about using steroids, but passed.
Does anybody else think this is getting ridiculos?
Former BoSox player Greenwell thought about steroids, passed
Associated Press
Updated: March 11, 2008, 8:41 PM ET
Comment
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Former Boston Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell finished second in the 1988 AL MVP voting to Jose Canseco, who has admitted using steroids.
Had it not been for his wife, Greenwell said he probably would have used them, too. He studied steroids "because I was very, very tempted as a player to do it," he said Tuesday.
His wife convinced him not to.
"My wife's a nurse, and basically told me she'd kill me if she caught me doing it," Greenwell said. "I think there's many, many players out there that were tempted to do it. Probably if I didn't have my wife, I would have done it to try to perform at that level."
Greenwell spoke at a news conference called because of his selection to the Red Sox Hall of Fame. He also threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Boston's 4-3 win over the New York Mets.
Greenwell played his entire career for Boston from 1985-96 and hit .303. He was a teammate of Roger Clemens, who played for Boston from 1984-96, and said he doesn't know if Clemens used illegal performance-enhancing drugs as alleged by his former trainer, Brian McNamee, in the Mitchell report and at a congressional hearing. McNamee has said Clemens began using performance-enhancing drugs in 1998, when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays.
"My thought is no, because he's such a hard worker and he wouldn't do that," Greenwell said, "but then when you watch the hearings and you see the things going on, it does cast doubt. I certainly hope people don't judge his career on that. I think that's a shame."
Greenwell retired at the age of 33 when he was still a productive hitter. He and Clemens removed the nameplates from their lockers before Boston was mathematically eliminated in 1996.
Greenwell was upset with general manager Dan Duquette's handling of the team and said at the time that Duquette's communication with players, the manager and the media had to be better.
Duquette didn't want the outspoken Greenwell back in 1997.
"I felt like I was very, very loyal," Greenwell said. "I never felt like I got that back at the end of my career. "
He hasn't been back to Fenway Park since retiring but said he's "absolutely" returning this year.
"I wasn't really mad at the Red Sox," Greenwell said. "I was burnt out. I knew I would never come to Fenway as long as Duquette was there. I really thought what he did to that organization was a shame and I'll say that right to his face."
Duquette lost his job in spring training of 2002 when John Henry became owner.
On Tuesday, Greenwell wore a Red Sox hat as he spoke.
"Always felt like I had Red Sox blood in me," he said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Originally Posted by bounty37h
