More legal wrangling for Clemens?
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Dec 29, 2007 
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A few minor updates:
Brian McNamee’s lawyer is now talking about filing a lawsuit against Roger Clemens for defamation of character. Prediction: None of this ever sees a courtroom. Neither guy wants a open examination of their actions.
Brian Cashman has cut short Robbie Cano’s winter ball season to make sure he stays healthy for spring training. Melky Cabrera was never given permission to start. No Johan Santana conspiracy here, teams do this sort of thing all the time. Cabrera clearly wore down at the end of last season (.180/.236/.220 in September) and needed the break.
Had two offers to catch the Patriots-Giants game in person tonight but decided to watch from the comfort of my parent’s living room. The (relatively) good weather should help Brady and Moss. The Giants secondary is vulnerable.
Thanks to everybody who e-mailed about pinch hitting on the blog. Just to make it clear: You must have an established blog, your post here must be original content and it’s one post for each blog. I’m working on a schedule and will get back to everybody in a few days.
Given the Jim Leyritz situation, no reminder should be needed. But give up the keys this weekend if you’re drinking. Live to watch baseball again next year.
Pete, you mean that his lawyer thinks it’s possible to ‘defame’ Brian McNamee?!
That’s almost Orwellian, isn’t it?
Yawn…I mean literally, yawn. Good morning all! What a great day. A potentially historic day, lol. Go Patriots.
Pete, thanks for working through the end of the year and keeping the convo fresh, even though there’s no real news. Media/fans are so desperate for info that 2 young Yankee players getting pulled from winter ball means “imminent Santana” trade.
Is it defamation to claim that someone’s claims are untrue? To bring light to someone’s criminal past which is a matter of public record? I was really hoping that McNamee was going to roll over and say he was squeezed by the feds, but all indications are that he’s going down fighting.
G-MEN SPOIL PERFECT PATTY PARTY
How do you defame the character of a guy who slips girls the date rape drug?
i’m not sure mitchell is liking seeing mcnamee’s lawyer talking about a libel lawsuit. mitchell’s report itself would go on trial too.
i don’t think mlb or mitchell anticipated clemens fighting back the way he is. i don’t know if he’s guilty or innocent, but it’s surely strange behavior if he’s guilty. it’s even unusual activity if he’s innocent because mlb was probably going to just let it the mitchell report stand without handing out any punishment.
clemens would have had 5 years to do damage control for the hall of fame. but he’s coming out swinging. i’m glad he is because we are more likely to get to the truth one way or the other.
There was no reason for Melky to be playing in the winter league in the firt place. Stop grinding the guy down.
randy I – excellent points! I completely agree.
Mitchell is in total denial mode. He lamely tries to legitimize the report by pointing out that “of course it’s good because I say it is”. It may be right on many levels (bad news for Clemens) but there was so much that was wrong. Basing your report on 2 informants and re-hashing published stories is not thorough considering the time and resources he was given. Yes, players had a chance to tell their side, but when the union and lawyers are telling you to sit tight what’re you going to do?
I’m still shaking my head at the fact that the owners gave Selig a huge thumbs up (wish they stuck those thumbs someplace private) and that there’s talk of giving him a life term.
yanks61-
i really hated the whole idea of the mitchell report. i thought that baseball needed to move on with strong independent testing in place, but if mlb and the mitchell report is going to point fingers, i’m glad an accused player is fighting back.
i just hope clemens is telling the truth. it’s not a good story is he isn’t.
What McNamee told Mitchell is more defamation than Clemens merely denying [the defamatory statements] what McNamee said about Clemens. Neither case is strong or has much to stand on, for what it’s worth.
The white facade is going up!!
http://yesnetwork.prospero.com.....;tid=34291
Check out a picture!!
This couldn’t have been a snap decision on the part of Clemens. He must feel the ammunition is there or an entire career and heavy legal $$$ is on the line.
“Given the Jim Leyritz situation, no reminder should be needed. But give up the keys this weekend if you’re drinking. Live to watch baseball again next year.”
