Roger Clemens spoke under oath for about five hours to congressional lawyers in Washington yesterday, then said he told them he did not use performance-enhancing drugs.
"I just want to thank the committee, the staff that I just met with. They were very courteous," Clemens said after emerging from the offices of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
"It was great to be able to tell them what I've been saying all along - that I've never used steroids or growth hormone," the seven-time Cy Young Award winner said.
Clemens, wearing a pinstriped gray suit instead of a pinstriped Yankees uniform, did not take questions from reporters.
Clemens's closed-door, sworn testimony on Capitol Hill came one day after his Yankees teammate and workout partner, Andy Pettitte, gave a deposition to committee staff for 2 1/2 hours.
Both players' interviews are part of preparation for a Feb. 13 hearing, a public session expected to focus on allegations made in the Mitchell Report by trainer Brian McNamee that he injected Clemens more than a dozen times with human growth hormone and steroids in 1998, 2000, and 2001.
"I look forward to being here, I guess in this room, next week," Clemens said in his 25-second statement after the deposition.
The deposition was the first time Clemens addressed the allegations under oath - meaning it also was the first time he faced legal risk if he were to make false statements.
Bounty for Sanchez
Second baseman Freddy Sanchez and the Pirates agreed on an $11 million, two-year contract that includes an option for 2010 that could make the deal worth $18.4 million.The deal includes an $8 million option for 2010 with a $600,000 buyout.
The option would become guaranteed if he has 635 plate appearances in 2009 or is selected for the All-Star Game and has 600 plate appearances.
The 30-year-old Sanchez batted .344 in '06 to win the NL batting title, then hit .304 last season.
Jeter settles tax case
Derek Jeter settled his case with tax officials, who had said the Yankees captain should have paid three years of taxes as a New York state resident. Tax officials contended Jeter should have been taxed as a state resident from 2001-03. Jeter, who has a Manhattan apartment, said he was a Florida resident and didn't owe New York taxes. Florida does not have a state income tax; New York state and city do . . . The estranged wife of Dodgers coach Don Mattingly was arrested and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct after police say she refused to leave his property in Evansville, Ind. Police arrested 45-year-old Kim Mattingly after they were called to the home of the former Yankee first baseman to investigate reports of a person refusing to leave Saturday, a probable cause affidavit said. The couple filed for divorce in November . . . Scott Podsednik, a catalyst of the White Sox' world championship run in 2005, agreed to a minor league contract with the Rockies. Podsednik has been slowed by injuries the past two seasons. He batted .243 with 12 steals and 30 runs in 62 games in '07 . . . Outfielder Alex Rios avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $4,835,000, one-year contract with the Blue Jays. Rios reached career highs with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs last season while batting .297 . . . Relief pitcher Brian Bruney and the Yankees agreed to a $725,000, one-year contract . . . Righthander Dave Bush and the Brewers agreed to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.
