As
mounting evidence and allegations continue to incriminate many of
baseball’s greatest sluggers, we must keep in mind that the reputations
of several pitching greats have been impugned, as well.
Does
that mean there has been a level playing field when it comes to both
hitters and pitchers juicing? That question certainly can be debated.
Arguably
the most dominating pitcher of the past several decades was Roger
Clemens, whose alleged alignment with performance-enhancing drugs
shocked a sporting nation.
Clemens
appeared on ESPN Radio this week to repeat denials that former trainer
Brian McNamee injected him with performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens’
appearance on the show coincided with the release of a damaging book.
"American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in
America's
Pastime" was written by four reporters from the New York Daily News.
The book concludes that Clemens had lied last year in a deposition and
at the congressional hearing.
"It's piling on," Clemens said of the book. "It's hurtful at times, but I'm moving on.
McNamee's attorney Richard Emery says Clemens' latest comments are further damaging to his claims of innocence.
"The
only thing new is [Clemens'] tactic of actually speaking publicly,
which I think is going to be like poking a stick in the federal
government's eye and Congress' eye because he is basically saying he
didn't lie to Congress when it is perfectly obvious that he did," Emery
told the Associated Press. "I think it is going to speed up and
energize the prosecution."
This latest predicament could be more dauntinging for Clemens than getting out of a bases-loaded jam.
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