That may be the most important post of the year.
We all think it can’t happen to us, but when it comes to DUI, you don’t have to get into an accident or hurt anyone to have a life-changing event. You could get arrested, lose your license, lose your job (and have to put it on job applications when you look for a new job), get a criminal record, see your insurance go through the roof.
A mixed drink using one oz. of 80 proof liquor, one regular glass of wine, one 12 oz. bottle of beer are all about the same in alcohol content. Under the new DUI laws, depending on your body weight, three drinks in an hour may put you at the limit. Be smart. Get a cab, designate a driver, call mom or dad if you’re in that age group. But don’t take any chances.
Jennifer – Save Phil Hughes!:
I have to go by the place every so often. Yup, they are enclosing the steel with concrete panels on the steel. What really strikes me is how much bigger it looks than the current/old stadium structure. The design calls for a park within a surrounding mall of sorts, so I expect that the footprint is bigger in fact.
Leyritz was an idiot I’m sorry but there is no, absosolutely no excuse for getting behind the wheel while being drunk, I can’t believe the judgement he used in this situation, and no offense this is the same guy that was ripping Alex all season long.. well w/ everything said I know one thing Alex didn’t cost anyone’s life and hasn’t been stupid getting behind a wheel while under the influence of alcohol
Jennifer :
That white facade will wrap around the Stadium from LF to RF just like it was prior to ’73 when re-construction took place.
IDK what to say I was shocked hearing this last night completely shocked and leave my prayers for the deceased loved ones.
i don’t know….i tend to agree with the story below. the burden is on mcnamee and if he is willing to go to court, he must have something pretty convincing to prove he’s telling the truth.
http://mlbfleecefactor.com/200.....t-clemens/
Don’t drive drunk.
Just don’t do it.
My feeling about Clemens is that his naked, hairy butt was probably right next to Pettitte’s. Hell, not being a Doctor, Brian McNamee may have even used the same syringe.
Can you imagine being the guys with Leyritz before the incident? I would feel responsible.
Another lesson here, don’t let friends drive if they’ve been drinking. Even if it was just “a few”.
Wisconsin just beat Texas in hoops on a last second three.
that is AWESOME
Erm, I’m pretty sure HGH is the stomach shot. Steroids is the rear end.
The facade looks so great! Too bad I’ll probably never be able to afford to step foot in that new stadium, haha.
Rebecca,
The SU Womens team is on fire!! They havent been this good in years….the boys should be paying attention, lol.
I know! It’s pretty cool!
It sure is!!
That pic of the new stadium is awesome!!
Im soo anxious for the season to start, haha.
Progress …..
http://www.yankeetradition.com.....tadium.htm
Not to toot my own horn, well yea, to toot my own horn my site has a lot of nice updated new Stadium photos.
http://slidingintohome.blogspo.....pdate.html
Game four or five of the 01 World Series (whichever one Moose pitched) is on Yankees’ classics right now and they’re gettin’ to the good part
Game five.
You know, guys, I don’t actually enjoy killing threads…
Here Rebecca,
http://slidingintohome.blogspo.....equel.html
Canseco is officially writting a sequel to ‘Juiced’
Let’s go Boston Patriots, kick some New York —–.
From Bob, at 12:43 pm, “How do you defame the character of a guy who slips girls the date rape drug?”
If I were you, Bob, I’d be kinda careful about throwing around accusations like that.
Yankee pitching coach Rick Down corroborates Brian McNamee’s version of that so-called/alleged “date rape” case in 2001. Read the pertinent portion of this Jon Heyman article from 11/14-15/06 at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....ner/2.html — 5th paragraph down.
(and BTW, McNamee said he never supplied PEDs to Clemens — he said he only injected Clemens with Clemens’ own supply and needles — so the statements by McNamee’s old cop partner, and Rick Down, are consistent)
With all this BS from Clemens, he’s on the same level as Bonds.
What a scumbag.
