Clemens: Injections Were Vitamin B-12 & Painkiller

Roger Clemens, left, throws alongside strength coach Brian McNamee at Astros minor league mini camp in 2006. Clemens said McNamee injected him with a painkiller and vitamin B-12, according to the first excerpts released from the pitcher's interview with CBS's "60 Minutes."

Steven Senne: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Clemens: Injections were vitamin B-12, painkiller
Pitcher to refute trainer's allegations in CBS interview

By DAVID BARRON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

In an interview to be broadcast Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes," Roger Clemens told interviewer Mike Wallace that he never used banned performance-enhancing substances but was injected by former trainer Brian McNamee with vitamin B-12 and with lidocaine, a painkiller.

When asked by Wallace if McNamee had ever injected him with any drugs, Clemens replied, according to the network, "Lidocaine and B-12. It's for my joints, and B-12 I still take today."

According to a network news release, Clemens described as "ridiculous" McNamee’s allegations that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone and said he "never" used any banned substances.

"Swear?" Wallace asked. "(I) swear," Clemens replied, according to the network.

Clemens' response to Major League Baseball’s Mitchell Report, which includes McNamee’s allegations, will air during Sunday’s edition of 60 Minutes, which will be broadcast at 6 p.m. on CBS and, in Houston, on KHOU (Channel 11). The audio portion of the broadcast will air on KILT (610 AM).

david.barron@chron.com

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