Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Roger Clemens tried the silent treatment for more than a year and saw where that got him.
With many fans believing allegations that Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs, he’s now attempting a different strategy. Clemens hired a firm that guides high-profile figures through public relations crises, and Tuesday he broke his silence.
Clemens again denied that former personal trainer Brian McNamee injected him with performance-enhancing drugs in a phone interview on ESPN’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning.”
“He’s never injected me with HGH or steroids,” Clemens said of McNamee’s assertions to baseball investigator George Mitchell.
About three weeks ago, Clemens met in Houston with representatives from Washington-based Levick Strategic Communications.
“Because of the litigation, he felt obligated on advice of counsel not to speak,” Levick senior vice president Gene Grabowski said. “What he learned in that year was that by not speaking no one was going to tell his story.”
Clemens said he chose to speak out Tuesday because it was the release date of a book about his alleged drug use.
ORIOLES
BALTIMORE ó Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, arguably the greatest third baseman in baseball history, revealed that he has undergone successful treatment for prostate cancer.
“It was diagnosed very early and I underwent 39 radiation treatments,” he said during a downtown luncheon for the American Cancer Society. “I feel healthy and fine, and I’m grateful that I was vigilant about my health.”
WHITE SOX
CLEVELAND ó Closer Bobby Jenks has been fined for throwing a pitch behind a batter. Major League Baseball did not disclose the amount.
Jenks sailed a fastball in back of Ian Kinsler on Saturday and later said the pitch was intentional because he was tired of watching White Sox batters getting hit with no retaliation.
BLUE JAYS
TORONTO ó General manager J.P. Ricciardi says the Blue Jays will continue to use Scott Downs in the ninth inning even after B.J. Ryan (shoulder) rejoins the club.
METS
BUFFALO, N.Y. ó Angel Pagan has joined Triple-A Buffalo on a rehabilitation assignment.
BREWERS
MILWAUKEE ó The Brewers have signed utilityman Frank Catalanotto to a minor league contract.