Dang, I forgot Game Five went so long…
So, let me get this straight. Clemens has talked about taking possible legal action, is publically calling McNamee on what he said about Clemens, yet, because McNamee is talking a lawsuit, which has little chance of success, you believe him, an admitted drug pusher who could face prosecution due to the agreement he made with Federal agents, over Clemens who is looking to clear his name but faces no possible legal actions against him.
Got it. You and NYPD113th (and I pray that this guy is not a cop, because he is the type that would give all cops a bad name)are so blinded by your bias that you jump all over anything that might seem as though Clemens is wrong.
The Mitchell Report was wrong. It was a report put together knowing full well that it was naming people without giving them any due process. Though, judging from NYPD113th way of thinking, vigilanti type actions rather than following constitutionally protected rights, Mitchell can be investigator, Judge and jury.
gunther toody is your typical sux fan, still angry at Clemens for the 4 Cy Youngs he won after Boston refused to resign him in 1996, and especially angry at Clemens for winning World Series rings with the Yankees.
This happening to Clemens is better than the 2007 World.
Wait until they bag Big Sloppi.
Big Papi’s buff body due to his work regimen, the irregular heart beat from the stress of being a DH in Boston.
Drugs, including anabolic steroids, can cause heartbeat irregularities, but people should not jump to that conclusion because there are many possible causes, [Dr. Michael A.] Coady said. Stress and overtraining can also make the heart beat unevenly.
http://www.babeslovebaseball.c.....round.html
Check out Giambi and Otiz.
Apologistfornoone, the SI article makes me even more unlikely to believe McNamee. He was willing to “take the hit”, in otherwords, lie, so it would help someone else with a promotion.
Just because charges are dropped, it doesn’t mean they didn’t happen, either. Being dismissed by the Yankees could also give a motive or reason for him falsely accussing someone. After all, as was told about in that article that was trying to paint him sympathetically, he was willing to lie – take the blame- for someone else to get off.
McNamee also wasn’t such a stand up, law abiding person – and having been in law enforcement, would have known full well the illegal aspects to what he willingly did, yet he procured illegal drugs and injected them into players to enhance himself and his abilities.
I’ve known plenty of NYC police, and a number of them are shady and think they can be above the law they are supposed to uphold.
Grrrrrrrrrrr,
Has the Mitchell report – with all its warts – been wrong about a player yet? The report is not a legal document for grand jury action.
So was the report wrong about Pettitte? or Brian Roberts? or Barry Bonds?
Is the report lacking? Yep Are there other players missing? Yep.
Are there serious questions raised about Clemens. Yep. Is it now down to McNamee v Clemens? So far.. Will Clemens take the oath before Congress (and potential perjury), ah, we shall see. Would you counsel Clemens to testify under oath?
That was Me… both Giambi and Ortiz have packed on a ton from the early pictures. Don’t worry though, Ortiz is in the clear because he wasn’t named in the Mitchell RS Report.
Hard to believe those pics of Big Papi just ten years ago before he was released by the Twins.
Then there was the irregular heartbeat issue last season.
What’s that statement about people who live in glass houses?
Grrrrrrrrrrr
Do you have ANY EVIDENCE aside from gaining weight, that David Ortiz juiced…
Much ado about nothing.
The facts are clear. It was legal to take steroids until
5 years ago. All MLB players knew about them, including the ones that are named in the Mitchel report and the players that are not i.e. Big Biiiig Papi.
The whole period is suspect and those pollyannas who target the named players, (in a very narrow report), and ignore all others, are simply wrong.
The steroids and HGH wasn’t necessarily legal, they just weren’t banned by MLB.
Greg Cohen Toot away!! Great pics!
Thanks to all who posted pictures of the construction of the New Yankee Stadium. They gave me chills, especially the shot of the facade.
I will echo Pete’s sentiments. This is a big celebratory weekend – I hope all of you are safe. Even for those of you who do not drink – be aware and defensive if you have to be out on the road. I’d rather have my friends/loved ones angry at me for a few hours/days/weeks/months than not have them around at all.
