the son of baseball's career hits leader, was sentenced in May 2006 to one month in prison and five months of home detention for distributing a steroid alternative to his minor league teammates.

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 that contained HGH to Grimsley's house in April 2006 and raided the home 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.

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