Berkman: Pettitte's statement on Mitchell findings puts pressure on Clemens
Astros slugger says Rocket needs to make more detailed response after friend goes public
By BRIAN McTAGGART
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Never afraid to share his opinion, Astros first baseman Lance Berkman spoke Sunday about the confession of his former teammate Andy Pettitte, the silence of Roger Clemens and how clubhouse chemistry could be a concern for the new-look Astros.
Berkman said he called Pettitte to show his support the day the lefthander's name appeared in the Mitchell Report, the result of a 20-month investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
In a statement released Saturday, Pettitte admitted he used human growth hormone twice while playing for the New York Yankees in 2002 to help heal an elbow injury. Human growth hormone wasn't banned by baseball until 2005.
Brian McNamee, a trainer who has worked with Pettitte and Roger Clemens, told former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell he had given the performance-enhancing drugs to Pettitte in 2002. McNamee also alleged he injected human growth hormone and steroids into Clemens.
Berkman says Pettitte's confession puts pressure on Clemens to speak publicly. Clemens vehemently denied using drugs in a statement through his lawyer Thursday, the day the Mitchell Report was released.
"I'm not insinuating the allegations are true just because Pettitte came out and said the trainer was telling the truth about him," Berkman said. "I'm just saying it puts more pressure on the (Clemens) camp to specifically deny charges.
"I don't think it's good enough to make a blanket statement and say the guy's lying. Now that Andy's come out, that certainly puts a little more pressure to come out and make a more detailed statement."
Clemens' camp quiet
Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, didn't return a message seeking comment, and Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, couldn't be reached.
Berkman, who played with Pettitte and Clemens with the Astros from 2004-2006 and remains close friends with Pettitte, spoke to Pettitte again Saturday before Pettitte confessed.
Berkman lobbied Pettitte to return to the Astros this offseason, but Pettitte signed a one-year, $16 million deal with the Yankees. Pettitte headed for his ranch in south Texas after confessing Saturday, Berkman said.
"Like I told him (Saturday), 'You've got an opportunity to really show people how to stand up and tell the truth when everybody would tell you to hide behind lawyers,' and that's the kind of guy he is," Berkman said.
"Andy (couldn't) care less about baseball. He's contemplated retirement the last three offseasons. Really, we've had to talk him into playing. He doesn't care about baseball or his place in history. That's not what he's about.
"He's about helping his team win the World Series. I can understand his decision to do whatever he thought was necessary to get back on the field and help his team win. And to me, that's a totally different deal than using steroids to try to gain an edge on your competition."
Berkman said he's worried about clubhouse chemistry after general manager Ed Wade's drastic makeover of an Astros club that went to the World Series in 2005. Berkman is one of only five players left from that team.
"I feel like I've been traded to the Astros," he said. "It's a completely different team. It saddens me in a way. All those guys and what we've gone through the last couple of years, it creates a tight bond. It's tough.
"I've been in this organization for 11 years and have played in the minor leagues with a lot of these guys and have seen them come up and develop, and we were very comfortable with each other. It's been a tough offseason for me personally."
The Astros acquired four-time All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada from Baltimore on Wednesday and All-Star closer Jose Valverde from Arizona on Friday, trading three top pitching prospects in the process.
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brian.mctaggart@chron.com