Two lives, two families destroyed. Don’t drink and drive.
If there is a question about whether or not something is ethical, don’t do it.
Absolutely.
Without a prescription they were illegal.
Prediction: Boston Patriots win 51-6!
So how many of us are going to be watching that game?
Rebecca,
I am. Glad that it’s being simulcast.
I can’t stand the Pats. Even Brady – who had seemed so decent seems to be acting more like Belichick. Unless you are a fan of theirs, they are not a likeable team.
I have such an intense dislike for the patriots that I’m actually rooting for the giants tonight.
It’s like when the sox play the mets and I root for the mets cos they’re not the sox.
I’ve followed the Cowboys since they drafted Boy Hayes in 1964, tonight I’m a Giant fan.Do not like this versions of the Pats.
I really dislike NE stealing the Cowboys uniforms/helmets, which were formerly red and white uniforms/helmets, right down to the star on the helmet.
Uh, Webster, you idiot!
Say what you want about Randy Moss…..but there are few receivers that have his talent.
I am suddenly no longer bored
G-MEN G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anybody catch this? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22430643/
Ex-Mariners player (’98-’99) talks a bit about prevalence of steroids (and greenies!) and Piniella ignoring their usage on the team
I am quietly quickly becoming an Eli fan…
Hey, Eli looks fantastic tonight. If you Giants fans really want to run him out of town, I know a stout guy down in Miami who’d be happy to take him off your hands.
Kick some butt tonight Jints!!!
Well well…it’s looks like we got a game going on here! GO BIG BLUE!!!!!!!!!
wow
Maybe the Pats are losing on purposes, to take the pressure of being undefeated off their backs, as they head into the playoffs.
GRRRRRRRRR,
I got only one come-back comment, and at least one correction:
Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee were nearly joined at the hip from 1998 to 2006, they spent so much time together.
Roger Clemens, by his words and subsequent actions, has been a proven liar for 11 years, and quite possibly back to October 1986 and that famous “blister” excuse; and he’s been in as much legal hot water (with the Bayou Mama arrest for aggravated assault, with a “exoneration” similar to that McNamee received, and the threat to the umpire).
One told his tale under oath, the other has yet to put his hand to a bible and swear to tell the truth, etc. Why should we NOT believe the guy under oath, and believe the proven liar?
Whether you believe it or not, there’s an “insider” culture among cops as well as baseball players. They tend to cover for each other, and not talk to “outsiders”. Don’t indict a guy for “taking the hit” when that’s what any one of his peers would do; same for MLB players….except when they’re faced with being in the Mitchell Report, I guess.
Lastly, you said, “he procured illegal drugs and injected them into players to enhance himself and his abilities.” Brian McNamee’s worst offense seems to be that of being a “facilitator”. Read the Jon Heyman article again. He pointed people who ASKED him about drugs to other people who could supply them, he didn’t procure them himself: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....ner/1.html
As long as people like you persist in mis-stating a story, the “little guy” will continue to be slammed, and the Superstar will slipslide his way into the HOF….
One told his tale under oath, the other has yet to put his hand to a bible and swear to tell the truth, etc. Why should we NOT believe the guy under oath, and believe the proven liar?
Gee, where does all the anger come from? You must be a jilted Red Sox fan, right?
a) how is clemens a “proven” liar?
b) people commit perjury all the time. some are even pardoned when convicted.
Are these announcers annoying anyone else?
Throw the flag!! There is no way the ball went out at the 18!! I want a replay!
Wow can you say paying off the refs?
dude, that shudda been delay of game!
Jennifer,
For not calling off-sides on the Giants?
For delay of game on the pats. I think the ref dropped a bill on the ground.
Pats are playing dirty, first the poke in the eye, now the pushing and shoving!!
Ethan,
You might as well use your real name.
“What else could you ask for?â€
Well, a lot actually.
But i’ll start with asking why you’d post on that on a yankees forum in the first place.
huge sigh of relief right here
nevermind.
there’s plenty of time left for the Pats to lose
Ugh, why did I even follow that link? I just threw up in my mouth a little bit reading that crap.
