MY BASEBALL BIAS

Andy Pettitte was accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs before the Mitchell Report came out and now his name appears right below his buddy Roger Clemens.

I suspect that Pettitte won’t make any public statements about the report until the spring training. Even then, however, I would expect him to answer every question with a “no comment”.

Here’s the report on Pettitte:

McNamee began serving as Pettitte’s personal trainer and started assisting Pettitte
in off-season workouts after the 1999 season. According to McNamee, during the 2001-02 offseason,
Pettitte asked him about human growth hormone. McNamee said that he discouraged Pettitte from using human growth hormone at that time.

From April 21 to June 14, 2002, Pettitte was on the disabled list with elbow tendonitis. McNamee said that Pettitte called him while Pettitte was rehabilitating his elbow in Tampa, where the Yankees have a facility, and asked again about human growth hormone.

Pettitte stated that he wanted to speed his recovery and help his team. McNamee traveled to Tampa at Pettitte’s request and spent about ten days assisting Pettitte with his rehabilitation. McNamee recalled that he injected Pettitte with human growth hormone that McNamee obtained from Radomski on two to four occasions. Pettitte paid McNamee for the trip and his expenses; there was no separate payment for the human growth hormone.

According to McNamee, around the time in 2003 that the BALCO searches became public, Pettitte asked what he should say if a reporter asked Pettitte whether he ever used performance enhancing substances. McNamee told him he was free to say what he wanted, but that he should not go out of his way to bring it up. McNamee also asked Pettitte not to mention his name. McNamee never discussed these substances with Pettitte again.

After the 2001 season, Pettitte, like Clemens, continued to use McNamee’s services and to serve as a source of income after McNamee was dismissed by the Yankees. In a 2006 article, Pettitte “acknowledged an ongoing relationship” with McNamee. Pettitte was quoted as having said that he still talked to McNamee about once a week. “Mac has trained me professionally for a long time, and I’ll continue to use Mac,” Pettitte said.

Pettitte’s use isn’t nearly as damaging as Clemens, but it will still tarnish his image. The more important question is, “What will happen to Pettitte in 2008″? Will there be a suspension? Will the constant questioning be a distraction? Will any success he obtains in the ‘08 season be tarnished?

I don’t think much will change. Jason Giambi, in a round about way, said he was sorry for using and not much happened to him. His performance has obviously declined, but how much do people really care that he used? He’ll continue to step into the batter’s box just like Pettitte will continue to step on the mound.

They will have to live with their decisions and the consequences, but I think the fans want to move on.