And to top it off its one of those annoying pages that won’t you back out of it by hitting the back button.
okay, this is not the first time I’ve seen this this season. At the end of the game, the Patriots seem to have a big burst of energy while the other team is getting tired.
shameless plug http://thebaseballoutsider.blogspot.com/
this game has been pretty exciting.
doh!
Ugh!
Why did the first half have to end?
only a matter of time for Eli “I never saw a interception I didn’t like” Manning
I guess this makes this not the best sports night of my life….
Stick a fork in the Giants, b/c they are done!
Rebecca,
Out of a long list of non-best sports nights this year
This Giants game is total crap. The refs have given the Pats every single call. It must be nice to know that you can get handed a first down by way of penalty every time you need it.
27:
Agreed.
Unless the Pats win the Super Bowl, 16-0 means nothing.
Ya right Steve……that is why the Patriots are winning because the refs are giving it to them…….lol
Buddy: I like your thought process!
the refs may as well wear the letters NE on their uniforms.
PATRIOTS 16-0 PETE!!!!!!!
ray,
Good win in SLC tonight. Tomorrow, it’s on!
Hey Mel…..should be a good one.
Must have been the refs that caused Eli to throw that interception huh?
No where in the report does it say that McNamee has testified under oath. The only thing it said was that the Feds were there. Besides, since when does testifying under oath mean its the absolute truth? So, neither testified under oath, there goes that part of your arguement.
Lets’s see, McNamee said Roger didn’t do steroids to the press and then said he did to Mitchell. It is possible to libel yourself?
Karma said December 29th, 2007 at 10:25 pm: Gee, where does all the anger come from? You must be a jilted Red Sox fan, right?
Wrong. A Texas Rangers fan.
a) how is clemens a “proven†liar? “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.” –Samuel Clemens.
Well, lessee. First, the “blister” excuse in that 1986 WS game he left early. No one ever saw a blister. I even have a videotape of him close-up after he was taken out, with his hands in front of his face. No blister, no blood, no bandage, no nothing. Presuming, of course, the alleged blister was on his HAND.
Then he lied in 1990 after he was ousted from that A’s/Red Sox postseason game by umpire Terry Cooney, about what he said to Cooney (A’s players and the RF umpire heard heard what he REALLY said, and anyone watching on TV who could lipread knew, too).
His very appearance after signing his last RS contract was a lie; he had an obvious gut and double chin reporting to ST in both ’93 and ’95 with subsequent health/performance problems, rededicating himself to “winning” only after the RS were out of contention in ’96.
Then there was 1995, when he put his house up for sale a year before his RS contract was up, and even then he said if he didn’t pitch for the RS, he was going home to Texas to play for one of those 2 teams. HA! as ARod says…
Then he lied about what Dan Duquette actually said about him in 1996: Duquette actually said (after Clemens signed with the Blue Jays), “we had hoped to keep him in Boston during the twilight of his career.” In 2003 as he approached win #300, “When Duquette said that I was done, if I’d have taken his advice and went home, I wouldn’t have been a Hall of Famer.”
Clemens kept maintaining that he signed with the Blue Jays because he wanted to win a championship, but the Jays offered him a few million more than the Yankees did…that made him a liar, too. Toronto finished 24 games under .500 in Clemens’ two seasons above the border.
Then he lied to MLB (with the complicity of the Blue Jays) with that handshake agreement to leave the Blue Jays (engineered before 1999 season) if they weren’t “competitive”, which wasn’t enforceable because it was against MLB rules.
Then there was that infamous “I thought it was the ball” after he threw the bat shard at Mike Piazza…
Then he lied to the Yankees when he “retired” the first time in 2003.
If being caught in a lie 9 times during his career isn’t enough, then I’m sorry, that makes you a Clemens apologist.
b) people commit perjury all the time. some are even pardoned when convicted.
That’s a strawman argument if ever I’ve seen one. You should be ashamed.